Bringing More Compassion into Your Classroom
2024-01-25 16:00 - 17:00 UTC | Online Event
Description
Virtual event (Zoom) with registration. A facilitated discussion focused on creating a space for educators to reflect and share ways to bring Compassion into their work, including free resources and suggestions from Compass Education and Human Education.
Give yourself the gift of an hour connecting with a community of educators practicing and fostering compassion. Take part in this discussion journey to deepen and share your understanding of methods for fostering more compassion in your classroom and community.

Register Here

Speakers
Lucy Thompson (Compass Education)
Lucy has been an elementary classroom teacher for over 10 years, working in Cambodia, Lebanon, Malaysia and Scotland. She is currently teaching Grade 5 and is the Professional Learning Coordinator at International School Aberdeen. She has a passion for integrating sustainability within the classroom, especially delving into topics using systems thinking tools and exploring a variety of perspectives. Outside of work, she enjoys playing squash and being on the coast, most recently sea kayaking.

Angela Whittaker (Institute of Human Education)

Angela has dedicated her career to serving young people. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Tennessee Technological University and a master’s in education from Old Dominion University, specializing in students with emotional and learning challenges. Angela has over 28 years of experience in education as a teacher. She designed and taught award-winning programs in environmental education and established a non-profit, Full Circle Education Center, created to address the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of students. Angela is a pragmatic visionary dedicated to redesigning K12 educational systems and instruction so they support and inspire young people to change the world for the betterment of all beings.

Betsy Farrell-Messenger
Betsy has been in the education field for 25 years. Her experience ranges from environmental education in the field to teaching in the classroom to co-developing farm animal sanctuary programs for youth. She has a M.S. degree in education from College of St. Rose and in 2014 she earned her graduate certificate in Humane Education through Valparaiso University. Betsy has developed lessons for IHE and participated in the Solutionary process pilot cohort with her middle school students. She is currently a facilitator for the Solutionary Micro-Credential Program, which encourages, inspires and supports teachers in bringing the solutionary teaching and learning to their classrooms and creating the next generation of solutionaries. Betsy lives her message of being kind and mindful of how her behaviors have an impact on people, animals, and the environment.

About LearningPlanet Festival
We are official partners of the LearningPlanet Festival 2024: 24 – 27 January! Since its launch in January 2020, the annual LearningPlanet Festival has been a free, open-to-all event dedicated to celebrating education and lifelong learning. This year, we are bringing the world together on the International Day of Education, 24 January, and for 4 consecutive days, with hundreds of online and onsite events worldwide.
With over 300 partners, the Festival explores new ways of learning, teaching, researching, and making a positive impact in light of complex societal and environmental challenges. By highlighting the extraordinary diversity of actors and learning territories that are engaged at the local, national and international levels, this gathering nurtures a culture of hope and engagement.

Creating Changemakers Game: Bringing Your Core Values into the Classroom
2024-01-27 13:00 - 14:00 UTC | Online Course
Description
Join us for an hour of fun, celebration, and connection as we play several games designed to help us think about how we can bring the values that matter to us into our classroom. We’ll explore and share ideas of how you can integrate values like compassion, curiosity, systems thinking, sustainability, and celebration into your work. Registration required.

Register Here

Speakers
Elaine Reimann
Elaine Gwendolen Reimann is a seasoned education professional specializing in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. She has over 20 years of global teaching experience, with expertise in curriculum coordination, sustainability, and systems thinking. Elaine’s multilingual abilities and experience living on four continents provide her with valuable cross-cultural insights. Her academic credentials include a Certificate of School Management and Leadership from Harvard and a Master’s in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Elaine works with an international NGO in Thailand and is the author of ‘The Supportive Classroom, Language Acquisition in a Multilingual Environment.’

Kath Lane
Kath Lane is a primary school teacher from the UK who has a passion for educating about nature and sustainability. She has been teaching for over twenty years in the UK and at international schools such as Green School, Bali and United World College of South East Asia. She has a Master’s in Educating for Sustainability and is now working as a Forest School leader and supply teacher. Kath believes that through systems thinking and connection to nature and community, we can all learn the skills and qualities needed for a sustainable world.

Kacey Dewing
During 25 years in the classroom, I strove to empower my students with the knowledge and skills to understand the world, their interconnected place within it, and their responsibility to improve it. Central to my teaching is the belief that knowledge becomes the power to do good when combined with accurate information, intellectual skills, and compassionate attitudes. As a member of the IHE team and a Solutionary Micro-Credential Program Facilitator, I guide other educators, students, and changemakers to find greater meaning and inspiration in their teaching, learning, and lives. I have B.A. degrees in geography and international studies from the University of Oregon and master’s degrees in Middle Eastern Studies and Education from the University of Washington. I have travelled widely, including a year of study in Syria and Egypt. I now live in Portland, Oregon where I enjoy home and garden projects, outdoor activities, and lots of soccer.

