Empowering Educators for Emotional Wellness
The Soft Teacher Initiative
Teach Zen Inc. equips early educators with the skills of self-awareness, self-regulation, and reflection, fostering nurturing environments where young children thrive. Through The Soft Teacher Initiative, educators are inspired to embrace empathy, reflection, and healing, unlocking their potential to create compassionate classrooms. By addressing trauma and promoting mindfulness, we provide practical tools that support personal growth and balanced teaching practices, benefiting both educators and the children in their care.
Transformative Trainings
Empowering educators begins with equipping them to care for their own emotional well-being while fostering mindful, trauma-informed classrooms. Teach Zen’s Transformative Trainings are designed to provide practical tools, insights, and hands-on experiences that build emotional resilience and create environments where both educators and children thrive.
Building Emotional Resilience in Yourself and Young Children Part 1
In this training we will discuss the impact of trauma on the cognitive brain development of young children as well as the long term impact of ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences). We will discuss BIG emotions and the importance of having a plan to manage them for our own emotional well-being and that of young children. Each participant will practice a number of calming techniques that can be used for themselves and in their classroom.
Building Emotional Resilience in Yourself and Young Children Part 2
In this training participants will discuss mindfulness and the benefits of creating a mindful and peaceful learning environment. This training is very interactive and everyone present will participate in mindful practices that can be used in the classroom. We will discuss the various learning styles and love languages with the intent to develop mindful environments where all children feel a sense of safety and calm.
The Mood Food Experience™
Discover how food affects your mood and well-being with The Mood Food Experience™. This unique cooking demonstration and professional training session brought to you in partnership with Delaware Urban Greens, is designed to educate employees about the powerful connection between nutrition and mental wellness.
Participants will engage in an interactive, hands-on session where they’ll not only learn how different foods can influence mood, stress levels, and overall emotional health but also get the chance to taste their way through each lesson. Through expert-led demonstrations and practical tips, employees will gain the knowledge and tools to make mindful food choices that support mental clarity, resilience, and emotional balance.
Soft Teacher Academy
The Soft Teacher Academy is designed to inspire educators to see themselves in others– to empathize with the children they care for and to be motivated to make meaningful changes in their own lives. We believe that by understanding their own journeys, educators can unlock the transformative power of reflection, healing, and zen (peace, calm, and nonviolence).
In addition to providing crucial knowledge about trauma and its impact, The Soft Teacher Academy equips educators with practical tools to heal and grow. By reflecting on their past experiences, educators gain the clarity needed to live more mindfully in the present, cultivating a compassionate and balanced approach to teaching that nurtures both themselves and the children in their care.
Upcoming Cohort: March 3rd, 2025 - May 26th, 2025
The groundbreaking virtual cohort program designed to empower those who serve children and families with the tools and strategies needed to thrive emotionally, professionally, and personally. If you’re ready to prioritize your emotional health—for yourself, your students, and your team!
Train the Trainer
The 5-Day Professional Development Course
Our 5-day Train the Trainer course is designed to equip coaches, mentors, school administrators, and technical assistance providers with the tools, strategies, and frameworks needed to support educators in adopting the principles of The Soft Teacher Academy. This course will empower you to guide educators in developing self-awareness, emotional resilience, mindfulness, and trauma-informed practices, ultimately helping them create nurturing environments that promote lifelong learning.
Over the course of five immersive days, you'll learn how to:
Create Safe, Non-Judgmental Learning Spaces: Develop an environment where educators can reflect, learn, and grow without fear of judgment while also building self-awareness and emotional resilience.
Inspire Change Through Storytelling: Use the transformative power of storytelling to build connections, inspire empathy, and motivate educators to embrace personal and professional growth.
Integrate Mindfulness and Trauma-Informed Practices: Learn how to guide educators in adopting mindfulness practices and trauma-informed strategies that enhance both teaching and learning outcomes.
Lead with Compassion and Foster Growth: Understand how to model compassionate leadership and create a school culture that prioritizes emotional well-being and professional development.
This course combines theory with practical, hands-on activities to ensure you’re equipped with actionable strategies that you can immediately apply in your work with educators. Whether you’re supporting a single classroom or coaching teams of educators, this program will enhance your ability to inspire change and create environments where both educators and students can thrive. Join us for this transformative journey and become a catalyst for fostering more compassionate classrooms across the globe.
This hands-on, transformative program will leave you equipped to inspire meaningful change. Schedule your discovery call for yourself and/or your team!