The Mindful School: Transforming School Culture through Mindfulness and Compassion

Demonstrating the benefits of mindfulness for both educators and students in PreK–12. Mindful School: Transforming School Culture through Mindfulness and Compassion presents flexible models for implementing and sustaining schoolwide initiatives. Compelling case studies show how mindfulness practices can enhance students' academic and social-emotional functioning as well as teacher effectiveness. Chapters review the evidence base for available programs, reflect on lessons learned in real schools, and provide guidance for planning and decision making. The roles of school leaders, teachers, counsellors, and parents in creating a more supportive and compassionate school climate are discussed. Also described are innovative approaches to professional development and preservice teacher training.

Table of Contents

Contents

I. Introduction

• 1. Where Are We Now? Where Are We Going?: Preparing Our Students for an Uncertain Future
• 2. A Selective Review of Mindfulness Training Programs for Children and Adolescents in School Settings

II. Examining Roles and Responsibilities for School Transformation

• 3. Turn and Listen: Strengthening Compassion and Leadership in the Adult Community in Schools
• 4. Modelling Mindfulness: Principal Leadership and Development for Personal and Organisational Growth
• 5. Embodied Teacher Mindfulness in the Classroom: The Calm, Clear, Kind Framework
• 6. Cultivating Passion for Practising and Teaching Mindfulness: A Multiple-Case Study of Compassionate School Project Teachers
• 7. The School Counsellor: Change Agent and Collaborator for Holistic Student Well-Being
• 8. Creating Mindful and Compassionate Schools: Including Parents as Partners

III. Looking to the Future

• 9. Finding Peace in Chaos: Mindfully Prepared Public School Teachers
• 10. Being in School Transformation: Toward Equity and Social Justice

Index

"This is a jewel of a collection of practical, research-based tools for designing mindfulness-based programs for students as well as school staff. Evidence-based programs for a diversity of learners are presented by experts in the field. While acknowledging that mindfulness and compassion practices are not a panacea, the book shows how these programs can indeed make a significant contribution to meaningful school reform, shifting us toward a much-needed holistic educational approach."
- Rebecca Alber, EdD, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles