PSI's Choose2Matter Program

PSI Choose2Matter Blog
Over the summer I learned about Choose2Matter and quickly decided that I wanted to implement a program that allowed students to focus on work that is both led student and compassion based in nature. After getting the ok from my administration, I put together an after school program and pitched it to the students. In less than a week we had nearly 50 students sign up to 'change the world!' These students will be split into small groups and the groups will meet every other week for two hours to dedicate time to their topic they choose. At the end of the year, students will present their research, their action plan and the results of their efforts to the group members, their families, school/district staff and community members.

Please click on the following link to learn more about Park Street Intermediate's Choose2Matter program! 
http://psichoose2matter.blogspot.com/

If you have any questions or would like more information about starting a similar program, please don't hesitate to contact me on Twitter (@KressClass)

Compassion Based Learning Blog
The work that the students will be doing in the Choose2Matter program is what is called Compassion Based learning. Therefore, please check out the Compassion Based Learning blog started by Oliver Schinkten, a high school teacher in Wisconsin. He is one of my biggest inspirations and someone I would highly recommend following on Twitter (@schink10)

Need proof? He and his colleagues developed an entire high school course that gives students 3 HOURS per day to work on compassion driven work while the other content (literacy, social studies, leadership, etc.) is woven into the curriculum! If this isn't inspirational I don't know what is! You can also follow the program, called Communities, on Twitter (@CommunitiesONHS)

Finally, here's a link to the a post that I wrote for the Compassion Based Learning blog called: "Let It Grow!" I used Dr. Seuss's, The Lorax, as inspiration for this post! It gives some more information about the Chose2Matter after school program too.
http://compassionbasedlearning.blogspot.com/2013/09/let-it-grow.html 

Thanks for reading,
Arin