FPMT Teacher Development Service Seminar USA with Venerable Yönten and Dr. Namdrol Adams
July 17 - July 19
Contemplative Pedagogy for Dharma Teachers: FPMT Teacher Development Service Seminar USA with Venerable Yönten and Dr. Namdrol Adams
Offered in person and online by Maitripa College, this seminar draws on international collaboration, lineage guidance, and years of participant feedback to support Dharma teachers at every stage. It integrates trauma-informed pedagogy, beginner support, and lineage fidelity with contemplative pedagogy and the lived experience of teaching.
The seminar includes asynchronous work before and after three days of live sessions, July 17–19. Led by Venerable Lozang Yonten and Dr. Namdrol Adams. Level 2 will be offered summer 2027.
Cost Capacity: A moderate grant from FPMT Charitable Projects has been given, which will allow us to support attendees in Portland for the weekend as much as possible. Maitripa College will subsidize the event costs for attendees. The amount of subsidy will depend on the needs of all of the individuals wishing to attend. Ordained sangha will be prioritized.
See the complete program description and schedule below and follow the link to register.
Bhikshuni Lozang Yönten is Chaplain at Maitripa College and the Maitripa Rabjungma Community Abbess. She studied extensively under Gyurmé Khensur Rinpoche Geshe Tashi Tsering at Chenrezig Institute, AU, and at Thosamling Institute in India. An accredited In-Depth Registered Teacher with FPMT, prior to joining Maitripa College, she offered retreats and courses in New Zealand and Israel, as well as at Vajrapani Institute and Land of Medicine Buddha. >More
Namdrol Miranda Adams, EdD is President and Chief Academic Officer, and a founder of Maitripa College. Her research interests focus on contemplative education, pedagogy, learning communities, and building caring, sustainable, and socially responsible institutions of higher education. She has worked as an editor and translator of many publications, has completed the major retreats on the sutra and tantra traditions of the lineage, and was ordained as a Buddhist nun for seven years. >More
Learning Objectives
FPMT Teacher Development Service Seminar (TDSS I) — Maitripa College, July 2026
Overview
Upon completing the Teacher Development Service Seminar, participants will be prepared to teach and serve within the FPMT community with greater confidence, ethical grounding, and pedagogical skill. The seminar integrates contemplative practice with sound principles of adult learning, equipping Dharma teachers to meet diverse learners with wisdom and compassion across in-person, online, and hybrid settings.
The objectives below describe what participants will understand and be able to do upon completing each phase of the program. They are organized to follow the seminar’s structure: asynchronous pre-seminar modules, the live online seminar, and asynchronous post-seminar modules.
Program Learning Objectives
By the end of TDSS I, participants will be able to:
- Articulate the qualities, responsibilities, and ethical commitments of a Dharma teacher
- Apply principles of adult and contemplative learning to the design and delivery of Dharma teachings
- Adapt teaching approaches to diverse learners, settings, and modalities, including gompa, classroom, online, and hybrid environments
- Demonstrate foundational facilitation skills that foster safe, inclusive, and engaged learning communities
- Reflect critically on their own teaching practice and identify clear goals for continued development and mentorship
Asynchronous Pre-Seminar Modules
Completed at the participant’s own pace before the live seminar, these modules establish shared language and foundational understanding.
Module 1: Introduction to the Teacher Development Seminar
- Describe the purpose, structure, and lineage grounding of the seminar.
- Locate their own aspirations to teach within the broader vision of FPMT teacher development.
Module 2: The Qualities of a Dharma Teacher
- Identify the qualities of study, ethics, and discipline that characterize an effective Dharma teacher.
- Relate the heart advice of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khen Rinpoche, and Yangsi Rinpoche to their own development as teachers.
Module 3: Understanding Learners
- Recognize common learning styles and the principles of sequencing Dharma for beginning students.
- Apply a trauma-informed awareness to the design of accessible, supportive learning experiences.
Module 4: Facilitation Foundations
- Explain how to establish safe and inclusive learning spaces.
- Recognize power dynamics within teaching relationships and respond to them with skill and care.
Live Online Seminar (July 17–19, 2026)
Three days of real-time teaching, discussion, practicum, and shared reflection, conducted by Zoom from Maitripa College and accessible both in person and online.
Day 1: Foundations of the Teacher
- Articulate the qualities of an authentic and effective Dharma teacher.
- Assess learners’ needs and adapt teaching to meet them.
- Apply principles of group dynamics and leadership to guide a learning community.
Day 2: Pedagogy in Practice
- Plan a coherent course or session for gompa and classroom settings.
- Adapt course planning to online and hybrid environments.
- Deliver a simple teaching and receive constructive feedback through guided practicum.
Day 3: Integration, Ethics, and Community
- Examine questions of ethics, authority, and cultural relevance in Dharma teaching.
- Identify pathways for mentorship and lifelong development within the FPMT.
Asynchronous Post-Seminar Modules
Completed after the live seminar, these modules support integration, reflection, and connection to ongoing mentorship.
Module 8: Reflective Teaching Practice
- Engage in structured reflection on their learning and teaching experience.
- Formulate concrete personal teaching goals informed by the seminar.
Module 9: Mentorship Paths in FPMT
- Review the arc of the seminar and consolidate key insights.
- Identify a suitable mentor and a path for continued growth within the FPMT community.
