The current field of mindfulness in education rests on a foundation of research. Research informs and inspires us to frame our curriculum and our embodied pedagogy. Whether we’re in a classroom working with primary grade children, a middle-school school psychologist, or a high-school specialist weaving mindful moments into our students’ busy days, the work of researchers can inform our pedagogy and refine the goals we have for mindful practices. As the field comes into its third decade in the spotlight of research, studies continue to grow in depth and in scope: a crucial rein for the sometimes oversimplification of many…
After asking her students to reflect on an essential question, a high school teacher in Oakland uses “wait time” to breathe mindfully, ground herself and set an intention to fully listen so she can offer her students her full presence. An elementary vice principal in Albany uses a snow globe to breathe deeply and calm emotions with a student in her office so they can center themselves before they engage in a restorative conversation. “I’m ready to learn now.” An elementary schooler in Dallas returns to his work station after spending time in a Peace Corner where he engaged in…
I was introduced to Mindfulness during the summer of 2015 as I was researching some alternative discipline programs for my school. I saw a comment on Black Educators Rock on Facebook that mentioned Mindful Schools and clicked on the link. As I began to read about this program, I became intrigued because I had been searching for something just like this in my own personal life. Serendipity! An emotional regulation program that taught the benefits of mindfulness meditation and mindful awareness skills that I could use with all my students. The catch was, I had to develop a personal practice…
A notable group of mindfulness researchers recently published a critique of the state of science of mindfulness. In the article below, we express certain areas of agreement with the authors, while, at the same time, highlighting important evidence that affirms our enthusiasm about mindfulness practices for youth. At Mindful Schools, we regard our role of disseminating mindfulness research seriously. We take care to ensure that the personal confidence we have in mindfulness does not distort our estimation of its scientific basis, and appreciate the critical review of the state of mindfulness research recently published by Nicholas Van Dam and his…
What are the similarities and differences between mindfulness and social and emotional learning (SEL)? How do the two approaches converge or collide? How might integrating mindfulness amplify the effects of existing SEL programs? To address these questions, we first can consider the commonalities and differences in terms of (1) practices, (2) skills and (3) outcomes. Below is a diagram illustrating our theoretical framework. Mindfulness and SEL each prescribe certain practices and psychoeducation (which means discussion of psychological concepts that helps students better understand and regulate their internal life and behavior). These practices develop specific skills that in turn, we hope,…
As the scope of science expands, concepts that were previously confined to the humanities are receiving scientific attention. One recent example of this trend is the scientific exploration of wisdom. Traditionally, discussions of wisdom have been confined to disciplines such as philosophy. Philosophy is, after all, literally the ‘love of wisdom.’ A few years ago, two psychiatrists from University of California San Diego published an article in the Archives of General Psychiatry titled, “Neurobiology of Wisdom.” They suggest that “wisdom is a unique psychological construct, not just a collection of desirable traits with a convenient unifying label.” The authors defined…
How mindfulness training helps build a foundational social and emotional skill I wanted to reflect a bit on empathy and mindfulness. Humans are social beings and positive relationships are important for our happiness. Empathy is a capacity that allows us to understand the minds of others and to resonate emotionally with those states.1 Empathy forms a cornerstone of social cooperation. As you probably have heard, mindfulness has been linked to a range of positive effects and is being integrated into medicine,2 mental health3 and education.4 Here, I address two important questions: First, what’s the relationship between mindfulness and empathy? Second, can mindfulness training enhance…
With so much interest in the science of mindfulness and a proliferation of research, understanding the field can feel a little disorienting. We often hear about the results of a study, but it can be difficult to contextualize the findings in relation to the rest of mindfulness research. Here, we’re not trying to review the state of mindfulness research. That’s a book-length project, and others have done it well (see Brown, Creswell & Ryan, 2015). Instead, we outline three distinct types of mindfulness research that are being pursued – definition, efficacy, and mechanisms – and place them within a coherent…
Dee is a “wholistic” educator who finds great joy in helping others discover and understand the inner workings of the mind and body, while cultivating the life-skills…
We are writing to announce that we are now accepting applications for the 2016-2017 Mindful Schools Year-Long Certification. This course is designed for dedicated mindfulness practitioners interested in playing leadership roles in their school communities and in the Mindfulness in Education movement. The program filled early and with a wait-list last year, which kept quite a few of you from taking part. This year, if you are thinking about participating in this program, we strongly encourage you to apply early. This is an in-depth program with various details to consider. We’ve broken this message into two parts for easy reading….
Teach mindfulness to youth to build attention, self-regulation, and empathy.