Alison Lee, Author at Mindful Schools

April 21, 2023

Gratitude Letters: A Powerful Classroom Exercise for Teacher Appreciation

A first-grade teacher, a best friend, a parent — grab a tissue and watch high schoolers read their Gratitude Letters to the people they’re thankful for. Try this gratitude exercise with your students.

January 16, 2023

Compassion vs Self-Compassion: Opening Your Heart to Yourself

Dia Penning, Mindful Schools

With self-compassion, we empower ourselves to be the holder, giver, and recipient of kindness. It is a sustaining, internal source of self-support and something that can always be available. Try this practice.

December 19, 2022

4 Steps to Meet Big Emotions in the Classroom

Argos Gonzalez, Mindful Schools

The list of emotions that may be present in the classroom runs long. Try this 4-3-2-1 strategy to pause––to give them the choice to respond to the situation rather than just react.

December 16, 2022

Cultivating Joy to Recharge

Devon Sangster Rath

Cultivating joy isn't a “how to be happier” exercise. It's about noticing the subtle joys, mini joys, and many joys that we already experience in our everyday lives. Listen to the guided practice.

December 14, 2022

Powerful Words of Encouragement: You Are Enough

Fontashia Johnson, Mindful Schools

Words of encouragement are powerful for students––and educators, too. Try a “give and take what you need” wall to offer positive quotes, affirmations, and encouragement. And for educators ...

December 5, 2022

5 Myths of Mindfulness

Sarah Rudell Beach, Mindful Schools

Researchers stress that a critical component of school-based mindfulness programs is understanding the basic definition and purpose of mindfulness––including what mindfulness is, and what it is not.

October 20, 2022

What does a “mindful school” look like?

Mindful Schools

Watch what can happen when a school invests in a whole-school culture of mindfulness. Milner Middle School, a Title I school in Hartford, CT, has a multi-year partnership with Mindful Schools. Here is their story.

October 12, 2022

Mindful Communication: What Matters Most in the Moment?

Dia Penning, Mindful Schools

Communication is at the heart of what we do as educators. Whether we are speaking, listening, writing or thinking, our verbal and nonverbal communication patterns have profound impacts on our relationships and interactions.

August 10, 2022

Social Emotional Learning and Why It Matters for Educators

Sarah Rudell Beach, Mindful Schools

As educators, we don’t (and shouldn’t) leave our emotions at the door when we’re working with young people. Attending to our own social and emotional needs is important, especially if we’re tasked with teaching social emotional learning to our students.

July 6, 2022

Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness in the Classroom

Solissa Franco-McKay, Mindful Schools

Every school has students who have experienced trauma. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCSTI), more than two thirds of children have reported at least one traumatic event by the age of 16, making trauma one of the most important public health issues in our world today.

April 27, 2022

The Urgency of Right Now

Alan Brown, Mindful Schools

There are so many other things that we could be doing right now. Maybe notice, as you sit down to read this, if there are other things that you feel like you should be doing. Listen to this guided practice on: working with urgency.

March 18, 2022

3 Mindful Ways to Start a Meeting

Sarah Rudell Beach, Mindful Schools

Learn three mindful ways to start a meeting and listen to a personal story about the simple, yet powerful ways that meetings can impact both self-care and community care.

April 21, 2023

Gratitude Letters: A Powerful Classroom Exercise for Teacher Appreciation

A first-grade teacher, a best friend, a parent — grab a tissue and watch high schoolers read their Gratitude Letters to the people they’re thankful for. Try this gratitude exercise with your students.

January 16, 2023

Compassion vs Self-Compassion: Opening Your Heart to Yourself

Dia Penning, Mindful Schools

With self-compassion, we empower ourselves to be the holder, giver, and recipient of kindness. It is a sustaining, internal source of self-support and something that can always be available. Try this practice.

December 19, 2022

4 Steps to Meet Big Emotions in the Classroom

Argos Gonzalez, Mindful Schools

The list of emotions that may be present in the classroom runs long. Try this 4-3-2-1 strategy to pause––to give them the choice to respond to the situation rather than just react.

December 16, 2022

Cultivating Joy to Recharge

Devon Sangster Rath

Cultivating joy isn't a “how to be happier” exercise. It's about noticing the subtle joys, mini joys, and many joys that we already experience in our everyday lives. Listen to the guided practice.

December 14, 2022

Powerful Words of Encouragement: You Are Enough

Fontashia Johnson, Mindful Schools

Words of encouragement are powerful for students––and educators, too. Try a “give and take what you need” wall to offer positive quotes, affirmations, and encouragement. And for educators ...

December 5, 2022

5 Myths of Mindfulness

Sarah Rudell Beach, Mindful Schools

Researchers stress that a critical component of school-based mindfulness programs is understanding the basic definition and purpose of mindfulness––including what mindfulness is, and what it is not.

October 20, 2022

What does a “mindful school” look like?

Mindful Schools

Watch what can happen when a school invests in a whole-school culture of mindfulness. Milner Middle School, a Title I school in Hartford, CT, has a multi-year partnership with Mindful Schools. Here is their story.

October 12, 2022

Mindful Communication: What Matters Most in the Moment?

Dia Penning, Mindful Schools

Communication is at the heart of what we do as educators. Whether we are speaking, listening, writing or thinking, our verbal and nonverbal communication patterns have profound impacts on our relationships and interactions.

August 10, 2022

Social Emotional Learning and Why It Matters for Educators

Sarah Rudell Beach, Mindful Schools

As educators, we don’t (and shouldn’t) leave our emotions at the door when we’re working with young people. Attending to our own social and emotional needs is important, especially if we’re tasked with teaching social emotional learning to our students.

July 6, 2022

Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness in the Classroom

Solissa Franco-McKay, Mindful Schools

Every school has students who have experienced trauma. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCSTI), more than two thirds of children have reported at least one traumatic event by the age of 16, making trauma one of the most important public health issues in our world today.

April 27, 2022

The Urgency of Right Now

Alan Brown, Mindful Schools

There are so many other things that we could be doing right now. Maybe notice, as you sit down to read this, if there are other things that you feel like you should be doing. Listen to this guided practice on: working with urgency.

March 18, 2022

3 Mindful Ways to Start a Meeting

Sarah Rudell Beach, Mindful Schools

Learn three mindful ways to start a meeting and listen to a personal story about the simple, yet powerful ways that meetings can impact both self-care and community care.

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