Before you can book your first Art Opening Minds class, you'll need to go through a short orientation session. This is an opportunity for you to set aside some time and experience what AOM feels like from the inside and to think through how you want to bring it to your students.
What’s in the orientation?
You'll start by watching one of the short films from the Voices With Impact library. You’ll then respond to prompts about what came up for you, and work through real-world scenarios at your own pace. The experience is designed to help you think through what facilitating an AOM class will feel like for you, specifically.
Here’s what you’ll move through:
- Experience a short film firsthand. You’ll choose from a few of our Voices With Impact films and watch one yourself. Then you’ll reflect on what stood out, what feelings came up, and what topics felt most impactful. This is the same kind of experience your students will have so there’s no better preparation than doing it yourself.
- Explore how to choose the right class. You’ll learn the difference between our three class types — Mental Health Training, Supporting Our Own Mental Health, and Building Empathy for Others — and practice matching them to real scenarios. You’ll also explore how to use our Mental Health Topics filter to find classes that fit your goals and your community.
- Think through emotional safety. AOM classes aren’t therapy, and they’re not meant to be. You’ll walk through how to hold the boundaries of an educational space, how to make the experience feel predictable for students, and what to do if someone gets upset. Each section includes a practice exercise where you think through your own approach — because there’s no single right answer, just the best answer for you.
- Plan your preparation. You’ll think about what you personally need to feel ready — how much time to set aside, who you might want to consult, and what will help you feel grounded and confident before your first class.
How long does it take?
30–45 minutes, and you only need to do it once. Set the time aside before you start because the orientation has to be completed in one sitting.
Where do I find it?
Log in to your AOM account and go to your portal home page, Instructor Portal if you have an individual subscription, or Partner Portal if your school has an institutional account. If you haven’t completed the orientation yet, it will be the first thing you see on the upper right of your screen.
What happens after I finish?
You'll have full access to book and lead any class in our growing library of dozens of classes. And if we've done our job right, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how you, personally, can use the power of short film to guide deep and meaningful conversations at your school.
Tips & Notes
- The orientation includes open-ended reflection questions. There are no wrong answers. This is for you, not for us.
- Everything covered in the orientation (and much more) is available anytime in the Learning Center if you ever want a refresher.
- For the bigger picture of your first class — from signing up through participant evaluations — see Getting Ready to Run Your Class.
- If you have a question not answered here or in the orientation, email support@artopeningminds.org and we’ll get back to you within one business day.
