ul teaching and learning: transforming our educational environments for good

MindfulTeachingandLearning:TransformingourEducationalEnvironmentsforGood

MindfulLifeConferenceMay1,2016

Patricia(Tish)Jennings,M.Ed.,Ph.D.

Roadmap

• Stress,Emotions,Learning&theBrain

• WhatisMindfulness?• MindfulnessResearch• LunchBreak• ApplyingMindfulnessinEducationalSettings

• TransformingourEducationalSystem

Stress,Learning,Emotions&theBrain

TheStressResponse

Realvs PsychologicalTreat

StressandLearning• Mayimpairthedevelopmentofself-regulation

• Interfereswithlearning• Overtimemaycauselearningandbehaviorproblems

• EspeciallyforthoseexposedtoriskfactorsSocialsupportmaybeprotective

Emotions &theBrain

• Emotionsareadaptivefunctionsthatengagebiological,cognitiveandbehavioral processesdesignedtopromotesurvival

NegativityBiasandSurvival

FunctionofEmotions

• “Negative,”unpleasantoruncomfortable– Triggerstressresponse– Narrowfocus– Reinforcenegativeperceptionwiththoughts– Limited,conditionedreactivity

• “Positive,”pleasantorcomfortable– Buildresources(relationships,resilience)– Broadenfocus– Openness,awarenessofothers’perspectivesandcontext

– Creativeresponses

Social&EmotionalLearning

CASEL.org

SavoringPositivity

• Positiveemotions“undo”theeffectsofnegativeemotions

• Bysavoringmomentsoflove,joy,inspiration,gratitude,awe,andotherpositiveemotionalstateswebuildresilience.

Whatmakesyouhappy?

WhatisMindfulness?

What does it mean to be mindful?

WhatisMindlessness?

What is Mindfulness?• A state/trait, and practice• “Paying attention, in a particular

way, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally”(Kabat-Zinn,1990)

• Self-regulation of attention & orientation to experience (Bishop, 2004)

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Jon Kabat Zinn - Founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School

Breath Awareness Practice21

ReflectionQuestions

• Howwasthat?• Wereyouabletorecognizewhenyourmindhadwandered?

• Whatthoughts,feelings,orsensationsseemedtotakeyourattentionawayfromthepresent?

• Didtheexperiencechangeovertime?• Ifso,howdiditchange?

WhatareMindfulAwarenessorContemplativePractices?

• Formalorinformal• Mindfulness

– Focusedattention– Openawareness

• CaringPractices– Focusoncaringthoughtsforothers

• Mindfulwalking• Bodyscan• Yoga– mindfulmovement• Taichiandothermartialarts• Thearts

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MindfulnessResearch

PeerReviewedPublications

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Source:Schonert-Reichl, K.A.,&Roeser,R.W.(Eds.).(inpress).Mindfulness ineducation: Emergingtheory, research,andprograms.NY:Springer.

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MindfulnessResearch

• Researchwithadults• Researchwithteachers• Researchwithchildren

ResearchwithAdults

• Agrowingbodyofresearchisdemonstratingresults:– Enhancedmemory– Increasedabilitytoconcentrate– Increasedabilitytouseattentiontoregulateemotion

– Increasedability forempathyandcompassion– Reduceddistressandincreasedpositiveaffect– BrainchangesthatsupportemotionregulationDavidsonetal.,2003;Frederickson etal.,2008;Hölzel etal.2008;Jha,Krompinger,&Baime,2007;Luders etal.,2009;Lutzetal.,2008;Shapiro,Schwartz,&Bonner,1998,Slagter,etal.,2007)

Increaseddensity inthehippocampus after8weeksofMBSRcompared tocontrols.Hölzel etal.2008

School-basedResearch• Whatisanevidence-basedprogram?

– Levelsofevidence• Anecdotal• Pre-post• Quasi-experimental• Randomizedcontrolledtrial• Clusterrandomizedcontrolledtrial(Proveneffective)

– PublishedinPeer-ReviewedJournal

• LargeRCTtoexamineteacher,classroom&studentoutcomes– 36elementaryschoolsinNYC(Bronx&Harlem)

– 226teachersrandomlyassignedwithinschoolstoCAREorwaitlist

– 5036students

ResearchwithTeachers:CARENYC

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FOR TEACHERSCARECARE

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Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education

CARE

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• 5Sessions–2days–1day(2-3weekslater)–1day(2-3weekslater)–1daybooster

