Week 4

·         Week 4 – Emotions – October 1 - 5

o   Text: Mindfulness for Teachers: Skills for Peace & Productivity

§  Emotional art of teaching

§  Understanding negative emotions

o   Article: “Mindful Education” (by Patricia Jennings, 2010)

§  https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/mindful_education

o   Research: Mindfulness-based SEL programming to increase preservice teachers’ mindfulnessand emotional competence (Garner, Bender & Fedor, 2017)

o   Blog:

§  Reflect on emotional reactivity and its impacts in a learning environment

o   Journal: notes, thoughts, and connections

This week’s text reading is from Jennings book Mindfulness for Teachers (2015). “Tish Jennings is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of social and emotional learning and mindfulness in education with a specific emphasis on teacher stress and how it impacts the social and emotional context of the classroom and student well-being and learning. She is an Associate Professor of Education at the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia” (source: http://www.tishjennings.com/ )

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose to respond. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” – Victor Frankl

I was struck by the quote above by Frankl because it is in the gap that I believe all human potential lies. If we can quiet our minds and actions enough to be aware of the gap, in the case of teaching the space between the sensory-relational experience and emotional reaction, there is potential for understanding, compassion, and support. If I can pause to think prior to speaking and reacting in the classroom, chances of responding in a kind, caring, respectful manner increase greatly.

This week’s materials had me swimming in the deep waters of the ‘emotional practice’ of teaching, reactivity, and how negative emotions impact the teaching environment. It is a difficult profession that requires emotional self-regulation and social awareness. And when emotional situations arise, a teacher cannot simply remove themselves from the situation – they must develop a way to manage their emotions and the situation in the heat of the moment. Further, students look to the teacher(s) to model appropriate ways to handle challenging emotions and interpersonal relationships. Jennings highlights the difficulties: “when we are in the midst of teaching, it is often difficult to notice how we are feeling because our attention is directed outward, to the task at hand. If I don’t notice an emotional reaction as it begins to build, it becomes difficult to regulate and I may end up doing something I regret” (2015, p. 31). How true.

Negative emotional reactivity on the part of the teacher leads to student resentment, defiance, and acting out. It also brings added tension into the classroom as some students may be fearful and get quiet, while others act out in defense or anger, demanding the attention of all. It is those “teachers who remain cool under pressure, addressing disciplinary issues matter-of-factly without taking behaviors personally, [that] are the most effective classroom managers” (2015, p. 43). We can all act in ways we don’t intend, and that are “opposite of what we are trying to teach” (2015, p. 34). 

Jennings suggested that a teacher can take the opportunity to model self-regulation by admitting, “I am feeling very frustrated right now, and it’s hard to teach when I am frustrated. I am going to stop and take some deep breaths right now, so I can calm down” (2015, p. 33). If this is done with all sincerity and without sarcasm, I think students (of any age) would appreciate this authenticity and honesty. This type of ‘we are all human’ response can build a sense of community, as well as demonstrate how to deal with frustration and other emotions in a healthy way. It can also ease some of the tension in the room, when a pause is taken to acknowledge frustrations and distractions to the task at hand. Learning cannot happen in an atmosphere of fear, frustration, or anger.

Jennings continued to suggest mindfulness as a way to address the challenge of teaching. Through mindful attention to one’s arising sensations and emotions, there is the opportunity for self-regulation. Mindful attention to the subtleties of classroom relationships, respect and compassion can be modelled. Through the practice, a teacher can learn to be aware of the early signs of building emotions, and take steps to keep that prefrontal cortex ‘online.’ She stated that “as we develop a more mindful approach to our emotional experience, we learn to synchronize with the experience and modulate emotional expression in a way that is more conscious, respectful, and effective” ( 2015, p. 33). It is imperative that teachers (and all of us, really) learn and model skills of self-regulation and social awareness because teachers

set the tone of the classroom by developing supportive and encouraging relationships with our students; designing lessons that build on student strengths and abilities; establishing and implementing behavioral guidelines in ways that promote intrinsic motivation; coaching students through conflict situations; encouraging cooperation among students; and acting as role models of respectful and appropriate communication and behavior (2015, p. 37).

