Power Within: Examining a Preservice Teacher's Use of Mindfulness Activities in an Urban Classroom

• In Event: Hilton Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: Spirituality & Education Roundtable Session

Abstract

This paper examines a preservice teacher’s use of mindfulness to positively impact urban student behavior. Drawing from the teacher’s capstone action research project we learn more about the lessons learned when attending to the spiritual needs of urban students. The study takes place during the teacher candidates’ clinical practice experience. Findings reveal that daily mindfulness meditation can be a useful strategy in an inclusive urban classroom. The implication of daily mindfulness meditation exercises helped students to increase their ability to focus, increase participation as well as eliminated inattentiveness and non-academic chatter.

Authors

• Tabora A. Johnson, Medger Evers College - CUNY

• Adrian Andrews