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Mindfulness-based teacher development in conflict-affected areas of Colombia: An impact evaluation

Wed, March 28, 1:15 to 2:45pm, Hilton Reforma, Floor: 2nd Floor, Don Diego 4 Section B

Proposal

Colombian teachers and students are subject to multiple sources of pressure that cause significant emotional stress which negatively affects their health and wellbeing. This has important implications for teaching quality, student achievement and school climate. Cumulated pressure often produces teacher stress and burnout, which can lead teachers to lose motivation, develop hostile relationships with students,and turn to punitive disciplinary practices. Students can develop attention difficulties and agitated behavior,
which again increases teacher stress, creating a vicious cycle that promotes school aggression and hinders overall education quality. A representative study in 16 countries identifies Colombia as the country with the highest degree of school aggression in Latin America, concluding that over 70% of students in 6th grade are either victims or perpetrators of school violence or school aggression
each month (Román & Murillo, 2011).
The Respira program is an innovative school intervention program that seeks to introduce mindfulness practice into schools in conflict-affected areas of Colombia in order to foster social-emotional learning and promote teacher and student wellbeing. It was developed by Save the Children and Convivencia Productiva in Colombia. Its innovation is that it goes beyond values, attitudes and even behavior, to give teachers and students tools for cognitive control, with a particular focus on mindfulness. It seeks to improve teacher well-being and performance, the quality of the school environment and academic achievement particularly for children and youth affected by violence and armed conflict. During the first phase of the program teachers are introduced to the program through a training cycle (first semester), in the second half of the year teachers bring the program into their classrooms (primary school).
An independent impact evaluation of the programs was designed by the Colombian University Los Andes. The evaluation used an experimental design, with control group and questionnaires for students and teachers before during and after the program. The tools measure participants' physiological, cognitive, emotional, behavioral and contextual dimensions in teachers and students, across key program indicators such as empathy, active listening, attention and concentration, perception of stress, burn out, depression and anxiety symptoms and emotional regulation. Some variables are measured through self-reporting, others with teachers who assess students and students who evaluate teachers.
Impact Evaluation Results
The analysis results for teachers demonstrated a significant difference between experimental and control groups in two variables: a) aggressive reaction and b) anger regulation. This means that teachers who participated in Respira reacted less aggressively towards others (colleges, students, family etc.) when feeling mistreated and are also better able to regulate their anger and respond more effectively towards negative stimulus. Also for students, the program had major effects in emotional (anger) and behavioral (aggression) regulation.
Process Evaluation Results
Teachers report that the RESPIRA program has given them multiple tools on a personal level and as teachers, helping them to reduce stress levels, control and manage their emotions and impulses, and feel more connected with their bodily sensations. This has promoted greater assertiveness, active listening and tolerance in relationships (work environments and in the classroom). Additionally, teachers report that Respira has given them tools for better classroom management and discipline control; this is reflected in better concentration and attention of students.
Significance
This is one of the first attempts to systematically adapt and evaluate a mindfulness-based approach to teacher development to a context of conflict in Latin America such as Colombia. The results suggest that mindfulness could be a promising tool for teacher development in a context of high stress and conflict, particularly when combined with support on social and emotional learning and classroom management.

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