Mindfulness in Education Seattle, WA Oakland, CA San Lorenzo, CA Port Chester, NY mindfulschools.org
What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness means maintaining a present-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, or surrounding environment. It also includes the intentional nurturing of positive states of mind such as kindness and compassion. Mindful Eating, 4th Grade mindfulschools.org
Why Mindfulness is Needed in Education The Impact of Toxic Stress on School Communities Healthy stress is a natural part of life, including childhood. Children and adults alike need to be challenged in order to grow and develop. However, in the modern education system, healthy stress is frequently displaced by toxic stress. Toxic stress occurs when life’s demands consistently outpace our ability to cope with those demands. STUDENTS Toxic stress impairs attention, emotion and mood regulation, sleep, and learning readiness daily in American classrooms. Even more troubling, prolonged exposure to childhood toxic stress has lifelong impacts on mental and physical health. EDUCATORS Toxic stress starts as decreased productivity and creativity, escalating to more serious symptoms like frequent anxiety, dissociation, frustration, and, eventually, burnout. Roughly half a million U.S. teachers leave the profession each year – a turnover rate of over 20 percent. PARENTS Toxic stress can lead to a parenting style that looks more like a “to-do” list, rather than an empathic, present-centered relationship with a developing child. Exposure to parental stress in early childhood has been shown to impact gene expression even years later in adolescence. mindfulschools.org
Research on Mindfulness Bene fi ts of Mindfulness Solid scienti fi c evidence suggests that mindfulness interventions improve attention, self-control, emotional resilience, memory, and immune response. Here’s a summary of bene fi ts particularly relevant to educators: Source: Reference mindfulschools.org/research mindfulschools.org
Impact in Classrooms Educator Survey Results Thousands of educators that have completed Mindful Schools mindfulness courses report a range of bene fi ts for their students and themselves. Mindful Schools is a non-pro fi t organization that trains educators to integrate mindfulness into their work with youth. Bene fi ts for Educators What Educators See in Their Students Source: Reference mindfulschools.org/research mindfulschools.org
Mindfulness Integration Mindfulness programs are being introduced and integrated with a wide range of student support programs to create safe and caring learning environments. Mindfulness + Yoga + Anti-Bullying Mindfulness + Restorative Justice Daniel Webster Elementary, San Francisco, CA F.H. Collins Secondary School, Yukon, Canada Mindfulness + Social Emotional Learning Mindfulness + Social Emotional Learning The Cove School, Pre-K to Elementary, Seattle, WA Willard Alternative High School, Missoula, MT mindfulschools.org
“Mindful Teaching” Teach Mindfully vs. Teaching Mindfulness Teaching mindfulness to young people is most e ff ective when teachers have a personal mindfulness practice of their own. Mindfulness is a fi rst-person experience, therefore teachers can model calm, present-awareness and positively impact their students and classrooms even before introducing any formal mindfulness curriculum. “Over the years, it has become so evident to me that no matter what mindfulness ‘tools’ I teach my students, what makes the biggest difference is my presence – for my classroom group and for individual students.” - Lisa, Kindergarten Teacher, NY “Delivering an effective lesson and meeting my students’ needs are competing with each other for my attention. My own mindfulness practice is vital to being compassionate and understanding in the classroom. It helped me find the balance to make teaching the richest job I could ever have.” - Crystal, High School Teacher, NY mindfulschools.org
K-12 Mindfulness Curriculum Research-Backed K-12 Mindfulness Curriculum Mindful Schools has developed a K-12 mindfulness curriculum that is adaptable for classrooms, after-school programs, clinical settings, and home. Lesson Modules: Over 50 age-appropriate lessons are provided in the curriculum, such as: • Mindful Bodies • Mindful Listening • Mindful Breathing • Body Awareness • Generosity Implementation: Curriculum may be implemented and paced di ff erently for varying environments. For example, a teacher may implement 15 minute lessons 2x per week for 8 weeks, or spread lessons across a full academic year. Some schools have implemented a school-wide mindful breathing practice for 5 minutes to start each day. Much like a personal practice, mindfulness lessons and practice can be ongoing, repeated, and adapted with students to help them strengthen their skills to focus, emotionally regulate, and manage stress. mindfulschools.org
About Mindful Schools trains educators to bring mindfulness into their work with youth. Since 2007, educators trained by Mindful Schools have impacted over 750,000 students globally. Mindful Schools o ff ers guided online courses, as well as a Year-Long Certi fi cation program. Step 1: Be the Change Mindfulness Fundamentals , an introductory 6-week course, provides the basics to develop a personal mindfulness practice. Step 2: Teach Youth Mindful Educator Essentials , a 6-week course, provides K-12 curriculum and practical skills to introduce mindfulness into your work with youth. Step 3: Become a Leader Year-Long Certi fi cation Program , our in-depth, 300-hour, year-long training begins and ends with a week-long retreat. Group Rates: We believe that both teaching and practicing mindfulness is most successful when it is shared and supported by your community. In support of this, we o ff er group rates. Learn mor e at mindfulschools.org mindfulschools.org
Mindfulness in Education Potomac, MD Fremont, CA Oakland, CA Brooklyn, NY mindfulschools.org
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