ul teaching and learning: transforming our educational environments for good
TRANSCRIPT
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