Recently in my EDUC 4P46 course which discusses Mental Health and Well Being in Schools, we discussed the concept of mindfulness and being aware of your thoughts in a non-judgmental way. Mindfulness is a concept that has recently been gaining popularity within schools. It allows for students to be aware of their thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they occur in the present, and with an attitude of openness and non-judgment, especially when they are unpleasant (Coffey, Hartman, & Fredrickson, 2010). To the right is a brief definition of what it is to be mindful.
What is the Mindfulness Pedagogy?
A mindfulness pedagogy's goal is to create a compassionate and thoughtful learning environment for children (Bai, 2001). Mindfulness can be seen as a form of self-assessment for it allows students to get a greater sense of their internal life (Kelley, Lambert, & Pransky, 2015). Because students are able to first recognize their own thoughts in a nonjudgmental way, it demonstrates that all students think differently, which creates greater acceptance of their peers. Some mindfulness-based techniques being utilized in schools today are the use of yoga and breathing techniques.
Enjoy the following video to get a better understanding on the benefits of mindfulness and how schools today are implementing it into their classroom!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGobuBXCHBM
Overall, mindfulness is a very useful approach that is receiving greater acceptance within the classroom (Kelley, Lambert, & Pransky, 2015). Ultimately, it allows you to fully be aware of the present and creates a greater understanding, acceptance, and control of your emotions and thoughts in a positive way. It is something that I see could have benefited me in my learning with concerns to the doubts of my capabilities and so that is why I am a strong advocate for the use of mindfulness in schools.
For teachers who are interested in the use of mindfulness-based techniques in their classroom, the following is a guide they can follow: Progress in Mindfulness Practice
http://ukedchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/MindfulnessChartPDF2.pdf
Bai, H. (2001). Beyond the educated mind: Towards a pedagogy of mindfulness.Coffey, K. A., Hartman, M., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2010). Deconstructing mindfulness and constructing mental health: Underlying mindfulness and its mechanisms of action. Mindfulness, 1(4), 235-253.
Drake, S. M., Reid, J. L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21st-century learner. Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press.
Kelley, T. M., Lambert, E. G., & Pransky, J. (2015). Inside-Out or Outside-In: Understanding Spiritual Principles Versus Depending on Techniques to Realize Improved Mindfulness/Mental Health. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health,17(3), 153-171.
I just want to start off by recognizing that I can empathize with the ‘love-hate’ relationship with assessment as learning. As a future educator, I can see the benefits but when growing up I agree that it seemed rather personal whenever applied in the classroom. I enjoyed that you connected this idea to mindfulness as well; I think it provided a great perspective. It is so important to foster a love of learning in the classroom, and children should be confident in their work. There are some great strategies for incorporating mindfulness into the classroom, however I believe that this needs to be further researched and implemented. Mindfulness caters towards the ‘whole student’ instead of simply filling their minds with information. I strive to provide opportunities for students to grow as students in my future classroom. Overall you provided a good balance of personal connections and sources to backup your information! The only thing that I may have perhaps added is explanations to the great quote that you referenced so that the message doesn't get overlooked! Thank you for sharing this unique and important aspect of education.
ReplyDeleteI've always found the concept of mindfulness interesting; although difficult to measure, there are several positive implications with using this in the classroom. Thus I wonder as a future educator, how may you assimilate mindfulness into your classroom? As well, how would you go about combing mindfulness with the ontario curriculum since they are two different mentalities? I believe that mindfulness is a great concept for developing the "Be" of the student. It provides the opportunity for the students to figure out who they are as a person, as well as how they may fit into society. Although, I believe that it may be difficult to teach students the "Know" of the ontario curriculum. As is common knowledge, the "know" is the foundation for education is needed for students to achieve the 'do" and the "be".
ReplyDeleteAlthough I feel that there are some issues with this notion, I believe that you have done an exemplarily job on making this point clear and concise in your blog. There was ample amount of evidence, as well as personal experience interwoven throughout. Great improvement :) and remember:
"Keep shooting for the stars, even if you miss you'll land among the stars"
Julie,
ReplyDeleteGreat work! Your blog balanced scholarly sources, online resources, and personal opinions. As well, you have improved your blog from last week because it is more aesthetically pleasing. I think you picked a very important topic. Mindfulness is a good topic because it gives teachers a tool they can use in their classroom to teach their students to understand their emotions and to regulate themselves in a positive way. I am also in Education 4P46 and I enjoyed learning about mindfulness because it teaches people not to judge their emotions, just to recognize them. Children need to be taught how to recognize their emotions and realize that they are allowed to feel that way.
One way to improve your blog would be to go into more details about how you would personally implement this in your classroom. For example, are there specific mindfulness exercises you believe would be most effective? Overall your blog was great to read and very informative. I look foreword to reading more!
Alex