Contemplative techniques for sustainable learning: A comparative study of China and the United States

• In Event: Highlighted session: Education for sustainability and recovery of our spiritual and child-like Self: the promise of contemplative methods and pedagogies

Proposal

Contemplative philosophy teaches us that we are unique human souls, connected by a shared existence, yet multi-cultural classrooms where students learn in a second language can present formidable linguistic and cultural barriers to tapping into this shared spiritual space. This is complicated further when teaching in a country like China—where there is a narrow conception of what is appropriate in a classroom environment—versus teaching in the United States, but it is in precisely these environments that such strategies are most important.

Learning in a second language is exhausting and being asked to perform according to another culture’s standards can feel overwhelming. Helping students tap into their unique human selves, while connecting to others through a shared spiritual experience, can be helpful tools for creating a more sustainable classroom, and thereby, deeper and more inclusive learning.

This paper reflects on the author’s time piloting a contemplative-based curriculum in Beijing, China, compared to similar efforts in the United States. Specifically, it explores classroom pedagogy aimed at drawing out a unified spiritual self in a Chinese learning environment versus a North American learning environment. Relevant activities, both in and out of the classroom, are explored and suggested.

Author

• Amanda Fiore, University of Maryland