• Phonecoaching

ProgramModel

ProgramElements• SelfCare• EmotionAwareness

• Didacticlessonsonnatureofemotion• Emotionsinrelationtoteaching&learning• Experientialexercisestopromoteemotionalawareness

• Mindfulness• Mindfulawarenesspractices• Mindfulwalking

• Empathy&Compassionforselfandother• Caringpractice(metta)• Mindfullisteningexercises

• Applicationsofthesetoteachingthroughdiscussionandroleplays

Hypothesis#1:TeacherOutcomes

• DoesparticipatingintheCAREprogramresultinimproved:– Emotionregulation– Efficacy– Mindfulness

• Andreduced:– Distress– Timeurgency

• Comparedtoteachersrandomlyassignedtowaitlistcontrolgroup

Hypothesis#2:ClassroomOutcomes• DoesparticipatingintheCAREprogramresultinimproved

classroom:– Emotionalsupport

• Positiveclimate• Reducednegativeclimate• Teacher sensitivity• Respectforstudents’perspectives

– Organization(management)• Behaviormanagement• Productivity• Instructionallearningformats

• Andreduced:– Distress– Timeurgency

• Comparedtoteachers’classroomsrandomlyassignedtowaitlistcontrolgroup

ImpactonTeacherSelf-ReportedOutcomesinEffectSizes

p =0.047* p =0.020* p =0.005** NS p =0.007**

ImpactonTeacherSelf-ReportedOutcomesinEffectSizes

p =0.047* p =0.020* p =0.005** NS p =0.007**

ImpactonEmotionalSupportinEffectSizes

p =0.051* p =0.031* NS p =0.046* NS

ImpactonEmotionalSupportinEffectSizes

p =0.051* p =0.031* NS p =0.046* NS

ImpactonClassroomOrganization inEffectSizes

p =0.093 NS p =0.052* NS

ImpactonClassroomOrganization inEffectSizes

p =0.093 NS p =0.052* NS

Awareness“I’mbeingmoreawareofthekids,moreopportunitiestotalkwiththem,justmoreawareingeneral,ofmyself,whatI’mfeeling,whatI’meating,whatI’mdoing,whereI’mgoing…myawarenesshasjustbeenheightened.AndifIcanjustkeepremindingmyselfofthat,justtobeaware,awareofotherpeople,awareofmyown‘stuff’,that’sahugethingformeinlife.”

Self-Regulation/De-centering“I’mmuchcalmer.EvenwhenI’mdrinkingcoffee,mymind’snotracinginathousanddifferentplaces,I’mjustlikingmycoffee.I’velearnedhowtojusttakethingsforwhattheyareandnotkeepeverythingonmyshouldersallthetime.AndbecauseI’mnotdoingthatanymore,thatallowsmetotreatmykidsbetterandaddresstheirneedsbetterandtryandteachthemtobethatwaythroughmyexample.”

ResearchonSchool-basedProgramsforStudents

• Evidence-based programs– Holistic Life Foundation Yoga Programs for Youth – Inner-Kids– Inner Resilience Program– Learning to BREATHE– Transformative Life Skills (Niroga Institute)– .b Program– MindUp

TheMindUP Curriculum

How Our Brains Work

Mindful Action in Our Community

Understanding Mindfulness

Focused Attention

Mindful SeeingMindful Listening Mindful Smelling

Acting with Gratitude

Mindful Tasting

Acts of Kindness

Perspective Taking

Choosing Optimism

Savoring Happy Experiences

Mindful Moving(Part 2)

Mindful Moving

Research

• RandomizedControlledTrial(RCT)• Participants• 994th&5thgradechildrendrawnfrom4classrooms(98%participationrate)

• 2MindUp Classrooms(12weekprogramimplementation)

• 2ComparisonClassrooms(focusonSocialResponsibility)

Hypotheses

• DoesparticipatinginMindUp resultinimproved:– Executivefunctioning– Generalwell-being– Prosocialbehavior

• Andreduced:– Stress– Aggression

• ComparedtostudentsrandomlyassignedtoSELasusual?

Flanker Fish:Block1

When the fish are BLUE, you feed the MIDDLE fish bypressing where it‘s facing

Requires some inhibitory controll/ selective attention & working memory.

FlankerFish:Block2

When the fish are PINK, you feed the OUSTIDE fish by pressingwhere they are facing

Requires inhibitory control & working memory.

ExecutiveFunction

WhatisYourCortisolRhythm?

