Over the last several years, the word, “mindfulness” has become commonplace. More and more people are attending MBSR and yoga classes in hopes of reducing their stress levels and increase their sense of overall well-being. As adults have experienced the benefits of mindfulness for themselves, they’ve naturally experimented with sharing it with their own children and/or students. This has led to the development of numerous programs, projects, and businesses worldwide. Without dampening the excitement stemming from this development, we must recognize that if we are going to teach effectively to our students and communities, conceptual clarity is important. This involves having an open conversation between practitioners, scientists, and scholars in which we can share a definition that has been productive in our practice and teaching, and supported by scientific research on mindfulness.
In this pre-conference we will:
• Discuss the differences between mindfulness as a state, a trait, or a practice. • Discuss how each of these are beneficial. • Discuss how to form healthy, mindful habits in the classroom. • Learn how to identify what is going well right now in our classrooms. (And what needs improvement.) • Develop routines and procedures that work for you and your students. • If time allows, provide a time to exchange ideas for calm corners or peace centers in the classroom
