CONT993: Compassionate Systems-Informed Leadership

Course Schedule

Course Description

Individual actions alone cannot change systems. But the only way to bring about systems change is through individual actions. In this course you’ll consider this paradox as you explore what it means to work from a place of compassionate systems-informed leadership and how this approach draws together individuals, groups, and entire systems to support well-being and equity in schools.

This course is for educators who are committed to fostering equity and well-being for all—children and adults. Focusing on the personal, relational, and systemic dimensions of teaching and learning will deepen your understanding of compassionate, equity-centred education. You’ll learn practical tools and approaches to integrate social-emotional learning and trauma-sensitive, anti-oppressive practices into your pedagogy. You will reflect on and transform your leadership style to develop a sustainable model of leadership that supports your growth and effectiveness in any educational role.

What You Will Learn and Do

In this course you’ll have the opportunity to

• learn ways to increase your capacity for compassion for yourself and others
• explore the connections between well-being, equity, and compassionate systems-informed leadership and how they connect to school culture and climate
• identify what makes a system and how to use leverage points in it
• become familiar with systems awareness and systems thinking tools and approaches to help you lead change in ways that prioritize compassion
• diagram and deconstruct challenges, develop plans, and recognize how one’s biases, beliefs, and experiences influence decisions and actions in the moment and in the future using systems thinking archetypes and models
• consider how compassionate systems-informed leadership draws from and is connected to other fields and traditions of knowledge and practice
• examine your personal model of leadership in a way that incorporates intrapersonal, interpersonal, and systems awareness

Application Requirements

Course Materials

Accommodations

Applicants who require accommodations for a specific learning need (e.g., learning disability) within their AQ/ABQ course, should click here for further information and support.

Have a question? Contact us!

Refund Schedule

If you drop a course:

1. by the midpoint of the course, you will receive 100% of your course fee.
2. after the midpoint, before the end of the course, you will receive 50% of your course fee.

For more about our refund policies, visit our Fees & Refunds page.