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Mindfulness in SchoolsLeslie Anne Dexter and Leanne FosterThe Sterling Hall School and St. Clement’s School

The Sterling Hall School’s Story

Methodology and Analysis

Framework for considering individuals in schools

The Questions

Acknowledged limits of the research

Next Steps

St. Clement’s School’s Story

Literature Review

OPTIONALLOGO HERE

OPTIONALLOGO HERE

What key factors influenced the decision of our schools to adopt mindfulness practice?

What contextual factors facilitated or impeded the implementation of mindfulness?

This research is premised on the understanding that all individuals exist within multiple social contexts that both impact upon and are impacted by them. Children are located within two key co-existing contexts of home and school, and are strongly influenced by multiple factors within each. No examination of individuals or their contexts can be done without considering other influencing factors.

While acknowledging the complexity of contexts, this initial stage of research focused on the enhancement of mindfulness in teachers, understanding that teachers have the greatest impact on the experience of students in the classroom. This initial research looked only at how various “inputs” shaped the experience of teachers.

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TEACHERS

GIRLS

Grade 1-12

TEACHERS

BOYS

JK-8

Parent community

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Parent communityINPUTINPUT

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SCS SHS

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Our literature review was completed to understand the contributions of others and to resolve contradictions and identify gaps.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: How to cope with stress, pain and illness using mindfulness mediation. Dell: New York, NY.

Lantieri, L. And D. Goldman (2008). Building Emotional Intelligence. ReadHowYouWant: United States.

Leigh-Brown, P. (2007). In the Classroom, a New Focus on Quieting the Mind. New York Times

Suttie, J. (2007). Mindful Kids, Peaceful Schools. The Greater Good: The University of California, Berkeley.

Our literature review was completed to understand the contributions of others and to resolve contradictions and identify gaps.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: How to cope with stress, pain and illness using mindfulness mediation. Dell: New York, NY.

Lantieri, L. And D. Goldman (2008). Building Emotional Intelligence. ReadHowYouWant: United States.

Leigh-Brown, P. (2007). In the Classroom, a New Focus on Quieting the Mind. New York Times

Suttie, J. (2007). Mindful Kids, Peaceful Schools. The Greater Good: The University of California, Berkeley.

• Establishment of a joint-schools advisory committee to examine the data and plan next steps in both schools.

• To continue to promote the benefits of wellness and mindfulness practice as an integral part of excellence in education and as a personal benefit to the individual.

• To create additional structured and intentional opportunities for stakeholders to experience and learn about mindfulness.

• To continue to build a school culture that has respect for the diversity of opinions and levels of individual participation around mindfulness practice.

• Establishment of a joint-schools advisory committee to examine the data and plan next steps in both schools.

• To continue to promote the benefits of wellness and mindfulness practice as an integral part of excellence in education and as a personal benefit to the individual.

• To create additional structured and intentional opportunities for stakeholders to experience and learn about mindfulness.

• To continue to build a school culture that has respect for the diversity of opinions and levels of individual participation around mindfulness practice.

Culture of the school

• A supportive small girls’ school (grade 1 to 12) that has a strong sense of community• A history of high academic standards and high achieving students

Initiatives at SCS

• LINCWell was started in September 2009 as a program designed to promote balance, health, wellness, and provide student enrichment and support to students from grades 1 to 12• Students, staff and parents were not entirely sure how LINCWell would function, and many program areas were explored (e.g., study skills, support for exceptional students, nutrition, etc.)• Over the course of the first year, the need to address stress and anxiety appeared as a priority, and a relationship began with yoga teacher Catherine McFadden; the approach to yoga emphasized meditation and relaxation; Catherine worked with students across the junior, middle and senior school, and offered the occasional workshop for staff; the response by students was overwhelmingly positive; Catherine also worked with teachers in the junior school to support them in bringing mindfulness exercises into the classroom.• LINCWell staff, student services counsellors and a middle/senior school teacher came together to explore Mindfulness more formally as a possible way to address stress;• A staff mindfulness group was informally started.

