LIFE Educator Wellbeing Course
Bridging the Personal and the Professional – “I have finally started acting on things I knew deep down I should have been doing all along.” (LIFE Participant 2024)
Our Invitation
LIFE Educator Course offers educators an intersection point between their wellbeing, the inclusive classroom culture they are capable of building and pedagogical methods that sustain it.
This 5-day course offers educators a moment to pause and carve out a space for themselves as they consider some of life’s most fundamental questions and draw connections from their personal insights into their classrooms.
Through use of diverse participatory and relational pedagogies educators will consider the following questions: To Whom am I responsible? How should I act? What do I do when I fail? And What is worthy of my time?
Set in a retreat setting, LIFE creates an intimate and unique environment for educators in which they can focus and reflect on what gives meaning and purpose to their lives and work and learn concrete approaches and methods for transforming their classrooms.
“Through this course, I have learned to approach situations and people from multiple perspectives, and through that, I have discovered a clearer personal purpose.” (LIFE participant 2024)
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge: Participants will gain an understanding of:
- Content of diverse philosophical, cultural and religious texts from religion, culture from different historical periods.
- A set of relational and participatory pedagogical methods that foster deep engagement, dialogue, and inclusivity in the classroom.
- The concept and practice of a sustained dialogue, including its role in education and how to facilitate meaningful discussions among students.
- Their own evolving perspectives on fundamental life questions, gaining personal insights that influence both their teaching, and broader worldview
Skills: Participants will develop the ability to:
- Read, analyze, and interpret complex texts from religion, culture and philosophy making meaningful connections to their own lives and the experiences of others.
- Practice listening attentively to others.
- Engage in critical discussion examining diverse and sometimes conflicting perspectives with openness and intellectual curiosity.
- Navigate differing viewpoints by fostering respectful dialogue and constructive discussions.
- Engage in reflective writing (journaling) for personal insight and professional growth.
- Adapt and integrate new perspectives demonstrating cognitive flexibility by incorporating different ideas and experiences into their own thinking and teaching.
- Facilitate sustained dialogue in the classroom that encourages critical thinking, empathy and engagement.
- Create inclusive and participatory learning environments. ensuring that students from all backgrounds feel valued and empowered.
Values/attitudes: Participants will:
- cultivate an inclusive mindset by understanding the importance of a safe and participatory learning community.
- Develop self-awareness by critically reflecting on own believes, biases and attitudes.
- Foster empathy and open-mindedness by valuing different perspectives, interpretations, and experiences in discussions.
- Embrace lifelong learning by being willing to challenge their assumptions and integrate new ideas into their personal and professional lives.
- Recognize the importance of purpose and meaning in education, striving to align their teaching with deeper values that inspire both themselves and their students.
Competences: Participants will be able to:
- Critically engage with complex texts from religion, culture, philosophy, making connections between historical ideas to one’s own life and those of others in meaningful ways.
- Facilitate deep, meaningful conversations that encourage reflection, respect, and sustained dialogue among students with diverse perspectives.
- Navigate differing viewpoints constructively, demonstrating emotional intelligence, cognitive flexibility, and the ability to mediate difficult conversations.
- Apply relational and pedagogical methods effectively in their classrooms to foster inclusivity and engagement.
- Integrate their personal insights and reflections into their teaching practice, making their classrooms more transformative and purpose-driven.
- Support student well-being and personal development by creating a classroom culture that values introspection, ethical questioning, and respectful discourse.
Our Location
Belgium
The LIFE Educator Wellbeing Retreat takes place in different locations, in Belgium, depending on the dates. Both locations offer green space, comfortable accommodations and a space to get away from it all.
Sessions:
July 4-10
August 3-9
August 24-30
November 2-8
Our Itinerary
Engage in a transformative experience designed to inspire, challenge, and reorient your understanding of yourself both personally and professionally. Each day will be thoughtfully structured around profound questions, readings, reflections, and deep conversations, set in a close community of learners.
Each morning begins with an invitation to connect with your body (gentle yoga, cold water dip, a walk) before breakfast. Daily, you’ll have the opportunity to partake in a contemplative walk or an enriching cultural experience, carefully designed to deepen your connection to the themes of the LIFE Educator Course.
