Mindfulness for Teachers: Simple Skills for Peace and Productivity in the Classroom

by Tish Jennings

Mindfulness for Teachers is based upon the author's extensive experience as a mindfulness practitioner, teacher, teacher educator and scientist. Drawing upon basic and applied research in the fields of neuroscience, psychology and education, the book offers valuable information about how mindfulness can help teachers manage the stressful demands of the classroom, cultivate an exceptional learning environment, and revitalize teaching and learning.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Professional Development, Adult, Parenting, Self Help

288 pages, Paperback

First published February 16, 2015

About the author

Patricia (Tish) Jennings M.Ed., Ph.D. is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of social and emotional learning and mindfulness in education and Professor of Education at the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia. Her research places a specific emphasis on teacher stress and how it impacts the social and emotional context of the classroom, as articulated in her highly cited theoretical article "The Prosocial Classroom." Jennings led the team that developed CARE, a mindfulness-based professional development program shown to significantly improve teacher well-being, classroom interactions and student engagement in the largest randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness-based intervention designed to address teacher stress. She is currently Principal Investigator of Project CATALYZE, a study that will examine whether CARE enhances the effectiveness of a social and emotional learning curriculum. She is a co-author of Flourish: The Compassionate Schools Project curriculum, an integrated social and emotional learning, health and physical education program. She is the author numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters and several books including Mindfulness in the Pre-K-5 Classroom: Helping Students Stress Less and Learn More, part of Social and Emotional Learning Solutions, a book series by WW Norton of which she is editor.

Reviews

[Chelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read! Not only for teachers, but also for parents.
I often would replace the word "teacher" with "parent."
Ex. "teacher burnout" becomes "parent burnout." I think the skills taught here are just as applicable at home as they are in the classroom.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mindfulness For Teachers is quite literally a book on mindfulness written by a former teacher, and current associate professor of education at the University of Virginia. In his foreword Siegel defines mindfulness as being aware of what is happening within us and around us with a clear focus on the current moment, which enables us to be fully present for life. In short, at the same time we are living our experience, we are stepping outside of ourselves and observing it. This concept applies to all of us, no matter what our vocation. In my opinion, this book is a must read for all people, of all backgrounds and cultures. There is no better way to be the best person that you can be than to live your life in a mindful manner.

Note: This book is part of a new Norton education series that builds on the interdisciplinary approach of interpersonal neurobiology.

This book reflects Jenning’s personal experience in a classroom, and as a researcher. We have all been in classroom situations, albeit most of us as the student, and not the teacher. But we can put ourselves in the teacher’s place, and understand the situations being presented. And we can take that wisdom into our own professional fields, to make ourselves better people.

In her preface, Jennings notes that this book is a direct reflection of her forty year journey as a mindfulness practitioner, an educator, and a scientist. One of the first things that she learned was that mindful awareness has the power to heal.

In her introduction, Jennings talks about the challenging situations that teachers are facing, including the fact that teachers are not really prepared for the social and emotional demands of the classroom. Students are coming to school less prepared, yet at the same time new levels of accountability demand that academic improvement be demonstrated. She notes that the aim of “Mindfulness For Teachers” is to help teachers cultivate the skills that they need to promote a calm, relaxed but enlivened learning environment.

In this book, Jennings covers an overview of what mindfulness is, understanding the emotional nature of teaching, understanding negative emotions, understanding the power of positive emotions, self-care in teaching, dealing with classroom dynamics, and transforming our schools through mindfulness. As you can see, a great deal of this information can be applied to any vocation.

Bottom line – mindfulness is present moment, non-judgmental awareness. Sounds easy, but it is a concept that needs to be worked at to work. Jennings gives us specific examples, and solutions to those examples. Each chapter talks about behaviors that need to be developed. And how we can use our senses to our advantage. Skill sets are presented, as well as information on how to develop them. Each chapter is a stand-alone, yet it builds on the chapters before it.

At the end of the book is an extensive set of resources, including a listing of books on mindfulness, education, parenting, emotions, and children’s books; mindfulness-based programs; and an extensive reference section.

