Mindfulness offers students and educators a way to increase creativity and resilience and reduce stress. It can enhance concentration and emotional regulation and promote positive emotions. With regular practice, this inner exploration can have dramatic results. Mindfulness is being embraced more widely as a crucial adjunct to traditional learning.

1. Erin Sharaf, MA, PA-C
www.erinsharaf.com
MINDFULNESS:
THE POWER OF
PAUSING

3. A particular way of paying
attention…
• On purpose
• In the present moment
• Without judgment
Noticing experience without
reacting
What is Mindfulness?

4. Welcome to the MINDFUL REVOLUTION

6. What Can Mindfulness Enhance?
•Emotional resilience
•Attention
•Academic performance
•Positive mood
•Compassion and
empathy
•Physical and mental
health
•Optimism and kindness

7. What Can Mindfulness Decrease?
•Stress
•Burnout
•Negative emotions
•ADHD
•Impulsivity
•Anxiety
•Depression

8. Without Mindfulness:
Stimulus Reaction
• Automatic, habitual patterns
• This often leads unconsciously to suffering

9. WITH MINDFULNESS:
STIMULUS MINDFULNESS RESPONSE
• THERE IS SPACE FOR CONSCIOUS CHOOSING
• MORE SKILLFUL RESPONSES
• LESS SUFFERING

10. HOW DO WE PRACTICE?
MANY WAYS, INCLUDING:
Mindful
• Eating
• Walking
• Moving
• Listening
• Breathing
Noticing the relationship between
• Thoughts
• Physical Sensations
• Emotions

11. RANDOMIZED-CONTROLLED DATA FROM MINDFUL SCHOOLS/UC DAVIS
(Guzman-Alvarez, Westover, Keller, & Fuller, 2012)
DEMONSTRATED IMPROVEMENT:

12. MOVIES ABOUT MINDFULNESS IN
EDUCATION:
HEALTHY HABITS OF MIND
ROOM TO BREATHE
MIND UP
Short videos from Goldie Hawn’s organization

13. "If we taught all 8-year-olds to meditate,
we would eliminate all violence from the
world within one generation."
-- His Holiness, the Dalai Lama

14. RESOURCES:
In the Classroom, a New Focus on Quieting the Mind
• http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/16/us/16mindful.html?_r=0
The Mindful Child: How to Help Your Kid Manage Stress and Become
Happier, Kinder, and More Compassionate
• http://www.amazon.com/The-Mindful-Child-Happier-
Compassionate/dp/1416583009
Building Emotional Intelligence: Techniques to Cultivate Inner Strength in
Children
• http://www.amazon.com/Building-Emotional-Intelligence-Techniques-
Cultivate/dp/1591797896
Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents)
• http://www.amazon.com/Sitting-Still-Like-Frog-
Mindfulness/dp/1611800587/ref=sr_1_10s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=140614703
8&sr=1-10&keywords=mindfulness

15. References:
Beauchemin, J. Hutchins, T.L, Patterson, F. (2008). Mindfulness Meditation
May Lessen Anxiety, Promote Social Skills, and Improve Academic
Performance Among Adolescents With Learning Disabilities. Journal of
Evidence-Based Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, 13(1),
34-35.
Burke, C. (2010). Mindfulness Based Approaches with Children and
Adolescents: A Preliminary Review of Current Research in an Emergent
Field. Journal of Child Family Studies, 19:2, 133-144.
Carson, J.W, Carson, K.M, Gil, K.M, Baucom, D.H. (2004). Mindfulness-Based
Relationship Enhancement. Behavior Therapy, 35, 471-494.
Flook, L. et al. (2010). Effects of Mindful Awareness Practices on Executive
Functions in Elementary School Children. Journal of Applied School
Psychology, 26:1, 70-95
Flook L, Goldberg SB, Pinger L, Bonus K, Davidson RJ. (2013).
Mindfulness for Teachers: A pilot study to assess effects on stress,
burnout and teaching efficacy. Mind, Brain and Education. 7(3).
doi: 10.1111/mbe.12026.
Jennings, P. A. et al. (2011). Improving Classroom Learning Environments by
Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE): Results of Two
Pilot Studies. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 46:1, 37-48

16. Jennings, P. A. (2012). Building an Evidence Base for Mindfulness in Educational
Settings. http://www.mindful.org/mindful-voices/on-education/
building-an-evidence-base-for-mindfulness-in-educational-settings
Peters, J.R, Erisman, S.M, Upton, B.T, Baer, R.A, Roemer, L. (2011). A Preliminary
Investigation of the Relationships Between Dispositional Mindfulness and
Impulsivity. Mindfulness, 2:228-235. doi10.1007/s12671-011-0065-2.
Smith, A. Guzman-Alvarez, A., Westover, T., Keller, S., & Fuller, S. (2012). Mindful
Schools Program Evaluation. University of California at Davis: Center for
Education and Evaluation Services
Van de Weijer-Bergsma E, Formsma AR, de Bruin EI, Bögels SM. (2012). The
Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training on Behavioral Problems and
Attentional Functioning in Adolescents with ADHD. Journal of Child and
Family Studies, 21(5):775-787.
Weng, H.Y. et al. (2013). Compassion Training Alters Altruism and Neural
Responses to Suffering. Psychological Science, 24(7) 1171-1180.