Friendology Educator Training for Deakin University PSTs

This a private training for Pre-Service Teachers at Deakin University! 

Dana Kerford (Founder & Friendship Expert) will share how URSTRONG Schools are enhancing the social-emotional wellbeing of children through friendship skills. PSTs will learn URSTRONG’s language, skills, and strategies along with the research supporting SEL (social-emotional learning) and evidence behind URSTRONG’s impact in schools globally.

In addition to two live classes, video sessions along with follow-up activities will be assigned that focus on the following topics:

• The Science of Friendships – exploring the science behind social-emotional wellbeing and why friendship skills must be prioritized in schools.
• The Language of Friendship – a detailed overview of URSTRONG’s core concepts, including the language and skills that are central to our whole-school friendship strategy.
• Friendology 101 – showing educators how to utilise our curriculum, Friendology 101, as a school-wide friendship framework. Educators will learn how to access the curriculum online, along with hundreds of lesson plans to enhance students’ friendship skills.
• Transforming into a URSTRONG School – guiding educators to craft an implementation plan, plus review the supporting documents available to URSTRONG Schools.

Important Notes for Deakin University Students:

• Deakin University students will get access to a TRIAL URSTRONG School Membership to get a sense of what teachers at URSTRONG Schools experience.
• This training does not include a school license and PSTs are not permitted to use URSTRONG materials at schools who are not members.
• If you cannot attend the LIVE sessions, not to worry – a recording will be sent as well.
• A certificate of completion will be provided to students who submit their sketchnotes, which serves as the assessment tool & evidence of participation. Students who do not submit sketchnotes or whose sketchnotes are incomplete will not receive a certificate.
• Extensions will not be issued under any circumstance, as this course is free of charge and gifted by URSTRONG to Deakin Unversity under a partnership with Arna Pletes (Site Director, Whitehorse Alliance). For questions, please contact Arna at a.pletes@deakin.edu.au.