In the Jennings article she described how she instituted mindfulness in her classroom – this takes time and practice.

During my 25 years as a teacher and teacher educator, I integrated mindfulness practices into my teaching. For instance, before recess, I invited my students to close their eyes and focus their attention on the chimes of a bell, then raise their hand when the ringing stopped. The room became silent in anticipation before they listened to the steadily quieting tone. Once everyone had raised their hands, I would whisper each child’s name to excuse them. (Mindful Education, 2010).

With the students I am working with, it will take time and practice until they will be able to sit quiet for longer than a minute. It is all very new to them, and unfortunately for them, I am rather new to teaching it, as well. But, we are all learning together, and with lots of patience, love, and compassion, I am determined to offer them the tools of quieting their minds and bodies to facilitate a peaceful stillness in their day and hopefully beyond.

For my part in their day, I am not exhibiting any negative emotional reactivity; I am not in a position to get frustrated from a lack of attention. I am inviting them to participate, but they are not going to be tested, nor am I being evaluated on how well they can sit in stillness or on their mindful behavior. If  a child does not want to participate, they are not forced, nor shamed. Thankfully, I have not had any who are strongly opposed to participating (either last year or this). And, when they get too wiggly to concentrate, we switch from sitting quietly, listening, or breathing to mindful walking. I am not going for perfect, and any mindful activity is movement in the right direction. My number one goal is to keep them engaged in the mindful activities and earn their trust – any negative reactivity on my part might jeopardize their trust in me and would conflict with my goal of a mindful, caring activity and community/classroom.

RESEARCH

Mindfulness-based SEL programming to increasepreservice teachers’ mindfulness and emotional competence (Garner, Bender & Fedor, 2017)

This study discusses instruction for preservice teachers (undergraduates) with the hope of decreasing the percentage of new teachers that leave the profession within 5 years. They stated that 50% leave because of “significant stress due to work overload and student demands” (Garner, Bender & Fedor, 2017, p. 1).

[Jennings discussed teacher burn-out and attributed it to three dimensions (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and feelings of failure or lack of personal accomplishment) (2015, p. 39). She also stated that research had stated that “burned-out teachers are less likely to demonstrate sympathy and a caring attitude toward their students, have less tolerance for disruptive behavior, and are less dedicated to their work” (2015, p. 39). All these things are troublesome, and there has to be a way to address these issues. My daughter just started her first year of teaching 1^st grade, and I am hopeful that she received at least some preservice training in mindfulness and SEL.]

Researchers concluded that “the present moment focus, attentional self-awareness, and sustained engagement of mindfulness meditation, when accompanied by training in aspects of emotional competence, may produce changes in the ability to bring awareness to everyday activities in ways that could reduce stress for beginning teachers” (Garner, Bender & Fedor, 2017, p. 8). This study did not use MBSR, but participants were instructed in mindful meditation, acceptance skills, distress tolerance, and nonjudgment (p. 4). “Participation in an MBP intervention that includes SEL content has also resulted in increased mindfulness, life satisfaction, and teaching self-efficacy for preservice teachers” (p. 8).

Jennings stated that “if we are feeling angry, it is impossible to completely inhibit its expression, and there are times when the expression of anger is important and useful. However, as we develop a more mindful approach to our emotional experience, we learn to synchronize with the experience and modulate emotional expression in a way that is more conscious, respectful, and effective” (2015, p. 33). With practice awareness, teachers can reduce perceived stress; and if new teachers can adopt mindful awareness of themselves and their students, they can begin their careers with skills of self-regulation and social awareness that may keep their stress levels at a manageable level.

“Offering mindfulness-based SEL training to beginning teachers may help to improve teacher wellbeing and to identify instructional placements for teachers that allow for a greater classroom ‘fit’ for emotionally and behaviorally dysregulated students, practices that would benefit both teachers and students. (Garner, Bender & Fedor, 2017, p. 10)