Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Mindfulness at Phuket International Academy Day School: A Case Study Krysten Fort-Catanese Director of SEL and Mindfulness March 22, 2013
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Overview ² What Has Come Out of the Convergence of Neuroscience and Eastern Contemplative Traditions? ² What are the Benefits? ² Case Study: PIADS "Teaching Presence
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Overview ² What Has Come Out of the Convergence of Neuroscience and Eastern Contemplative Traditions? ² What are the Benefits? ² Case Study: PIADS "Teaching Presence
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Convergence of Modern Neuroscience and Eastern Contemplative Traditions “The faculty of voluntarily bringing back a wandering attention, over and over again, is the very root of judgment, character, and will. No one is compos sui [master of himself] if he have it not‌
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Convergence of Modern Neuroscience and Eastern Contemplative Traditions “…An education which should improve this faculty [of attention] would be the education par excellence. But it is easier to define this ideal than to give practical directions for bringing it about.” - William James
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Trainability Focused Mind, Open Heart
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Recent Findings in Neuroscience u Intellect (rationality) and emotions are interdependent. Emotions shape our thinking & colour everything we do u Mirror Neurons Impact of our social environment - modeling and atmosphere, being shaped and shaping others u Neuro-plasticity Trainability, functional as well as structural changes in the brain
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Recent Findings in Neuroscience Plasticity of the brain reassures us that, with training: u Negative and destructive mental states can be diminished u Positive mental states can be reinforced The mind can be reshaped for the better u Evidence-based research, most significantly in Mindfulness Meditation
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Mindfulness is… Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally. Jon Kabat-Zinn 1990
Mindfulness in everyday life is the ultimate
challenge and practice. Jon Kabat-Zinn 2011
Mindfulness means not only being aware of the present, but also reflecting and living ethically. Mark Greenberg 2012
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Overview ² What is Coming Out of the Convergence of Neuroscience and Eastern Contemplative Traditions? What are the Benefits? ² Case Study: PIADS "Teaching Presence
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Benefits of Mindfulness For Teachers "+ Supports stress management and stress reduction "+ Puts space between stimulus, emotions, and actions /reactions in order to make better decisions "+ Increases positive emotions (compassion, caring) "+ Enhances classroom climate and community (“growth mindset,� optimistic atmosphere) "+ Increases job satisfaction and wellbeing
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“Like other demanding professions, teachers deserve and need methods of maintaining good executive function in the context of their elevated workrelated stress. Preliminary findings between 2005 and 2009 showed correlations between mindfulness training and increased thickness of cortical structures (i.e., grey matter) associated with attention, working memory, processing sensory input, EF, selfreflection, empathy, and affective regulation.” (Hölzel et al. 2008; Lazar et al. 2005; Luders et al. 2009).
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Benefits of Mindfulness For Students "+ Promotes academic performance "+ More focused attention "+ Reduces anxiety "+ Self awareness - impulse control - bodily regulation "+ Enhances social and emotional learning "+ Fosters healthy relationships "+ Increases positive emotions (compassion, caring) and wellbeing Focused Mind, Open Heart
Benefits of Mindfulness Research on the benefits include: Schonert-Reichl and Hymel (2007) Teachers documented improvements in 9 to 13 year-olds’ behaviour, attention and focus. Saltzman and Goldin (2008) attention, emotional reactivity and some areas of meta-cognition, based on self and parent report measures, and objective measures of attention. Flook et al (2010) improvements in ‘executive function’. Those with lower pre-course self-regulation were observed to experience greatest improvements in behavioural regulation, meta-cognition and executive function And more to come … Focused Mind, Open Heart
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Overview ² What is Coming Out of the Convergence of Neuroscience and Eastern Contemplative Traditions? ² What are the Benefits? Case Study: PIADS "Teaching Presence
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Mindfulness at PIADS School Mission “The Phuket International Academy Day School (PIADS) is aspiring to be a 3-Programme International Baccalaureate World School and will draw on the uniqueness of Asian culture and the best from Western educational traditions, developing inquiring, knowledgeable, compassionate young people who know how to live with integrity, cultivate genuine happiness and strive to create a more peaceful and sustainable world.�
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Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Mindfulness at PIADS School Mission
‌ cultivate genuine happiness ‌ A sense of inner fulfillment based on what we bring to the world rather than what we get from it.