“Mindfulness For Teachers” is written in a manner that is in depth, yet easy to understand and apply. While directed at teachers, it applies to all of us. It is a book that one can use as a reference whenever experiencing difficulty. If you want to grow, if you want to make a difference, become a mindful person!

[Mark Schlatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note that the title here is completely accurate: this is mindfulness for teachers, not a mindfulness curriculum for students. Jenning’s main emphasis is getting teachers to practice mindfulness in the classroom as a positive role model for students, and she provides a ton of resources as well as exercises at the end of each chapter to help teachers along.

What I liked most about the book was that Jennings did not sugarcoat the stresses teachers go through. She specifically and repeatedly mentioned the stress of high stakes testing, and I liked her point that the classroom is not a space where anyone (student or teacher) can easily leave and take a break. So, even when the book got a bit too new agey for me (with a “wheel of awareness”), Jennings still had enough credibility for me to take her seriously.

There is good coverage of how emotions arise in the classroom, a detailed description of the effects of both positive and negative emotions, and a whole chapter on developing compassion (based on metta mediation). The last chapter attempt to outline the current state of mindfulness research (so you can convince your administrator all this is worth it), and the end material is full of links to mindfulness curriculum, books, and research. A very good compendium and introduction to mindfulness in the classroom.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a breath of fresh air. I like how behaviour management is tackled in a different way, as I often feel that a teacher or parent's own emotions and reactions can derail these management techniques. As a parent and teacher myself, I have fallen foul of letting my emotions and reactions over rule what I do and how I react to children and parents, and students in my adult classrooms too. There is nothing else like this out on the market and I really feel that it is a brilliant addition to any parents' or teachers' shelf.

[Connie Collins Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Simple and easy to read. Good examples and strategies to help you deal with difficult situations. Information that will make you a better educator, colleague, and worker. And save your sanity in the process :)

[Jady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mindfulness for Teachers was excellent read! The book had wonderful, realistic ideas for the classroom. It was very comprehensive, and had strong real life examples.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well researched with wonderful resources for anyone in education. The flow is great and the writing is accessible.

[Alfonso · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for teachers and I can't recommend it enough. I discovered it (and the author) through a course I took on Social and Emotional Learning; the first two chapters from were featured in it. I couldn't resist it and ordered the book on Amazon to continue reading it. It surpassed my expectations: it is a well-documented piece –filled with practical exercises and tips for teachers–, which will teach teachers about the theory and science of mindfulness in order to apply it effectively and in different ways in their classrooms.

I have to remark that Patricia A. Jennings writes so well that this book never becomes tiresome or reference-ridden; it doesn't feel like a scholar piece, even though it is backed up by a lifetime of research and expertise in the matter. It is also very well-organized, taking the reader from the theory and science of mindfulness, to understanding teaching and the importance of emotions and emotional intelligence, to finally landing on practical advice, tips, and useful programs that one can look up for.

I just wish that this book was available in Spanish, to be able to share it with my colleagues. But, to be honest, if you are interested in it and your understanding of English is enough to read this review, you are definitely qualified to read the book, since everything is so well-put and simply laid out. If you are a teacher, if you are interested in education and pedagogy, even if you are interested just interested in mindfulness and its applications, this book will be a great read for you.

[Anita dlPdV · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had many practical suggestions I would use in my classroom, both to tame my angry reactions to challenging students, and also to teach my students mindfulness! There were many moments when I paused my reading to take notes or reflect on how I could use Jennings’ strategies with my own students. I did find it irritating that a quarter of the book seemed continuously to try to sell mindfulness to the reader. A few chapters in, I found myself wondering why she was still telling me all the ways mindfulness would change my life if I practiced it, when I had clearly already bought into that idea to get this far in the book! All the same, I believe that reflecting upon this book is changing my teaching for the better, and I’d recommend it for anyone who feels themselves growing frustrated or overwhelmed with a challenging group of students!

[Jennifer]

I read this for a mindfulness class for my doctorate and found it useful for working on my own mindful practices. It includes many practical tips and some mindfulness exercises for teachers and students. Honestly, I wish I had had a mindfulness class and this book during my undergrad so I could have implemented many of these practices for myself and try them with my high school students. I think it would have improved my teaching much more quickly and helped me make less mistakes than I did--especially in those first few years of teaching. It definitely would have helped me with my stress and working through some of my anger issues.