About LearningPlanet Festival
We are official partners of the LearningPlanet Festival 2024: 24 – 27 January! Since its launch in January 2020, the annual LearningPlanet Festival has been a free, open-to-all event dedicated to celebrating education and lifelong learning. This year, we are bringing the world together on the International Day of Education, 24 January, and for 4 consecutive days, with hundreds of online and onsite events worldwide.
With over 300 partners, the Festival explores new ways of learning, teaching, researching, and making a positive impact in light of complex societal and environmental challenges. By highlighting the extraordinary diversity of actors and learning territories that are engaged at the local, national and international levels, this gathering nurtures a culture of hope and engagement.

Introduction to the Compass Tools Workshop (Virtual, Spanish)
2024-02-15 16:00 - 2024-03-14 18:00 (America/New_York) | Online Workshop
This event is a 3-part (6 hours) Introduction to the Compass Tools virtual workshop sponsored by Tri-Association. This workshop will be delivered in Spanish on February 15, February 29 and March 14. This workshop is FREE with limited space and exclusive for Tri-Association member schools only.

About the Workshop
This flexible, three-part program enables schools to efficiently and effectively introduce educators, administrators and support staff to the fundamentals of sustainability and systems thinking. The process is designed to scaffold learners in systems processes through the introduction of two of the most important and useful systems thinking tools; the Sustainability Compass and Systems Iceberg.
Visit Tri-Association website here to get more info about the workshop and registration in Spanish.

Download Flyer

Introduction to the Compass Tools Virtual Workshop Series: Systems Thinking for Climate Education & Civic Action
2024-03-14 16:00 - 2024-03-28 18:00 (America/New_York) | Online Event
Are you looking to embed climate education in your curriculum? Do you want to empower your students to take civic action to address climate change? How can you be a leader of the climate education movement in your community?
Compass Education is pleased to offer a three-part (March 14, 21 and 28) virtual Introduction to the Compass Tools workshop series this spring for educators across North America on ‘Systems Thinking for Climate Education and Civic Action.’
This highly interactive workshop series will introduce participants to the fundamentals of systems thinking and teach them to use the versatile systems thinking tools, The Sustainability Compass and the Systems Iceberg, to integrate sustainability and climate issues into their work. Participants will leave this series with a plan to use systems thinking to integrate climate education into their work or engage their students in civic action for sustainability.
Any classroom educator or school administrator currently working in Canada, Mexico, or the United States is eligible to apply. We especially encourage educators working in public or government schools with limited access to professional learning funds to apply. This workshop will be held in English.
Apply Here

Reimaging School Communities as Catalysts for Sustainable Systems Change!
2024-05-08 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Online Event
Schools are potent catalysts for building a better world, and it is time to take action! We need to reimagine the role of schools away from being passive conduits of climate curriculum and towards becoming dynamic actors in creating a more sustainable future alongside our students. Every person in your school has a role to play in empowering today’s students to take impactful action for sustainability- from the classroom to the boardroom, the purchasing office to the PTA meetings, and beyond!
Join this one-hour workshop to learn two powerful systems thinking tools that can help schools educate and act to create a more sustainable future. We’ll explore how The Sustainability Compass tool can build a shared language and framework for teaching, learning, and action towards sustainable outcomes through activities and examples. Then, we’ll dive into a School Sustainability Self-Assessment highlighting opportunities for engaging diverse community stakeholders in sustainability work.
This bi-lingual workshop will be facilitated in English and Spanish by school educators and members of Compass Education’s Global Facilitation Team. They will share how they have used and shared these systems thinking tools to seamlessly integrate Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and civic action principles into their curricula and local communities.
By the conclusion of this session, participants will reimagine the role that sustainability and systems thinking education can play in transforming our education systems to facilitate meaningful learning and contribute to sustainable development outcomes.

Register for our session Catalysing Change Week 2024 here!

