About the Workshop

Saturday, May 22nd, 9:00am - 1:00pm (Bahrain time)

This is a one-day workshop

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.”

– Brene Brown

The need to innovate and adapt in school has never been more pressing than it is now. The global pandemic that swept our world into turmoil last year was visible proof of this. Educators and leaders were faced with challenges they couldn't have anticipated. Education was forced to quickly adapt to a new normal creating one of the most challenging years for many educators and leaders. The silver lining in this extremely difficult time was that there were exponential leaps forward seen in classrooms and schools. Education as a whole was forced to try new things, take risks and ultimately deeply question current practice. However, how do we ensure this continues even when we settle into a routine again?

In this workshop, participants will take a deep dive into a model that places compassion at the center of all we do in school in order to ensure continued risk-taking, growth and ultimately innovation. By taking steps to create a culture with compassion at the bedrock of all that is done, stakeholders feel they have the space to try, fail and grow from mistakes allowing people to flourish.

Who is it for?

• Educators who are interested in building compassion into their learning community
• Educational leaders looking to spark creativity, innovation and change in their schools?
• Community and parents interested in helping students realize their untapped potential
• Students +13 interested in helping cocreate compassionate learning communities

What will you do?

• Appreciative Inquiry and storytelling to explore the roots of compassion and trust
• A framework that explores how compassion lies at the center of innovation and creativity
• How to develop indicators for compassionate action, courage, and innovation

• A Future Search that includes a Best Hopes/Worst Fears protocol and explores the “monsters” that may get in the way of implementing our action plans

About the Facilitator

Passionate about innovation in education, Tara is committed to increasing meaning and relevance in schools. Tara is co-founder of the Compassion Summit, a global movement committed to building a coalition of compassionate schools. Her additional interests include positive psychology, fostering mission-driven schools, and using a systems approach to schooling.

A TCK herself, Tara began her teaching career in Phoenix, Arizona before moving into international education where she has spent 20+ years in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Taiwan serving in numerous leadership and teaching roles. She has volunteered for ISTE as the chair-elect of the Digital Storytelling Network, for NESA as a PDAC member and for COETAIL as a coach. Tara holds an MA in Educational Leadership, an MFA in Poetry, and two graduate certificates in educational technology and future-driven schooling. Currently, she serves as Superintendent of Riffa Views International School.

You can follow her on Twitter or through learn more about her here.

Schedule and Information

Saturday, May 22nd

Workshop Timing: 9:00am - 1:00pm (Bahrain time)