How cortisol changes throughout your day

8:00 am 12:00 pm 4:00 pm

6:00 pm

Highest levels early in the morning when about 30 mins after awakening

Lower levels in the evening

DiurnalCortisol:SlopeatPre-test

DiurnalCortisol:SlopeatPost-test

ChildSelf-Report:ChangeScores

ES=.42 ES=.40 ES=.48

ES=.59ES=.50

ES=-.45

ES=.55

PeerBehavioralAssessments:Change Scores

ES=.44ES=.76

ES=.72

ES=.87

ES=.36

ES=.42ES=.55 ES=-.71

%Improvement

• Cohen’sU3 “improvement” indextoreflecttheaveragedifferencebetweenthepercentilerankoftheinterventionandcontrolgroups.

• 24%gaininpositivesocialbehaviorsfromparticipationintheMindUp program

• 15%gaininmathachievement(grades)• 20%gaininself-reportedsocial-emotionalcompetenciesandskills,

• 24%reductioninaggressivebehaviors.

Summary:ResearchonSchool-basedPrograms

• Research is preliminary• Promising evidence that mindfulness-based

programs– Improve self-regulation– Promote prosocial behavior– Reduce distress– May improve academic outcomes

Broderick&Frank,2014;Frank,Bose& Schrobenhauser-Clonan, 2014;Kuykenetal.,2013;Schonert-Reichl etal.,2015

WhatMoreDoWeNeedtoKnow?

• Alot!• Specificactivities– specificoutcomes?• What’sdevelopmentalappropriate?Culturallyappropriateforeducationalsettings?

• Generalizability?• Braindevelopment?• Longtermacademicandbehavioraloutcomes?

Questions?

BodyScan

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ApplyingMindfulnesstoEducationalSettings

MindfulnessforTeachers

Cognitive&EmotionalDemands

EmotionalExhaustion

De-personalization

ReducedEfficacy

TheBurnoutCascade

• Increasingdemandsofteachingrequirenewskills

• Mind/bodyaretrainable• Knowledge,practicesandskillscanhelpusmanagethesedemands

HowMindfulnessHelpsTeachers

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• Developingawarenessofourinner&outerexperience

• Resultsinimprovedsocial,emotional&cognitivefunctioning

• Helpsusrespondratherthanunconsciouslyreacttosituations

• Helpsusprovidesocial,emotional&academicsupporttoourstudents,especially at-riskchildrenandyouth

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HowMindfulnessHelpsTeachers

• Caringforourselvesandbeingmoreawareofthoughtsandfeelings

• Helpsusmanagethedemandsofteaching• Enhancingtheeffectivenessofclassroommanagementandinstruction

• Enhancingourenjoymentofteaching• Promotingresilience• Preventingburn-out

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HowMindfulnessHelpsTeachers

SettingAnIntention

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CaringPractice

MindfulnesswithStudents

ImportantConsiderations

• Whatistheaim?Towhatend?• Developmentalappropriateness• Invitational• Modeling iscritical• Secular• Transitions• Bepatient!

Wheel of Awareness

Five Senses(see, hear, touch, smell,

taste)Outer World

Sixth SenseInternal Bodily

Sensations

Seventh SenseThe Mind

Eighth SenseRelationships

Attention

Adapted from: Siegel (2007)

Re-inventingHealthandPE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6y-47cA5hU

BasicPractices

• Calming&focusing• Mindjar• Bodyawarenesspractices(yoga,etc.)• Focusingattentiononnature,arts• Mindfulwalking• Bellactivity

Books

Calming&Focusing

Bellactivity

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TransformingOurEducationalSystem

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TheoryU:LearningfromtheEmergingFuture

http://www.ottoscharmer.com/

“What makes profound change possible?‘Presencing,’ a blend of the words ‘presence’ and ‘sensing’, refers to the ability to sense and bring into the present one's highest future potential—as an individual and as a group.”- Otto Scharmer

IlluminatingtheBlindSpot

Successful leadership depends onthequalityofattention andintention thattheleaderbrings toanysituation.Twoleadersinthesamecircumstancesdoing thesamething canbring aboutcompletely differentoutcomes, depending on theinnerplacefromwhicheachoperates.

https://www.presencing.com/sites/default/files/page-files/Theory_U_Exec_Summary.pdf

OpenMind

OpenHeart

OpenWill

ContactInfo:Patricia (Tish)Jennings,M.Ed.,Ph.D.AssociateProfessorCurrySchoolofEducationUniversityofVirginiatishjennings@virginia.eduwww.TishJennings.comhttps://www.facebook.com/mindfulnessforteachers/Twitter@TishJennings