mindfulness and heartfulness skills for educators and students

Erin Sharaf, MA, PA-CMindfulness + Magic

MINDFULNESS AND HEARTFULNESS SKILLS FOR EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS

PART 1:

FINDING STILLNESS ENHANCING CONCENTRATION STRESS REDUCTION

PART 2:

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION PROMOTING POSITIVE EMOTIONS

PAY ATTENTION

What we do with our mind matters.

l

BREATHING PRACTICE

A particular way of paying attention:

•On purpose

• In the present moment

•Non-judgmentally

*WITH KINDNESS AND

CURIOSITY

What is Mindfulness?

HOW DO WE PRACTICE?MANY WAYS, INCLUDING:

Mindful• Eating• Walking• Moving• Listening• Breathing

Noticing the relationship between• Thoughts• Physical Sensations• Emotions

Without Mindfulness:

Stimulus

Reaction

• Automatic, habitual patterns• Often leads unconsciously to

suffering

WITH MINDFULNESS:

STIMULUS MINDFULNESS RESPONSE

• THERE IS SPACE FOR CONSCIOUS CHOOSING• MORE SKILLFUL RESPONSES• LESS SUFFERING

Video

Valley Middle SchoolSan Francisco, CA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9-phWL8t08

What Can Mindfulness Enhance? •Attention, focus•Emotional resilience•Academic performance•Positive mood•Compassion, empathy, altruism•Physical and mental health•Optimism and

kindness

http://www.mindfulschools.org/about-mindfulness/research/

What Can Mindfulness Decrease?

•Stress•PTSD•Negative emotions•ADHD•Impulsivity•Test anxiety•Depression

http://www.mindfulschools.org/about-mindfulness/research/

RANDOMIZED-CONTROLLED DATA FROM MINDFUL SCHOOLS/UC DAVIS

(Guzman-Alvarez, Westover, Keller, & Fuller, 2012)

DEMONSTRATED IMPROVEMENT:

Benefits for Teachers!Decreased BurnoutMore satisfied with jobGreater efficacy in the classMore emotionally supportive classrooms

Better classroom organizationConnect better with students

COMING TO OUR SENSES

S-STOP

T-Take a deep Breath

O-Observe

P-Proceed, Park

GUIDING PRINCIPLES:1. Participation needs to be a choice.

2. Need to feel safe in order to fully engage.

3. There is no “getting it right,” there’s only engagement in the process.

4. YOUR attitude is crucial and can change everything. (playfulness, curiosity and exploration)

5. Trust the practices to do the work over time.

MINDFULNESS ACCORDING TO TEACHERS(VIDEO)

https://vimeo.com/86520490

MINDFULNESS SKILLS FOR:

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION ENHANCING POSITIVE EMOTIONS

RELEVANCE:

20%: of students have considered suicide have carried a weapon

reported being bullied in school

45%: of students expressed they were not engaged did not feel recognized could not do their best work at school

5-8X Increase in anxiety and/or depression in high school and college students over past 50 years

2013 CDC Youth risk behavior survey of 9-12 grade students2013 Gallup student survey of 5-12 grade studentsTwenge et al, 2010

THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS

1 50% … predetermined SETPOINT

2 10%...EXTERNAL CONDITIONS

3 40% …VOLUNTARY ACTION

~WHAT WE DO WITH OUR MIND MATTERS

Mindfulness in Action (video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUJs0fXTWTE

It’s not joy that makes us grateful, it’s gratitude that makes us joyful.~Brene Brown

GRATITUDEWHY: Fewer emotional and physical symptoms Stronger relationships and communities More optimistic More alert, enthusiastic, attentive Promotes altruistic behavior Less importance on material goods Better GPA (possibly…GGSC study in progress)

HOW: Verbal, journal, letters (21 days) Find new things (we adapt) In the moment elicits stronger response than retrospective Share your gratitude Can add gratitude to a negative experience Sandwich your day with gratitude

http://gratitudepower.net/science.htm

“BE THE POND” EXERCISE

Communication Exercise

Principles to Guide a Learning Community

1. Show up, choose to be present.

2.Pay attention to what has heart and meaning.

3. Speak the truth without blame or judgment

4.Be open to outcome, not attached to outcome

Angeles Arrien, PhD, The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Path of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer and Visionary, 1993 Harper, San Francisco

LOVING-KINDNESS PRACTICE

Mindfulness=Heartfulness

For more information:• Center for Mindfulness

• Mindfulness in Education Network

• Mindful Schools

• Mindful Education

• A Still Quiet Place

• Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education

• The Hawn Foundation/MindUp

References:Beauchemin, J. Hutchins, T.L, Patterson, F. (2008). Mindfulness Meditation May Lessen Anxiety, Promote Social Skills, and Improve Academic Performance Among Adolescents With Learning Disabilities. Journal of Evidence-Based Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, 13(1), 34-35. Burke, C. (2010). Mindfulness Based Approaches with Children and

Adolescents: A Preliminary Review of Current Research in an Emergent Field. Journal of Child Family Studies, 19:2, 133-144.Carson, J.W, Carson, K.M, Gil, K.M, Baucom, D.H. (2004). Mindfulness-Based Relationship Enhancement. Behavior Therapy, 35, 471-494. Flook, L. et al. (2010). Effects of Mindful Awareness Practices on Executive Functions in Elementary School Children. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 26:1, 70-95Flook L, Goldberg SB, Pinger L, Bonus K, Davidson RJ. (2013). Mindfulness for Teachers: A pilot study to assess effects on stress,

burnout and teaching efficacy. Mind, Brain and Education. 7(3). doi: 10.1111/mbe.12026. Jennings, P. A. et al. (2011). Improving Classroom Learning Environments by

Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE): Results of Two Pilot Studies. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 46:1, 37-48

Jennings, P. A. (2012). Building an Evidence Base for Mindfulness in Educational Settings. http://www.mindful.org/mindful-voices/on-education/building-an-evidence-base-for- mindfulness-in-educational-settings

Peters, J.R, Erisman, S.M, Upton, B.T, Baer, R.A, Roemer, L. (2011). A Preliminary Investigation of the Relationships Between Dispositional Mindfulness and Impulsivity. Mindfulness, 2:228-235. doi10.1007/s12671-011-0065-2.

Smith, A. Guzman-Alvarez, A., Westover, T., Keller, S., & Fuller, S. (2012). Mindful Schools Program Evaluation. University of California at Davis: Center for Education and Evaluation Services

Twenge, J., et al., (2010). Birth cohort increases in psychopathology among young Americans, 1938-2007: A cross-temporal meta-analysis of the MMPI. Clinical Psychology Review 30, 145-154

Van de Weijer-Bergsma E, Formsma AR, de Bruin EI, Bögels SM. (2012). The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training on Behavioral Problems

and Attentional Functioning in Adolescents with ADHD. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 21(5):775-787.

Weng, H.Y. et al. (2013). Compassion Training Alters Altruism and Neural Responses to Suffering. Psychological Science, 24(7) 1171-1180.

THANK YOU!Erin SharafErin@erinsharaf.com