[Sonia Hipple · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems as though the intent of this book was to provide helpful tips and resources for incorporating scientifically researched mindfulness practices into the classroom. I felt that the author met my expectations with an assortment of classroom scenarios where mindfulness could be applied. I appreciated that the information presented was backed up with resources I can look up to further my knowledge if I so desire.

[Maestra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dare to say- if all teachers (and parents) incorporated and modeled practices of mindfulness and meditation for students and children, the world would be a peaceful place filled with people who know how to regulate their emotions, and how to be kind and compassionate toward others.
This book should be taken very seriously by both educators and parents. It also should be a requirement in all teacher prep programs.

[Toan Ho Huu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Môi trường lớp học có thể gây ra các vấn đề nghiêm trọng về sức khỏe liên quan đến stress. Nghĩa là, cả giáo viên lẫn học sinh đều là “tù nhân” – họ không thể bỏ ra ngoài trong suốt giờ học mà không phải chịu những hậu quả tiêu cực. Hơn nữa, cơ chế xã hội và cảm xúc của một căn phòng đầy trẻ nhỏ hay trẻ vị thành niên có thể gây tâm lý căng thẳng, thậm chí rối ren.

[Susan Arenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a 2.5. I made it a goal to introduce mindfulness in my classes and thought this would be a good guide. It is in some ways, but it's a little preachy. Mindfulness isn't the solution to everything. There's a sort of tsk tsk quality she employs against newer teachers. I'm always suspicious of books that seem like they've got the answer to everything.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource to add tools to my elementary classroom practices. The importance of mindfulness, self care and understanding are crucial to teaching and being a positive and compassionate role model.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a lot of positive takeaways in this book and I’ve found myself beginning to notice some of both the positive and negative ways I am or am not mindful in my practice. I almost wish she had skipped the classroom implementation piece because it felt rushed.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for teachers looking to reduce stress in their classrooms and personal lives. Having been out of the schools for a few years, I still found several gems to apply in my own life. It's well-researched and gives practical ideas for using the awareness strategies presented.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for anyone--personally or professionally. If you want to bring calm and positivism to your life or classroom, it has practical ways to do that! Have tried many of the techniques and they work!!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good. The end read a lot like a research paper, when it could have simply been a list of resources with a short explanation of each. Overall, it was a good read and I intend to use it as I continue teaching.

[Esme Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ideas, resources, and examples of ways to use mindfulness in the classroom :-) I am a mindfulness junkie, and loved, highlighted, and took notes all throughout this book. 4 star rating Only because I struggle with non-fiction. I can only read it in small little chunks :-)

[Sammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Very practical for all classroom settings. I am grateful for all of the resources Jennings provides at the end of the book.

[KCapLiteracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want all of my preservice teachers to read this book!

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource. We need more of this kind of approach in our schools.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for a class, "Mindfulness in Today's Classroom"

[Korbie Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a straightforward, reasonable guide to feeling more peace in the classroom! Simple enough to be understandable while also providing useful information.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a helpful read during my slog of a school year. I would have liked to have had more information on interfacing with difficult principal/administration.

[Sara Snider · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book serves as a fantastic guide for bringing the power of mindfulness into the profession of teaching. Patricia A. Jennings provides research- and evidence-based approaches to managing emotions and classroom climate. After reading this, I will be seeking further mindfulness training as an individual, and as a classroom teacher.

[Margery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought this book Exceptional in providing research backed best practices for new and experienced teachers. The tone is supportive for educators who want to make a difference in the lives of their students. The author reminds us that some of the simple kindnesses we bring to our classrooms can make a big difference.

[Megan Diiorio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, but I was hoping for more actual classroom practice and less science/ research. I don't need to be sold on the idea, rather, I was looking for more concrete strategies to put into practice.

[Nikki Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

My yoga practice has taught me the same things here. And did so in a way that wasn't blatant and obvious. Maybe if I was a first year elementary teacher, I would find more use for the practices in this book.