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“Living the Learner Profile”
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Living the Learner Profile: Inquirers They develop their natural curiosity and the skills to inquire into themselves. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Living the Learner Profile: Caring Through trained attention they are able to look within themselves to exhibit deeper awareness, sincerity and respect. They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.
Focused Mind, Open Heart
PIADS Approach = Mindfulness
+
SEL
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Self-awareness Intrapersonal Self-management Social awareness Relationship skills Interpersonal Responsible decision-making
Community Building
Focused Mind, Open Heart
PIADS Approach = ² Cognitive Neuroscience ² Social and Emotional Skill Development • Emotional Literacy and Resilience ² Mindful Awareness Activities – sensory based ² Research on Growth Mindset (Carol Dweck) ² Research on Positive Emotions (Barbara Fredrickson) Focused Mind, Open Heart
Mindfulness at PIADS u ABCs: Attention, Balance, Compassion u Sustained voluntary attention, like a muscle that one can train
u Opposite of: Forgetfulness A scattered, distracted mind Being on “Automatic Pilot”
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Mindfulness at PIADS for Students u Secular and Developmentally Appropriate u “Time In” – structured part of the morning and transitions u “Seasoning the Day” u Basic brain science u Sensory based u Council u Mindful Library Focused Mind, Open Heart
Mindfulness at PIADS for Teachers u Ongoing Professional Development and Classroom Support u Teachers as Co-learners with their students u Daily morning Mindfulness Practice u Weekly yoga classes u Mind Centre Events
“Live it, don’t laminate it” Focused Mind, Open Heart
Some Shared Practices at PIADS ing Attention with Kindness Pay
To myself
To other people s
nner K i d
I
To the world around me
Poster from Susan Kaiser-Greenland Inner Kids Programme
Poster from MindUP Curriculum Hawn Foundation Scholastic
“Council� Click below for Prezi http://prezi.com/sgnvwsm3tedu/councilworkshop-july-2011/
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Dr. Dan Siegel Hawn Foundation Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dFrOTgAIzY
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Conflict Resolution at PIADS • • • •
Peace Ladder Peace Corner Glitter Balls/Mind Jars Counting to 10, focusing on the breath
Focused Mind, Open Heart
“Time-In” at PIADS v Movement v Stillness v Reflection
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Teachers and Parents as Role Models “The best way to inspire children, is to be those qualities…”
- Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Overview ² What is Coming Out of the Convergence of Neuroscience and Eastern Contemplative Traditions? ² What are the Benefits? ² Case Study: PIADS Teaching Presence
Focused Mind, Open Heart
“I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous … I can humiliate or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or deescalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.” " "- Haim Ginott
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Teaching Presence A Teaching Presence Not the what but the how • Embodiment • Attending • Authenticity ing Attention with Kindness Pay
To myself
To other people s
nner K i d
I
To the world around me
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Mindful Eating – Beginner’s Mind u What is it like to be fully present? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Look at the wrapped chocolate Feel the wrapped chocolate Listen to the wrapped chocolate Smell the wrapped chocolate Unwrap it, pause before putting it in your mouth … and finally … 6. Eat the chocolate very slowly Focused Mind, Open Heart
"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.� " " "" -Victor Frankl
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Some Featured Resources:
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Phuket International Academy Day School (PIADS) Future Events Mindfulness in Education Workshop 19-20 October 2013 Mindfulness in Schools Project .b Teacher Training 21-24 October 2013 " "" " Focused Mind, Open Heart
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Thanyapura Facilities
Focused Mind, Open Heart
Thanyapura Facilities
Focused Mind, Open Heart
The Story of Two Wolves An old grandfather is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside of me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is destructive - it is anger, jealousy, greed, judgment, and ego." He continued, "The other is constructive - it is joy, love, humility, discernment, kindness, and compassion. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too.� The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?" The grandfather simply replied, " The one you feed."
Focused Mind, Open Heart
For the moment, what we attend to is reality. - William James "
Thank you for your kind attention! "
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Focused Mind, Open Heart
For more Information and Resources: Krysten Fort-Catanese Krysten.fort-catanese@pia.ac.th • Director of SEL and Mindfulness at PIADS • Mindfulness in Schools Project .b Teacher Training in Asia • MindWell Foundation Workshops for Teachers Focused Mind, Open Heart