Continuing Mindfulness Initiatives

• During the first year, yoga, tai chi and a staff mindfulness group were started;• At the beginning of LINCWell’s second year, Dr. Lee Freedman’s name was given to LINCWell by one of the counsellors in student services, and Lee’s relationship with the school was started;• The staff mindfulness group was formally started; yoga with students and staff continued;• We began by bringing Lee into the school to speak with staff and faculty; we believed that helping teachers understand the brain science behind stress, anxiety and the benefits of mindfulness would make them more open to exploring mindfulness in their own lives and classrooms;• A parent evening was organized; Lee explained how mindfulness can help individuals cope with stress and anxiety;• Lee was brought in to speak with students in grades 7 through 12;• The Director of LINCWell worked with students in the Middle School to understand test anxiety and the brain; mindfulness exercises were practiced as a way of managing stress and supporting success on tests and exams;• Two 4-week parent courses took place beginning in January 2010; one course focused on mindful parenting; the second course was a clinical course for parents of children with diagnosed anxiety; both courses were fully subscribed and feedback was very positive;• As the second year of LINCWell progresses, the school is considering ways to incorporate Mindfulness more formally across the curriculum and to provide more formal support for teachers.

Culture of the school

• A supportive small girls’ school (grade 1 to 12) that has a strong sense of community• A history of high academic standards and high achieving students

Initiatives at SCS

• LINCWell was started in September 2009 as a program designed to promote balance, health, wellness, and provide student enrichment and support to students from grades 1 to 12• Students, staff and parents were not entirely sure how LINCWell would function, and many program areas were explored (e.g., study skills, support for exceptional students, nutrition, etc.)• Over the course of the first year, the need to address stress and anxiety appeared as a priority, and a relationship began with yoga teacher Catherine McFadden; the approach to yoga emphasized meditation and relaxation; Catherine worked with students across the junior, middle and senior school, and offered the occasional workshop for staff; the response by students was overwhelmingly positive; Catherine also worked with teachers in the junior school to support them in bringing mindfulness exercises into the classroom.• LINCWell staff, student services counsellors and a middle/senior school teacher came together to explore Mindfulness more formally as a possible way to address stress;• A staff mindfulness group was informally started.

Continuing Mindfulness Initiatives

• During the first year, yoga, tai chi and a staff mindfulness group were started;• At the beginning of LINCWell’s second year, Dr. Lee Freedman’s name was given to LINCWell by one of the counsellors in student services, and Lee’s relationship with the school was started;• The staff mindfulness group was formally started; yoga with students and staff continued;• We began by bringing Lee into the school to speak with staff and faculty; we believed that helping teachers understand the brain science behind stress, anxiety and the benefits of mindfulness would make them more open to exploring mindfulness in their own lives and classrooms;• A parent evening was organized; Lee explained how mindfulness can help individuals cope with stress and anxiety;• Lee was brought in to speak with students in grades 7 through 12;• The Director of LINCWell worked with students in the Middle School to understand test anxiety and the brain; mindfulness exercises were practiced as a way of managing stress and supporting success on tests and exams;• Two 4-week parent courses took place beginning in January 2010; one course focused on mindful parenting; the second course was a clinical course for parents of children with diagnosed anxiety; both courses were fully subscribed and feedback was very positive;• As the second year of LINCWell progresses, the school is considering ways to incorporate Mindfulness more formally across the curriculum and to provide more formal support for teachers.

Facilitating Factors Impeding factors

Support by school leadership

Expert support to facilitate the practice

Voluntary participation

Use of evidence-based research to create buy-in

Structured time built into school schedule to support teacher practice

Small organizational structure of the school

Lack of time

Lack of understanding of benefits by faculty and staff

Pressures of a busy “doing” school culture

Perceived as non-academic; seen as too alternative

Resistance to changing practice

Semi-structured interview protocols were developed to ensure consistency of data collection across both sites. Interviews were conducted with each school’s Principal, as well as with teachers and staff who were involved in mindfulness practice and those who were not. A total of 12 interviews (six interviews per site) were conducted.

