Demonstrating the benefits of mindfulness for both educators and students in PreK-12, this book presents flexible models for implementing and sustaining schoolwide initiatives. Compelling case studies show how mindfulness practices can enhance students' academic and social-emotional functioning as well as teacher effectiveness. Chapters review the evidence base for available programs, reflect on lessons learned in real schools, and provide guidance for planning and decision making. The roles of school leaders, teachers, counselors, and parents in creating a more supportive and compassionate school climate are discussed. Also described are innovative approaches to professional development and preservice teacher training.

About the Author

Patricia A. Jennings, PhD, is Professor of Education in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia. She is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of social-emotional learning and mindfulness in education. Dr. Jennings received the Cathy Kerr Award for Courageous and Compassionate Science from the Mind and Life Institute and has been cited by Mindful magazine as one of "Ten Mindfulness Researchers You Should Know." She has published on topics including mindfulness for teachers and compassionate teaching. She spent over 22 years as a teacher, school director, and teacher educator.

Anthony A. DeMauro, PhD, is Associate Director of Dalai Lama Fellows and Assistant Director of Student Initiatives at the Contemplative Sciences Center of the University of Virginia. In these roles, he works with young leaders around the world and university students to deepen connections to themselves and others through contemplation and holistic approaches to well-being. Dr. DeMauro's scholarly work, emerging from years of experience in K-12 schools, focuses on how teachers' personal mindfulness practices influence their teaching practices. He has taught courses in classroom management and mindfulness for preservice and inservice teachers. Additionally, Dr. DeMauro delivers professional development programs to educators through Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education and cofacilitates mindfulness retreats for teenagers with Inward Bound Mindfulness Education.

Polina P. Mischenko, MEd, is a doctoral candidate in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia. She conducts research on the experiences of teachers delivering mindfulness-based curricula and on approaches to teaching mindfulness in elementary school settings. She also facilitates mindfulness-based programs and workshops for school faculty and students, and assists local organizations and school districts with their mindfulness-based initiatives. Ms. Mischenko has worked in school settings and education organizations in the United States, Russia, Spain, and Switzerland.

Reviews

"A powerful compendium of wisdom, strategies, and practical approaches to bringing resilience and well-being into the culture and curriculum of contemporary schools. Chapter by chapter, the contributors to this fabulous book draw from their own direct pedagogical experience to share insights into how to transform the emotional and social intelligence of both teachers and students. Accessible and research supported, this book is a wonderful contribution for us all!"--Daniel J. Siegel, MD, Clinical Professor, UCLA School of Medicine; Executive Director, Mindsight Institute; author of Aware

"In my more than 20 years in school leadership, I have never run across a book with so much information on school transformation through the lens of mindfulness. This book is chock-full of research, case studies, and strategies. It is a guidepost that I will return to again and again."--Lana Penley, MEd, Principal, Marysville School, Portland, Oregon

"This book provides a compelling rationale for igniting and sustaining educational transformation through the integration of mindfulness- and compassion-based practices in schools. The exceptional contributors include well-established pioneers in the field alongside emerging scholars. Groundbreaking research is coupled with engaging case studies and practical strategies. A 'must read' for preservice and inservice teachers, school administrators, and teacher educators."--Kimberly A. Schonert-Reichl, PhD, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, University of British Columbia, Canada

"This is a jewel of a collection of practical, research-based tools for designing mindfulness-based programs for students as well as school staff. Evidence-based programs for a diversity of learners are presented by experts in the field. While acknowledging that mindfulness and compassion practices are not a panacea, the book shows how these programs can indeed make a significant contribution to meaningful school reform, shifting us toward a much-needed holistic educational approach."--Rebecca Alber, EdD, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles

"A unique and welcome addition to the school-based mindfulness literature. This book will help close the gap between the intention to bring mindfulness into schools and the practice of creating this change. It is required reading for anyone who hopes to incorporate mindfulness into 21st-century educational systems."--Joshua C. Felver, PhD, ABPP, School Psychology Program, Department of Psychology, Syracuse University -The Mindful School presents us with an abundance of information on school transformation that is both refreshing and hopeful....Transforming school culture through mindfulness and compassion will not happen overnight. This book provides a wonderful basis for you to review the evidence and reflect upon case studies that demonstrate the benefits of mindfulness for educators, parents, and students preK-12.--NASP Communique, 10/1/2020ffAn excellent resource for teachers, parents, administrators, policymakers, and any stakeholder invested in education....This book marries current, evidence-based content and models with highly practical information and case studies that render this compendium useful for a variety of professionals and laypeople. The description of the various roles that different professions (e.g., school counselors) may hold while integrating mindfulness into school systems provides a compelling vision for a school environment characterized by compassion, support, and mindfulness. The book is filled with strategies, wisdom, and knowledge to allow individuals to apply the models and programs that are desperately needed in today's schools. Here, school-based professionals will benefit from the decades of research and clinical experience from leading scholars and professionals in the field. Further, readers will emerge with a comprehensive understanding of the proposed transformation while receiving concrete information about the next steps he or she can take regardless of their role within the school system. This authentic collection of chapters from leading educational mindfulness scholars should be considered required reading for any school-based personnel seeking to implement mindfulness-based practices effectively into the contemporary school system.--Mindfulness, 10/5/2020

Book Information
ISBN 9781462539987
Author Patricia A. Jennings
Format Paperback
Page Count 271
Imprint Guilford Press
Publisher Guilford Publications
Weight(grams) 316g