Present Moment Awareness and the Prosocial Classroom

• In Event: 31.091 - Fairmont Royal York Roundtable Session Five
  In Roundtable Session: 31.091-5 - The Whole Person: Holistic Integration of Wellness

Abstract

The MBI literature extensively explores the role of mindfulness in improving communication, relationships, self-awareness, self-compassion, and focused attention. Less has been written about the mechanism for this. Why does mindfulness training have these effects? Why is a more mindful classroom a prosocial classroom? What is the relationship between cultivating mindfulness and better teaching? What is the role of consciously slowing down in decreasing stress? Racing thoughts, racing heart is associated with stress and fear. How can changing our relationship to time (deepening our connection with the present moment) change the way we meet obstacles (deepening our connection with self and others)? Using both quantitative and qualitative data, we explore how teachers’ relationship to time relates to the prosocial classroom.

Authors

• Elizabeth R. Mackenzie, University of Pennsylvania

• Suzanne G Fegley, University of Pennsylvania

• Jenny Mills, Roots and Wings, LLC