Transcripts for each site were coded using descriptors to help identify common areas and themes. In coding and analysing the data, a process of analytic induction (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) was undertaken wherein thoughts are written down during the coding process in the form of propositions or statements. These statements are backed up with supporting quotes from the transcripts and form the basis for general statements of findings against which the remaining data is read.

Semi-structured interview protocols were developed to ensure consistency of data collection across both sites. Interviews were conducted with each school’s Principal, as well as with teachers and staff who were involved in mindfulness practice and those who were not. A total of 12 interviews (six interviews per site) were conducted.

Transcripts for each site were coded using descriptors to help identify common areas and themes. In coding and analysing the data, a process of analytic induction (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) was undertaken wherein thoughts are written down during the coding process in the form of propositions or statements. These statements are backed up with supporting quotes from the transcripts and form the basis for general statements of findings against which the remaining data is read.

Culture of the school

• School culture: Independent boys’ school (JK-8)with a small, collaborative culture continually seeking ways to improve best practice.

Initiatives at SCS

• Donna Poile (parent) talking to Leslie-Anne Dexter (VP of Academics) about mindfulness practice and the developments happening in schools to foster this soft-skill (2009-2010).• Matthew Ferguson (Educational Researcher) conducted research on Social and Emotional Intelligence (Daniel Goleman - Harvard PhD literature review, David Goldbloom - CAMH Chief Medical Advisor and Co-Chair of The Mental Health Commission of Canada literature review/phone and personal interview, David Wolfe – Director of CAMH Prevention Sciences Center and Child Psychologist personal interview) (April 2010).• Dr. Lee Freedman holds initial meeting on mindfulness, a few Staff practiced meditation, slowly introduced concept and a mindfulness meeting group was formed (May 2010). Eventually this group organized a full Faculty and Staff mindfulness session.• Leslie-Anne attended OMEGA conference with Kelly (teacher), Donna (parent) and Lee (psychiatrist and mindfulness practitioner) in New York, met with Jon Kabat Zinn and Linda Lantieri (August 2010).• Hired a full-time educational researcher to introduce the neuroscience of education to Faculty and Staff, in doing so, hard medical science is being used to bridge the relationship between the soft-skill of mindfulness and optimal brain functioning (September 2010).• Throughout the school the relationship between mindfulness, stewardship, optimal brain functioning, service learning, diversity and integrative thinking are being discussed, spear- headed by Leslie-Anne, with the support of school administrators (September 2010 onward).• A multi-faceted mindfulness program introduced to Faculty and Staff during a meeting which includes: mindfulness sessions, yoga classes, karate (October 18th 2010) .• Hearts and Minds ThinkTank hosted by The Sterling Institute, Donna Poile, Lee Freedmen and Geoffrey Soloway conducted a 3-hour conference for 45 participants from 10 schools and 7 SHS parent; included two 20-minute sessions of mindfulness practice. (November 1st 2010) .•Geoffrey Soloway (OISE) will offer a 6-week extensive course on Mindfulness at SHS for 19 members of Faculty and Staff. Dr. Freedman will also be offering a 6-week mindful parenting course to the parent community at SHS (April 26th – May 31st 2011).• A small discovery group at SHS will collaborate after the Faculty, Staff and Parent mindfulness training courses and determine the vision moving forward in (2011-2012).• Kelly Retter (teacher) completed Guidance Part 2 and undertaking mindful exploration in her Junior Kindergarten class. Her research has connected with the Physical Education Department to explore the effect of meditation before gym class on the ability of young students to pay attention to instruction and actively participate in gym class.•Mindfulness exercises calm our boys’ minds, reduce distractions and focus their energy on the current class being taught. Leslie-Anne Dexter in is currently conducting these exercises in her Grade 6 and 7 Stewardship classes. • Tena Laing, grade 6 teacher has had a student-driven knitting club develop in her class. Since then, 6 boys have taken up the calming exercise (January, 2011).• CBC News (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) came to Sterling Hall to interview the Grade 6 students about Mindfulness in their Stewardship class with Leslie Anne Dexter. Melanie Clanz, Kelly Crowe and David McIntosh spent 2 hours with a Grade 6 class, filming a Stewardship class demonstrating and learning about Mindfulness. This will be turned into a segment on the National News the week of March 7, 2011.• Linda Lantieri, an internationally known expert in social and emotional learning, will be the keynote speaker at the second Hearts and Minds Conference of the academic year (May 2nd 2011).

