- Soverato (CZ) - Italy
- Satriano (CZ) - Italy
- info@associazionejump.it
NATURAL BORN TEACHERS. Health-wellbeing and Mindfulness in the teaching profession
ERASMUS K1 PROJECT
about the course
course description
This training is a unique invention of JUMP and the idea is based on the experience we are living while developing a K2 Erasmus project ongoing with partners from different countries.
“Teachers by nature” is a concept that identifies educators who do not become teachers solely through formal training, but who innately possess the ability to educate, care for, guide, and inspire.
In a deeper sense, the term reflects a teaching approach that emerges from an authentic connection with oneself, where the teacher is first and foremost a conscious person, in harmony with nature and others. Professional growth is fostered when natural talents, sensitivity, and well-being are valued, turning the educational relationship into a meaningful experience for both students and teachers.
At the base of this training program there are the needs collected by hundreds of European teachers who were consulted in relation to teaching profession and the actual level of wellbeing and stress.
Teachers are agents of change and their vocation in life should be teaching. Yet a teacher’s professional life nowadays is totally different from what it used to be. Sometimes for the best and others for the worst, technologies entered our life and we all live in a very fast paced digital era. Paperwork became cumbersome and time-consuming. Living the true essence of teaching and building relationships with students becomes scarce and disappears within a stressful and busy daily schedule. We never seem to get enough time.
NATURAL BORN TEACHERS (NBT) is a training structured in 6 days, from Monday to Saturday which combines 3 main elements;
- Nature and outdoor learning
A full day – along with several other moments throughout the week — is dedicated to outdoor experiences. Through mindful walking, guided physical activities, and exploration of the local area, participants reconnect with nature while discovering Calabria’s culture and traditions. Movement becomes a tool for awareness, grounding, and renewal. - Mindfulness, meditation and yoga
Daily sessions of mindfulness, yoga, and meditation. These practices promote deep relaxation, emotional awareness, and stress reduction, offering practical tools that teachers can integrate into both their personal and professional lives. - Team building and human connection
Group activities, cooperative games, and non-formal education methodologies strengthen trust, collaboration, and a sense of community, creating a safe and supportive learning environment.
An initial phase of brainstorming, understanding learning needs and expectations, an evaluation in the middle of the week, a final evaluation at the end of the week and a commitment, as school staff, to design your new course of action as you return to your daily life and home country.
LEARNING GOALS:
- understand how to use mindfulness, yoga, and meditation to improve teachers’ wellbeing and relationships;
- experience and enjoy physical activities in nature as a tool for balance and self-awareness;
- learn how to implement non-formal education practices and methodologies;
- gain insight into the Italian educational system within a European perspective.
Target Group
Any Teacher from any level of education working in a public or private school or educational institutions.
program/Training Modules
INTRO/METHOD
Like all our programs, the present one is flexible and adaptable to special requests, depending on the subject taught or on the starting level of the participant.
Furthermore, in line with the JUMP Academy method, our courses are based on a strategic balance between formal and non-formal education, indoor and outdoor education and the team takes care of a very important aspect of international mobility which is the intercultural learning which we develop with short excursions and facilitating the interaction with local partners, businesses and citizens of our territory. Each local context has its own economy so it’s always useful, in training programs, to get in contact with concrete examples (experiential learning and real based learning).
We always try to connect our learners to local teachers and students to cooperate in developing innovation and networking for future projects. If possible, inside the program, a morning is spent inside a local school, visiting, observing, and cooperating in the realization of one or more lessons. The proposed program JUMP works, in European dimension and with an international spirit, at the local level and, according to the period of the training along the year and the weather, it is possible to change some sessions and add visits and meetings, in cooperation with our network of partners including schools involved in European projects).
WEEK DAILY SCHEDULE
Saturday or Sunday:
Arrival of participants, transfer and welcome. Lodging and logistic support. Depending on the arrival time the participants are helped to have a meal or fulfill any other need.
Monday morning session:9:30-12:30
Meeting in the lobby of Villa Gabriella International, welcome, first briefing by the organizers, presentation of the team, logistics information, gadgets distribution and start of the program. Walking down to the city center. Outdoor team building activity “The Mission Impossible game in Soverato”. Getting to know the important places of the city, the orientation points, traditions and cultural elements, interacting with local citizens.
12:30 end of the morning activity with a debriefing and logistic info
Free time for lunch or to enjoy the beach
Organized lift from the city center to the Villa.
Monday afternoon session: 15:00 – 17:00
“Experience Calabria. A place to live, a place to love”. Presentation of JUMP and of the most important cultural elements of the region. Participants will have the opportunity to introduce themselves and present their activities, fostering a moment of international cultural exchange.
Dinner organized for all the groups in a local restaurant.
Tuesday morning session: 9:30-12:30
Meeting on the terrace of Villa Gabriella.
First outdoor ice breaking game to get to know each other and create a good working climate.
