Integrating Mindfulness into the Schools

Over the past decade, training in mindfulness — the intentional cultivation of moment-by-moment non-judgmental focused attention and awareness — has spread from its initial western applications in medicine to other fields, including education. This paper reviews research and curricula pertaining to the integration of mindfulness training into K-12 education, both indirectly by training teachers and through direct teaching of students. Research on the neurobiology of mindfulness in adults suggests that sustained mindfulness practice can enhance attentional and emotional self-regulation and promote flexibility, pointing toward significant potential benefits for both teachers and students. Early research results on three illustrative mindfulness-based teacher training initiatives suggest that personal training in mindfulness skills can increase teachers’ sense of well-being and teaching self-efficacy, as well as their ability to manage classroom behavior and establish and maintain supportive relationships with students....

Read the complete article, Integrating Mindfulness Training into K-12 Education: Fostering the Resilience of Teachers and Students.

This article has recently been published in the new Mindfulness magazine, by Springer Press and can be ordered or read online.