Culture of the school

• School culture: Independent boys’ school (JK-8)with a small, collaborative culture continually seeking ways to improve best practice.

Initiatives at SCS

• Donna Poile (parent) talking to Leslie-Anne Dexter (VP of Academics) about mindfulness practice and the developments happening in schools to foster this soft-skill (2009-2010).• Matthew Ferguson (Educational Researcher) conducted research on Social and Emotional Intelligence (Daniel Goleman - Harvard PhD literature review, David Goldbloom - CAMH Chief Medical Advisor and Co-Chair of The Mental Health Commission of Canada literature review/phone and personal interview, David Wolfe – Director of CAMH Prevention Sciences Center and Child Psychologist personal interview) (April 2010).• Dr. Lee Freedman holds initial meeting on mindfulness, a few Staff practiced meditation, slowly introduced concept and a mindfulness meeting group was formed (May 2010). Eventually this group organized a full Faculty and Staff mindfulness session.• Leslie-Anne attended OMEGA conference with Kelly (teacher), Donna (parent) and Lee (psychiatrist and mindfulness practitioner) in New York, met with Jon Kabat Zinn and Linda Lantieri (August 2010).• Hired a full-time educational researcher to introduce the neuroscience of education to Faculty and Staff, in doing so, hard medical science is being used to bridge the relationship between the soft-skill of mindfulness and optimal brain functioning (September 2010).• Throughout the school the relationship between mindfulness, stewardship, optimal brain functioning, service learning, diversity and integrative thinking are being discussed, spear- headed by Leslie-Anne, with the support of school administrators (September 2010 onward).• A multi-faceted mindfulness program introduced to Faculty and Staff during a meeting which includes: mindfulness sessions, yoga classes, karate (October 18th 2010) .• Hearts and Minds ThinkTank hosted by The Sterling Institute, Donna Poile, Lee Freedmen and Geoffrey Soloway conducted a 3-hour conference for 45 participants from 10 schools and 7 SHS parent; included two 20-minute sessions of mindfulness practice. (November 1st 2010) .•Geoffrey Soloway (OISE) will offer a 6-week extensive course on Mindfulness at SHS for 19 members of Faculty and Staff. Dr. Freedman will also be offering a 6-week mindful parenting course to the parent community at SHS (April 26th – May 31st 2011).• A small discovery group at SHS will collaborate after the Faculty, Staff and Parent mindfulness training courses and determine the vision moving forward in (2011-2012).• Kelly Retter (teacher) completed Guidance Part 2 and undertaking mindful exploration in her Junior Kindergarten class. Her research has connected with the Physical Education Department to explore the effect of meditation before gym class on the ability of young students to pay attention to instruction and actively participate in gym class.•Mindfulness exercises calm our boys’ minds, reduce distractions and focus their energy on the current class being taught. Leslie-Anne Dexter in is currently conducting these exercises in her Grade 6 and 7 Stewardship classes. • Tena Laing, grade 6 teacher has had a student-driven knitting club develop in her class. Since then, 6 boys have taken up the calming exercise (January, 2011).• CBC News (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) came to Sterling Hall to interview the Grade 6 students about Mindfulness in their Stewardship class with Leslie Anne Dexter. Melanie Clanz, Kelly Crowe and David McIntosh spent 2 hours with a Grade 6 class, filming a Stewardship class demonstrating and learning about Mindfulness. This will be turned into a segment on the National News the week of March 7, 2011.• Linda Lantieri, an internationally known expert in social and emotional learning, will be the keynote speaker at the second Hearts and Minds Conference of the academic year (May 2nd 2011).

With thanks to Lee Freedman, Donna Poile and Denise Panedur for their contribution and expertise.With thanks to Lee Freedman, Donna Poile and Denise Panedur for their contribution and expertise.

Findings