Division in small groups and start of the indoors or outdoor sessions with the JUMP trainer.
Introduction to Module 1, Rediscovering the Essence of Being a Teacher in a Natural Setting
End of the session 12:30
13:00 – 15:00 lunch break and free time
Tuesday afternoon session: 15:00 – 17:30
1st excursion to develop cultural knowledge, strengthen team building and socialization among participants.
“Walking tour to the old village of Soverato Superiore, visit to the Church of “La Pietà” of Gagini and exploring the narrow streets. Interacting with local people.
Free evening to enjoy the city center
Wednesday morning session: 9:30-12:30
Module 2, Managing Stress Through Mindfulness Practices
Module 3, Strengthening Team Building Among Teachers
13:00 – 15:00 lunch break and free time
Wednesday afternoon session:15:00 – 17:00
Module 4, Supporting Needs Sharing and Problem Solving Within School Staff
Free evening to enjoy the city center or rest
Thursday morning session: 9:30-12:30
Module 5, Enhancing Creativity for Personal Wellbeing and Interpersonal Connection
Module 6, Improving Teachers’ Motivation and Preventing Burnout
13:00 – 15:00 lunch break and free time
Thursday afternoon is (usually) free time.
The staff will provide some suggestions for possible activities or excursions. For example to Catanzaro city, Capital of the region
Friday morning session: 09:30 – 11:00 (shorter morning lesson).
Module 7, Developing Self-Awareness and Intercultural Awareness
11:00 free time to visit the local market which is nice and folkloristic.
On Friday – at an agreed time – usually in the afternoon – it’s organized as an excursion in a beautiful and unique old village with a final dinner. The staff enjoys it and there’s a professional guide with us.
Depending on the season the excursion starts in the morning or in the afternoon. From July to September it’s usually in the afternoon-evening for the high heat.
Saturday morning session: 09:30 – 12:00
Closing the course: Evaluation and delivery of formal certificates/Europass and admin documents.
Saturday afternoon:
Free time and last moments all the participants together for socialization.
Sunday:
Departure of participants.
The indicated times may suffer some changes depending on the season (earlier in the winter time and later in the summertime).
TRAINING MODULES:
Module 1 – Rediscovering the Essence of Being a Teacher in a Natural Setting
Reflection on the teaching vocation through shared experiences in nature. Participants explore their current professional reality, identify learning needs, and analyse the impact of stress and overload in the teaching profession.
Module 2 – Managing Stress Through Mindfulness Practices
Introduction to mindfulness, meditation, and yoga as practical tools for emotional regulation, presence, and stress management, both in personal life and in the classroom.
Module 3 – Strengthening Team Building Among Teachers
Experiential group activities and outdoor exercises aimed at fostering trust, cooperation, empathy, and a sense of belonging within teaching teams.
Module 4 – Supporting Needs Sharing and Problem Solving Within School Staff
Focus on communication, active listening, and conflict management, using non-formal methodologies and reflective practices to address challenges collaboratively.
Module 5 – Enhancing Creativity for Personal Wellbeing and Interpersonal Connection
Creative expression through movement, nature-based activities, and reflective practices to support emotional wellbeing, self-expression, and meaningful connections with others.
Module 6 – Improving Teachers’ Motivation and Preventing Burnout
Strategies for maintaining motivation, work–life balance, and resilience, with particular attention to burnout prevention through self-care, awareness, and sustainable teaching practices.
Module 7 – Developing Self-Awareness and Intercultural Awareness
Activities that promote self-reflection, cultural awareness, and expression, strengthening participants’ ability to work in diverse educational and international contexts
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the training week teachers will have:
- gained practical skills in using mindfulness, yoga, and meditation to enhance wellbeing and improve professional relationships;
- experienced the benefits of physical activities in nature, such as mindful walking, for balance and stress reduction;
- understood how to apply non-formal education practices and methodologies in their teaching and school environment;
- developed awareness of the Italian educational system, within a broader European perspective.
certification details
JUMP certifies or 36 hours for 6 days course (6*6) or more if extra hours per day are needed. Or 30 hours for a 5 days course (6*5).
The course can be also extended to a 2 weeks course with the options 10 days or 12 days course if asked and agreed, depending on the project of the sending organization.
10 days are excluded the weekend (5+5), 12 days are from Monday to Saturday morning (6+6).
At the end of the training, JUMP delivers a formal certificate of attendance and the team is at disposal to fill the Europass certification document according to the EU model template and other needed documents for reporting of the sending institution.
Certification details
Our courses are in line with the Erasmus+ Quality standards for courses under Key Action 1 (learning mobility of individuals)
Costs
the cost is fully covered by the Erasmus grant. Write to associazionejump@gmail.com to ask for information on costs and the services provided to plan your mobility project in Soverato with JUMP.
How to apply
For info and registration about the course fill the form below or contact us to our mail.