New Initiatives in Ukraine Will Promote Well-being, English Language Teaching, and Social and Emotional Learning through Trauma-Informed and Holistic Professional Development

Educators in Ukraine play a critical role in providing support and hope for young people experiencing trauma, loss, and disruptions to their daily school routines due to the ongoing war. 

Childhood Education International’s Center for Professional Learning (CPL) is undertaking two initiatives that will support the well-being of educators in Ukraine and offer professional learning opportunities in social and emotional learning, trauma-informed practice, holistic pedagogies, and/or English language teaching. These projects utilize CPL’s Sustainable Learning Framework and build upon ongoing work with educators in displacement contexts around the globe. 

Trauma-Informed Approaches

The first initiative, funded by Porticus, will create opportunities for early childhood educators, primary school teachers, and practical psychologists in Ukraine to better support children in their classrooms and learning programs through trauma-informed approaches to mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), as well as social and emotional learning (SEL). 

CPL is partnering with the Ukrainian Institute of Education for Development and is working with representatives from the Reform Support Team at the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, UNESCO, UNICEF, Teach for Ukraine, the MHPSS Task Team and the ECCD Working Group of the Ukraine Education Cluster, as well as ten early childhood educators in Ukraine to adapt and contextualize four courses on trauma-informed practice, child well-being and protection, MHPSS, and SEL to the Ukrainian context. 

This project is anticipated to reach more than 5,000 educators across the country in 2023 and to grow their capacity to support children’s well-being and children’s education holistically. 

English Language Teaching & Social and Emotional Learning

The second initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of State, focuses on enriching English language teacher preparation programs at pedagogical universities and other higher education institutions through exploration of English language teaching (ELT) methodologies, teacher observation and feedback, and integration of social and emotional learning. 

For this initiative, CPL is partnering with the Regional English Language Office of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, Dr. Laura Baecher of Hunter College/City University of New York, and TESOL colleagues and affiliates to offer monthly seminars, within a community of practice, followed by a three-week exchange for Ukrainian faculty to New York City. This project aims to support Ukrainian faculty well-being and connection in this time of crisis, while also improving their ability to create an engaging and locally relevant curriculum that is current and practice-focused, and that advances local teachers’ capacity to teach English effectively.  

“We are grateful to have this opportunity to co-develop professional learning resources and experiences with colleagues in Ukraine. Despite the sudden and devastating upheaval of war, Ukrainian educators show up for each other and for the learners in their communities. It is an honor to work with them to support their professional learning, well-being, and teaching both in this current challenging moment and for a thriving future,” said Julie Kasper, Director of Teacher Learning and Leadership for CPL.

Learn more about CPL’s work with and for teachers in displacement, migration, and resettlement contexts by visiting the Refugee Educator Academy and Quality Holistic Learning project pages, as well as CE International’s Open Educational Resources Library of professional development materials for quality holistic learning.