CTL brings FuelEd to CSUN

Dean Shari Tarver-Behring welcomed Sarah Mushlin, Director of Partnership Development for FuelEd and trainer, La Vondia Menephee, to the Michael D. Eisner College of Education for an introductory FuelEd workshop sponsored by the Center for Teaching and Learning on March 4th.  CSUN faculty and representatives from LAUSD Local Districts East and West as well as several charter schools attended.

FuelEd develops emotionally intelligent educators with the interpersonal skills, self-awareness and emotional well being necessary to create relationship driven schools.  Incorporated as a non-profit in 2012 by Megan Marcus, FuelEd was created as a cutting-edge professional and personal development organization focused on transforming school climate, and the lives of educators, through the power of relationships.  FuelEd believes that socially and emotionally equipped educators will remain in their profession longer and strengthen their relationships with all school stakeholders.  In turn, these relationships will drive students academic, social and emotional learning.

Participants were enthusiastically engaged in various activities created to promote empathy and self-awareness.  FuelEd defines empathy as the capacity to understand and communicate your understanding to others.  These scientifically designed, research-based actions were hands-on and receptively received by the attendees. 

For example, Juan Nuno, Positive Solutions Facilitator at Pacoima Charter School who attended with several coworkers commented, “We all agreed that FuelEd helped us realize that as educators we need to know our emotional triggers and how to control them to work successfully with and teach children.”  Deonna Williams, Director of Instruction at Pacomia Charter School remarked, “I felt the information presented at the meeting was very insightful on how to heighten our self awareness, self control, and social skills that help us become more empathetic and better leaders.”   Following his participation in the workshop, Dr. Mark Stevens, Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology & Counseling at CSUN shared, "The FuelEd program offered a non-judgmental and compassionate paradigm for teachers, of all levels, to better understand how students can influence their emotions and subsequent teaching style and enjoyment of the teaching process."

Furthermore, after the entire administration and faculty participated in the FuelEd week-long extensive training two years ago, Vaughn Next Century Learning Center, a K-12 charter school has experienced a systemic and positive transformation in collaborative conversations and an enlightened appreciation of personal triggers.  “I loved the training and feel it’s going to be a huge benefit not only to my professional life but in my personal life as well,” affirmed Marina Poplawski, 3^rd grade teacher at Vaughn.  Sadie Edemann, Director of Elementary Instruction at Vaughn commented, “FuelEd helps you to see how relationships can be built to impact the culture of your school.  I feel blessed to have been able to take part in this.  It's a gift of time to reflect and grow in a way that I haven't experienced in any other professional development.”

For those interested in learning more about FuelEd please contact Steve Holle – holle@csun.edu