When teachers learn mindfulness, they not only reap personal benefits such as reduced stress and burnout, but their schools do as well. In randomized controlled trials, teachers who learned mindfulness reported greater efficacy in doing their jobs and had more emotionally supportive classrooms, as well as better classroom organization based on independent observations.
Solid scientific evidence suggests that mindfulness interventions improve attention, self-control, emotional resilience, recovery from addiction, memory and immune response. In a nutshell, teachers who practice mindfulness tend to have increased responsiveness to students’ needs and had enhanced classroom climate. Here are 6 benefits of Mindfulness particularly relevant to educators:
Attention
Strengthens our “mental muscle” for bringing focus back where we want it, when we want it.
Emotional Regulation
Observing our emotions helps us recognize when they occur, to see their transient nature, and to change how we respond to them.
Adaptability
Becoming aware of our patterns enables us to gradually change habitual behaviors wisely.
Compassion
Awareness of our own thoughts, emotions, and senses grows our understanding of what other people are experiencing.
Calming
Breathing and other mindfulness practices relax the body and mind, giving access to peace independent of external circumstances.
Resilience
Seeing things objectively reduces the amount of narrative we add to the world’s natural ups and downs, giving us greater balance.
Summer professional development programs on mindfulness may be just the ticket to bringing Mindfulness to schools. For teachers wanting to learn Mindfulness I offer an 8 Week Mindfulness Class that will get you on the road to a peaceful classroom and resilient career in education.
