We invite all practicing and aspiring school administrators and leaders of other organizations to join us for a free, fully online professional development workshop series on contemplative leadership. This unique learning experience, which will last from January to May 2013, has been approved by the Kentucky Department of Education for six EILA credit hours.
The Contemplative Leadership Academy will be facilitated by Dr. Tom Stewart, assistant professor of education at Austin Peay State University, and Dr. Gary Houchens, associate professor of educational administration at Western Kentucky University, and is based on a model they
developed and implemented as district administrators in Kentucky. Tom and Gary are founders of Contemplative Learning Solutions.
“Contemplative leadership” is an approach that emphasizes the inner life of leaders: becoming more self-aware and self-reflective, and utilizing practices that enhance one’s capacity for authentic communication, meaningful relationships, and leading organizations with both boldness and compassion.
Participants in the Contemplative Leadership Academy will explore five contemplative practices borrowed from the world’s great wisdom traditions: silence, solitude, simplicity, stability, and service. Participants will examine each practice in five distinct modules through readings, online presentations from the facilitators, written reflective exercises, and online discussions, followed by an opportunity to use and reflect on the practice in each participant’s daily work context. The Enneagram personality typing system will be used to help participants further explore their communication patterns and leadership styles. As a result of the Contemplative Leadership Academy, participants may become more confident, centered, and stable in their leadership, and more aware of their strengths and growth areas.
As an online professional development opportunity, practicing and aspiring leaders of school and organizations from anywhere in the world may enroll. The facilitators will gather data from participants’ discussions and reflective exercises for on-going research regarding the Academy’s format and outcomes, so while participating in the Academy will be entirely free, participants will be asked to sign a research participation agreement. Any published results of the study will include pseudonyms for all participants’ names and their organizations. Participants must complete all five modules to earn EILA credit (a certificate will be awarded at the completion of the program).
To enroll in the Contemplative Leadership Academy or for more information, please email [email protected] or [email protected] by December 31, 2012.
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