Educator Onboarding can be completed in a group setting or asynchronously. Every staff member with an Open Parachute account can access all onboarding sessions and supporting resources on their Dashboard:
What is in the Educator Onboarding Sessions?
Four onboarding sessions have been designed to support educators during the introduction and adoption of Open Parachute. These four sessions are modular and can be run sequentially or in isolation.
These sessions are separated into options for educators (elementary, middle, and high school), and school-based mental health practitioners.
Sessions 1 and 2 focus on the “why and how” essentials of the program and are designed to be run prior to beginning the program.
Sessions 3 and 4 expand on the core material provided in sessions 1 and 2 and are designed to be reviewed after educators have explored the program and begun delivering lessons to their students.
To learn more about each individual session, click the drop-downs below to expand the sections:
Session 1: Introduction
Session 1: Introduction
Duration:
Approx. 15 minutes
Objectives:
Become familiar with the Open Parachute curriculum
Understand the aims & purpose of the resources
Includes:
Video presentation (13 minutes)
Accessing the Platform for Educators (PDF)
Intended Use:
Before beginning with Open Parachute
Session 2: Exploring the Program & Platform
Session 2: Exploring the Program & Platform
Duration:
Approx. 10 - 30 minutes
Objectives:
Understand program goals for the applicable age range
Learn about the various programs available
Understand how to utilize different lesson types in different settings
Includes:
Video presentation (7 minutes)
Lesson Types & Programs Fact Sheet (PDF)
Collaborative Discussion (15-20 minutes)
Note: School-based mental health practitioners have the option of learning about specific grades or all grades, depending on the age of students they support. Educators will focus only on the grade bands that apply to them (e.g., elementary, middle, high school).
Intended Use:
Before beginning with Open Parachute, preferably after educators have logged in and looked around the platform.
Session 3: Tips for Running Open Parachute
Session 3: Tips for Running Open Parachute
Duration:
Approx. 30 - 45 minutes
Objectives:
Identify best practices for utilizing the Open Parachute curriculum
Learn how to implement Open Parachute with fidelity & confidence
Observe Open Parachute lessons being run in a classroom setting
Includes:
“Best Practices” video presentation (8 minutes)
Handout: Cheat Sheet Tips for Program Implementation and Lesson Adaptation (PDF)
“Dealing with Disclosures” video presentation (9 minutes)
Collaborative Discussion (15-20 minutes)
Note. The two video modules can be viewed in isolation. School-based mental health practitioners will have the option of reviewing Cheat Sheets for various grade bands, depending on the age of students they support.
Intended Use:
6+ weeks after introducing Open Parachute, after educators have run some lessons.
Session 4: Additional Resources & Support
Session 4: Additional Resources & Support
Duration:
Approx. 10 - 20 minutes
Objectives:
Explore optional Open Parachute resources for educators & parents/caregivers
Includes:
Video presentation (6 minutes)
Collaborative Discussion (10-15 minutes)
Intended Use:
2+ months after introducing Open Parachute