Mindfulness and the Making of Meaning in the Life of a Teacher

• In Event: The Emotional Lives of Teachers Roundtable

Abstract

The Aristotelian concept of eudaimonia involves ideas of happiness, excellence, and engaging oneself with the pursuit of what is worthwhile in life (Moran, 2018). More modern concepts of eudaimonia might describe it in terms of self-efficacy, job satisfaction or self worth - states of being that can be difficult to achieve in the teaching profession (Chambers et al., 2019). This pilot project examines how the practice of mindfulness helps teachers make eudaimonic meaning from their work both inside and outside of the classroom. Using the framework of the Mindfulness to Meaning theory, this study examines the effect of a program of mindfulness, administered as part of a graduate program curriculum, on the way of being of the practitioner.

Author

• Matthew Livingston, University at Albany - SUNY