Because these are good questions.

Before I dive into the material for this week officially, I wanted to take the time to thoughtfully consider the questions you posed. I am sure they will spur more questions, but that's ok. We have all semester!

I am curious what you mean by suffering in your life and in the lives of children who you work with at PBE. What are some ways you and these children suffer that might be unique to your particular context? And what do you mean when you describe some families as conservative? I'm curious to hear more about the political, religious, and cultural views and values that they hold.

The following is my own perspective - I have nothing other than my own observations and the opinions of the teachers and administration I have spoken to regarding the context of the school. 

White conservative families: politically white Republican voters, economically lower-middle to poverty-level, religiously evangelical Christian, anti-abortion, anti-gun control, 'patriotic,' many veterans, negative view of LGBT-rights or feminism, small communities with many no-trespassing signs (protectionism and fear). Many families are single-parent homes, even officially ‘homeless’ (which means no stable housing, i.e. living in vehicles, couch-surfing at friends, etc.), and some students have split parenting plans where they shift living circumstances from one parent to another (sometimes mid-week). Some of the students I have worked with have parents who have come out of jail/prison and are re-entering the family, which can cause stress, trauma, and destabilization for the student.

Native/tribal families: generally these families are not conservative politically, economically lower-middle to poverty-level, religiously some Christian mixed with indigenous religion(s), more liberal-leaning in issues of gun control, abortion, LGBT, and feminism. This community also deals with drug/alcohol addiction and criminal issues (as does the entire region), as well as single-family circumstances or shared-parenting situations. Some tribal students feel social oppression as people of color, although the school is diligent to treat all students with respect and dignity, regardless of color/ethnicity. I have witnessed no prejudicial behavior on the part of teachers or administration. There is often tension, however, surrounding holidays, especially Columbus Day and Thanksgiving where some tribal students are kept home or voice opposition to the holidays.

The economy of this region (Grays Harbor County) is dependent upon the fishing and timber industries, both of which have been hard-hit by government environmental regulations. As a result, the nearest towns/cities of Aberdeen, Hoquiam, and Raymond are still recovering from the spotted owl controversy and down-turn of the timber industry. There are many poverty-level citizens, as well as a serious heroin-addicted homeless population. The area has a history of people coming to this area to 'hide,' make a new identity, or detach from the mainstream (more liberal populated cities such as Centralia or Olympia, as well as bigger cities such as Tacoma, Seattle, and Portland), so privacy and safety is a major concern for some. 

This area is not an higher-education desert, as some places in Eastern Washington, but the options for higher education are limited. The closest college for these kids is Grays Harbor College. GHC offers limited technical tracks (welding, auto mechanic, medical-tech), as well as AA degrees (though they may have just added a Bachelor's degree in education, similar to other colleges in the state). The next closest schools would require on-campus living due to distance. It is my observation that most of the families represented at PBE do not have parents with college education.

There are some pockets of upper-middle class citizens of these towns, as well, but I have to assume they are professionals needed in the area such as medical providers, real estate agents, business owners, auto dealers and mechanics, etc. These do not make up the majority of the population, by any means, and to my knowledge none of these families are represented at PBE. There is a new resort town called SeaBrook that has been marketing to those interested in higher-end homes, vacation-homes, and condos. There is a Montessori school in this community, but I have no information on how many students go there. Even some of the kids at PBE are aware that the 'rich' kids go to the SeaBrook school, because I have heard them talking about it.

Has there been programming or curricula similar to what you have been bringing into Lisa's classroom? Have you been able to interact with any other teachers in the building? If so, how do they perceive mindfulness practices for students? And importantly, what do the students think of the mindfulness practices?

There has been no mindfulness curricula introduced formally into the classrooms in this district, to my knowledge. There has been a short discussion about mindfulness during faculty meetings, but no directives to deliver any lessons or techniques, only encouragement. Lynnette is very open to mindfulness techniques in the classrooms; at the end of last year I met with her to discuss what I was studying and to get her permission to continue working with the students in Lisa’s class. Lynnette was very pleased to tentatively schedule me during one of their faculty meetings at the end of this term (December) for my final presentation. I have also spoken with the 2^nd grade teacher, who is also very interested in what I have to offer in her classroom. I have spoken with none of the other teachers, so I don’t know how they perceive mindfulness practices in the classroom or anywhere else.

The kids are another story. Last year they were very open to mindfulness practices, were fascinated with the bells and any other techniques I brought to them, as well as being very willing to participate in mindful dialogue small groups and sharing what they learned with the rest of the class. I will be meeting this new class on the 14^th, but Lisa has said that they are excited about learning about mindfulness techniques. When I am there, I am hoping to speak with some of the students from last year to see if they were able to utilize any techniques over the summer, and if so, how they felt about it. We’ll see.

One more note: I will be helping introduce and teach the Mind-Up curriculum in this class this year. So, that will be interesting to see how that proceeds.

Thinking further, what is the practicality of Brown’s advice to fully inform students and their families? What would we actually have to tell them about mindfulness practice? This might be a fruitful place for some deeper exploration.

This is interesting – I actually thought that when I was reading the article. I would like to know what Brown would consider full-disclosure, and how that would be worded. I will have to consider this further. I certainly would not want any parent to consider what we are doing with the students ‘stealth Buddhism.’ I perceive the Mind-Up curriculum to be secular (non-religious). But, on the other hand, I do think it is important for humans to explore their ‘spirituality’ – meaning their perspectives on the meaning of life and their place in that life (my own definition).

I am reminded of Sanskrit phrase attributed to the Buddha—ehipassiko—which means “come and see”. How can we skillfully create opportunities for others to “come and see” mindfulness practices?

Interesting that you would mention this word – it was shared at the retreat I just sat. I love your question, and really, it is at the heart of my desire to share tools with the students (and those who I come in contact with, regardless of age) that could help them deal more effectively with stress and anxiety, even depression, trauma, and cultural oppression. Those are awfully big concerns, but I feel pretty strongly, from my own experience and practice, that a mindful practice can grant a measure/sense of peace about life’s storms (of emotions and feelings, both within and outside our control). I like the word ‘skillful,’ as well – my intent is to be skillful in what I have to offer.

Ms. Samson (Lisa) with her 3rd grade class this year!