Educator Round Table: Systems Thinking for Climate Education and Civic Action
2024-09-16 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Online Event
Join us for an engaging and insightful roundtable discussion exploring “Systems Thinking for Climate Education and Civic Action.” This event will bring together PK-12 educators from across North America who have been utilizing Compass Education’s systems thinking tools to foster sustainability, climate education, and civic engagement in their classrooms. Registration is required.
Date: September 16, 2024
Time: 6 pm EDT (New York)
Location: Zoom Meeting (details sent after registration)

Event Highlights

Storytelling Spotlight: Hear inspiring stories from fellow educators who successfully implement systems thinking in their teaching practices. Discover how these approaches have impacted student learning and engagement.
Interactive Discussions: Participate in dynamic conversations about best practices, innovative strategies, and common challenges. Share your experiences and learn from the diverse perspectives of your peers.
Collaborative Opportunities: Explore potential collaborations and new ideas to further enhance your efforts in empowering students as change agents. Find ways to build on each other’s successes and drive collective impact.

This event aims to foster a supportive community of educators committed to advancing sustainability, climate education, and civic education through systems thinking. By sharing experiences and exchanging ideas, we hope to inspire and equip each other to create meaningful and lasting change in our classrooms and beyond.

Who Should Attend
This event is tailored for PK-12 educators who have been actively using Compass Education’s systems thinking tools. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or new to these methods, your participation and insights will contribute to a rich and collaborative dialogue.
RSVP: Please confirm your attendance by Friday, September 13. For more information or any inquiries, contact us at team@compasseducation.org.
We look forward to your participation as we explore new ways to empower our students for a more sustainable and equitable future!

REGISTRATION

Systems Thinking for Sustainability in the Classroom for Educators in Africa
2024-10-03 - 2024-10-17 | Online Event
Compass Education is pleased to offer a three-part virtual Introduction to the Compass Tools workshop series this spring for educators across the African Continent on ‘Systems Thinking for Sustainability in the Classroom.’

About the Workshop
This highly interactive workshop series will introduce participants to the fundamentals of systems thinking and teach them to use the versatile systems thinking tools, The Sustainability Compass and the Systems Iceberg, to integrate sustainability and the UN SDGs into their work. Participants will leave this series with a plan to use systems thinking to integrate sustainability into their classrooms or school communities.
What will you take away from this workshop?

A shared language for whole faculty or school conversations about sustainability and systems and framework for reflecting on issues systemically.
Powerful conversations making sense of complex issues.
Lesson ideas that educators can use in their classrooms the next day, next week or as soon as they’re ready!
Useful tools that can integrate sustainability and systems into any curriculum and every class level.
Access to our database of educator-sourced lesson plans.
Connection to a global movement of educators for sustainability education.

Who should participate?
Any school educator or school administrator currently working in Africa is eligible to apply. We especially encourage educators working in public or government schools with limited access to professional learning funds to apply. This workshop will be held in English.
Apply to participate in this Introduction to the Compass Tools workshop today! It is FREE! Application will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

APPLY HERE

Download Flyer

Facilitator
Gitanjali Paul
Gitanjali Paul designs and facilitates learning for a more just, sustainable world. From classroom to community work, she specializes in Education for Sustainable Development and making systems change. Gitanjali is the Education Program Manager at nonprofit Compass Education, where she leads program development and a dynamic Global Facilitator Network that trains others on systems thinking tools for sustainability education. Gitanjali is indefatigably inquisitive. She has a B.A. in Peace and Justice Studies from Tufts University, an M.Ed in Education Policy, Research and Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Gitanjali learns continually from nature, cooking experiments, adventures with family, and her Filipina rescue cat, Mahatma Charlie.
Michelena McPherson
Michelena McPherson has been working with Compass Education for 7 years as a facilitator and member of the Learning Empowerment group. She is currently a Grade 4/5 teacher and Sustainability Chair at Dar Essalam American School in Rabat, Morocco. Michelena is passionate about Compass Education and believes that systems thinking is instrumental in encouraging children and educators to take action on global issues. Michelena believes in encouraging children to explore the outdoors as well as creating awareness about the issues that affect our world. Michelena has been working with her students on analyzing the 17 sustainable development goals and creating actions that students can carry out locally, including teaching local children about systems thinking and sustainability. Michelena has a BFA in Photography, a Master’s degree in Gifted and Special Education, and a bilingual education endorsement from the University of New Mexico. In addition to teaching, she likes hiking, photography, travelling, and cooking.

Are you looking to build a culture of sustainability in your school? Do you want to integrate systems thinking into your community through accessible and adaptable tools?
This program is available on-site or virtual (six hours) with flexible delivery in one to three-session formats. For further inquiries about this program and pricing, visit our Introduction to the Compass Tools workshop page or contact team@compasseducation.org.

Compassion in the Classroom
2024-11-21 19:00 - 20:00 (Europe/Paris) | Virtual
Global Learning for an Open World (GLOW) Conference is a premier virtual event dedicated to global education and innovation. This conference aims to enhance global competencies, foster cross-border collaboration, nurture dynamic global citizenship, and ensure equitable access to quality education for all.

About the Event
Give yourself the gift of time to connect with a community of educators who believe that teaching compassion is important. Take part in this discussion journey to gain ideas, reflect on practice and share how you foster compassion in your classroom and community, including free resources and suggestions from Compass Education and the Institute of Human Education.
This presentation will give educators tools to build a strong classroom community. All schools today have a diverse range of students with a variety of backgrounds to consider. Additionally, there are many challenges we are all facing in this ever-changing world. Educators need to take time to support students in developing strategies to deal with stress and regulate themselves so they can be in the right state for learning and collaborating. This presentation will provide tools and strategies to use in classrooms to create a safe and calm learning environment. Teachers who attend will practice using some of them and will leave with a list of ideas to use in the classroom ranging from mindfulness, communication tools, and conflict resolution to create an inclusive and kind community. The hope is to give time to the importance of having a learning space that allows students to feel safe and ready to learn.
The presentation will provide Compass Education and Institute for Humane Education tools and strategies. It will not only share the resources but also provide the opportunity for us to use some of them together to help understand them clearly and implement them well. There will be a bank of resources for teachers to use and these will be shared in the session. There will also be time for teachers to share their own ideas, creating a community within the session. It will be broken into sections of understanding the importance of compassion, tools for setting up a community, strategies to continue building a safe community and ideas on setting up an inclusive learning space.

REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE HERE

———————————————————

Presenter
Betsy Farrell-Messenger (Institute of Humane Education)
Betsy Farrell-Messenger has been in the education field for 25 years. Her experience ranges from environmental education in the field to teaching in the classroom to co-developing farm animal sanctuary programs for youth. She has a M.S. degree in education from College of St. Rose and in 2014 she earned her graduate certificate in Humane Education through Valparaiso University. Betsy has developed lessons for IHE and participated in the Solutionary process pilot cohort with her middle school students. She is currently a facilitator for the Solutionary Micro-Credential Program, which encourages, inspires and supports teachers in bringing the solutionary teaching and learning to their classrooms and creating the next generation of solutionaries. Betsy lives her message of being kind and mindful of how her behaviors have an impact on people, animals, and the environment.

Angela Whittaker (Institute of Humane Education)
Angela Whittaker has dedicated her career to serving young people. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Tennessee Technological University and a master’s in education from Old Dominion University, specializing in students with emotional and learning challenges. Angela has over 28 years of experience in education as a teacher. She designed and taught award-winning programs in environmental education and established a non-profit, Full Circle Education Center, created to address the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of students. Angela is a pragmatic visionary dedicated to redesigning K12 educational systems and instruction so they support and inspire young people to change the world for the betterment of all beings.

Lucy Thompson (Compass Education)
Lucy Thompson has been an elementary classroom teacher for over 10 years, working in Cambodia, Lebanon, Malaysia and Scotland. She is currently teaching Grade 5 and is the Professional Learning Coordinator at International School Aberdeen. She has a passion for integrating sustainability within the classroom, especially delving into topics using systems thinking tools and exploring a variety of perspectives. Outside of work, she enjoys playing squash and being on the coast, most recently sea kayaking.

A PATH to Systems Thinking with the Sustainability Compass
2025-02-09 | Virtual
This workshop is part of the Future Learning Summit 2025, a two-day event connecting students, parents and global educators with thought leaders who are passionate about the future of education. With an ever-changing social, economic, and environmental global landscape, children and young people have a lot to navigate in their futures and education is the catalyst for innovation. With ‘Education for a Shared Humanity’ as the summit theme, we’ll be exploring what it means to be humanly connected in an increasingly technology-driven world, and unpacking a range of ideas designed to help children and young people to shape their futures. While this theme is highly personalised, meaning something different to every delegate, at its heart is the recognition that the interconnectedness between peoples remains important and education has the power to enable this to thrive. During the summit delegates will hear from forward thinking and passionate educators, students and leaders through keynotes and panel discussions, and engage in workshops that will challenge their ideas of education.

Workshop Description
The Sustainability Compass is a powerful tool for building systems thinking skills that can support community change-making. In this virtual workshop participants will co-construct a Compass using the PATH process on a challenge of their choice. Participants will consider how the tool can be actively integrated across the curriculum to leverage systems thinking from their roles.
This virtual workshop will be held on Sunday, February 9 in two sessions 11:00-11:45 am and 12:45-13:30 pm UTC+3. Please join us in this workshop if you are attending the summit!