This course is designed to leave you with a profound sense of clarity, an increased sense of wellbeing, and competences to build a vibrant classroom culture and methodologies to sustain that culture.
Join us in Belgium DATE 2025 to begin a course different from any you have done before.
Pricing: All-inclusive and shared accommodation, subsistence, and the 6-day LIFE Educator Course and materials (1350 Euro)
Our Facilitators
Andrea RC Kasper is Senior Educational Consultant at NORTH. Andrea has been involved with LWL since 2019. Inspired by the work and envisioning its application well beyond higher education, she was eager to expand LWL within education, personal development and organizational leadership upon her move to Iceland and being hired at NORTH. By bringing together her experience and knowledge in leadership and the evolution of LIFE, she works to enhance leadership practice and personal development by strengthening relationships and accountability with renewed clarity. Andrea has lived in five countries (Israel, United States, Japan, Panama and Iceland).
An Yskout, works independently. A frisky fighter, driven by education and growth of people and organizations. Dancing from concepts to practice and back. She hops between the richness of all kinds of worlds: youth work, organizational development, coaching, spirituality, creativity, movement, nutrition, and nature. She was a key developer of the LIFE course and is a master facilitators
María Kristín Gylfadottir is the founder and General Manager of NORTH Consulting. María was instrumental in bringing the LWL approach to Iceland and into Europe, by designing and developing a multi-national European project in which the LIFE journey was born. As a seasoned facilitator and leadership trainer, María ensures that participants stay focused and engaged, and are supported in facing the most challenging of questions and situations. María has lived in three countries, Iceland, United States and Belgium; she is passionate about learning new cultures and their histories. She brings this experience and curiosity to bear in all areas of her work and life.
Anniek Gavriilakis Anniek has acquired in-depth knowledge of guiding individuals and teams through the ups and downs, without judgement and with a sense of humour. In her role as a ritual designer, Anniek helps leaders and their teams through important transitions and to make their company more human and more aware. Annielk was also a key developer of the LIFE course and weaves together ritual within her facilitation.
“The course instructors are fantastic and engage with the material in various ways. We sat in circles for discussions, worked in pairs and groups, went on walks, visited an art museum, and even had a silent conversation—which was an incredible exercise!” (LIFE participant 2024)
Sign-up now to reserve your space
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Payment Policy
To secure your spot for the retreat, we require an initial payment of 20% of the total retreat cost at the time of registration. This deposit ensures your reservation and is applied toward the full retreat cost. The remaining balance is due in a single payment as outlined below:
- At Registration:
- 20% of the retreat cost is due (non-refundable if cancellation occurs less than 30 days before the retreat).
- 20% payment upon registration ($1500)
- 20% payment upon registration for Bring a Friend ($1275)
- 50 Days Before the Retreat (March 2, 2025):
- The remaining 80% of the retreat cost is due.
- Payments made by this date are fully refundable, minus a $250 administrative fee, if canceled by March 2.
Cancellation Policy
Once the registration fee has been paid in accordance with our payment schedule you become subject to our cancellation policy which is as follows:
Cancellations made 50 days (March 2) or more before the retreat start date:
Full refund of any payments made, minus a $250 administrative fee.
Cancellations made 30-49 (March 3-March 22) days before the retreat start date:
50% refund of the retreat cost.
Alternatively, you may choose to apply your payment toward a future retreat within 12 months of the original retreat date.
Cancellations made less than 30 days before the retreat start date:
No refund available.
However, you may transfer your spot to another participant with advance notice and our approval.
Exceptional Circumstances:
If the cancellation is due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., medical emergencies, natural disasters), we are happy to work with you on a case-by-case basis to find a solution, such as a partial refund or credit for a future retreat.
If the retreat is canceled by the organizer:
In the unlikely event that we need to cancel the retreat, you will receive a full refund of any payments made. We cannot, however, be held responsible for non-refundable travel expenses or other costs incurred.
Additional Notes
- We recommend purchasing travel insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances that may prevent you from attending.