REGISTER FOR THE SUMMIT HERE

———————————————————

Presenter
Britta McCarthy
Britta McCarthy is the Learning Director at the American International School of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and is a former Social Studies and Science teacher. Her “spark” comes from authentic learning experiences that can transform individuals, schools, and communities. Britta has used Compass Education tools in her class for almost ten years, and can’t say enough about how they create student agency and action around some of the most challenging issues of our time. In her leisure time she enjoys spending time in nature as a hiker and diver, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Sub-Saharan Africa Compass Education Group Meet-Up
2025-04-23 16:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | Virtual
We are excited to invite you to an Educator Roundtable focused on “Systems Thinking to Cultivate Connection and Belonging”.
This exciting event – facilitated by our very own Gitanjali Paul (Education Program Manager), Laurence Myers (MENA Regional Leader), and Carolina Daza Charsley (Sub-Saharan Regional Leader) – is tailored for PK-12 educators who have exposure to Compass Education’s systems thinking tools. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or new to these methods, your participation and insights will contribute to a rich and collaborative dialogue.
EVENT DETAILS
🗓️ Date: April 23, 2025
⏰ Time: 4:00 – 5:15 pm Central Africa Time (UTC +2)
📍 Location: Zoom details sent after registration.
This gathering offers a unique opportunity to connect with fellow educators across the Middle East and Africa who share your commitment to empowering students as change agents. Our goals for this event include:

Storytelling Spotlight: Share your story or listen to other educators share their experiences integrating systems thinking into their work to cultivate a sense of belonging or connection to people, place and planet.
Interactive Discussions: Share your questions, ideas and opportunities on this topic during our open discussion on questions generated by you and our facilitators. Help shape the conversation by sharing your questions when you register.
Collaborative Opportunities: Explore potential collaborations and new ideas to further enhance your systems thinking and sustainability practice.

The event will feature spotlight sessions where a few of our colleagues will share their inspiring stories and insights. We believe these stories will spark valuable discussions and help us all discover new ways to strengthen our educational practices.
We would be delighted to have you join us for this enriching and collaborative experience. Please RSVP by April 22 to secure your spot. Of course, if you have a story (or two) to share, please feel free to make a note of that when you register. The more voices the merrier!
If you are interested in being part of this sustainability education community and joining us in this meet-up, please sign up below. You can also join our CEG Sub-Saharan Africa LinkedIn page to get some updates, resources and exciting opportunities in the region. Looking forward to seeing you at this year’s first regional meeting!

Join CEG now!

Addressing Eco-Anxiety through Systems Thinking Education
2025-06-30 09:00 - 10:00 UTC | Virtual
Join Trust for Sustainable Living (TSL) and Compass Education for a one-hour Global Educator Workshop focused on using systems thinking to address eco-anxiety through education. This interactive session will encourage discussion about the causes of eco-anxiety and will allow participants to brainstorm ways in which educators and schools can support both youth and adults in transforming anxiety into positive action.
🗓️ June 30, 2025
🕒 9-10 am UTC
🔗 Zoom details sent after registration

RSVP: Please confirm your attendance by Sunday, June 29. For more information or any inquiries, please contact us at team@compasseducation.org.
We look forward to your participation as we explore new ways to transform anxiety into positive action!

REGISTER NOW!

Systems Change for a Sustainable World: Becoming a Change Maker in Your Community (Online Course)
2025-10-27 - 2025-12-14 | Online Course
Do you want to make systemic change in your community?
How can you move from making changes to strategizing for sustainable systems change?
How can you empower your students to create sustainable change in your school community?

About the Course
This is a Compass Educator (Level 2) certification course, designed for educators who want to learn more about how to create systems change in their community. Participants must have completed either:

Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable World (Level 1) course/workshop, or
More Systems Thinking for Sustainability in the Classroom (Level 1 Supplement) course

This course is a seven-week cohort-based, asynchronous, facilitator-guided course, using both independent and collaborative learning methods. In this course, participants explore the challenges and means of integrating sustainability values, principles and practice into education. Special emphasis is placed on the use of systems thinking tools to bring about change and enhance teaching and learning. Systems thinking tools and methods will be demonstrated and participants will have the opportunity to explore their practical application within their own subject disciplines and as agents of change for school transformation.
Change-making and learning are both enhanced when working together with others! We highly encourage teams of teachers to sign up for this course together so that they can collaborate to deepen their learning and use it to create sustainable action plans they can implement together in their community.
Registration deadline: October 20 ((11:59 PM UTC)
Inquiries: team@compasseducation.org

Info & Registration

Download Flyer

Find more information about this certification course program ONLINE or ONSITE on our website. If you are interested and have questions, please email us at team@compasseducation.org.
