Program Background


​What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness goes beyond meditation and finding a quiet space to ground and centre one's state of mind. Mindfulness is a state of awareness in being present in the moment to acknowledge and becoming aware of oneself. It’s the practice that has been described as non-judgmental awareness of both internal and external experience, moment to moment, “...an open, undivided observation of what is occurring both internally and externally rather than a particular cognitive approach to external stimuli”. (Brown & Ryan, 2000, p823).
​
One of the psychological strengths of mindfulness is the capacity to maintain an emotional balance within any particular life moment, whatever that happens to be (Fisher & Solloway 2007, 58).
Social Program:

​Mindfulness in Secondary School - An Action Research Project with The Centre for Inspiring Minds.
Process of Project Selection:

The Action Research Project was selected by the administration team, at an international school, on an area of need in the school. A team of 3 teachers, through formative research, identified an area of investigation and developed a program for students, staff and parents on mindfulness. The investigation was based on observations  and formative conclusions were presented on the high levels of stress in both staff and students, and the school's strategic plan.  

What the Project Hopes to Achieve:
​
It is the hope of this project to collaboratively investigate the various aspects of mindfulness through this action research project, referred to as the project, to enhance student learning and to bring awareness of its benefits to the school community. The 'ultimate goal', for the future, is to increase an awareness of well-being in the school community.

Program Information & Focus


The vision of this project is to enhance student learning  and raise awareness with mindfulness through the following outcomes within the school community:
​
  • ​Develop a collaborative understanding of what mindfulness is,
  • Create greater awareness on the benefits of mindful practices,
  • Communicate and publish the impact of mindfulness through the development of a handbook format
  • Develop a collaborative action plan on how mindfulness could be further promoted through recommendations at the end of the research.
​
Demographics and Size:
The project was conducted with an international community of secondary school students of approximately 450 from Grade 6 to 12, staff of 45 and parents.
​
This project was conducted with Grade 10, 11 and 12 students of approximately 150 students.

All four objections were achieved by creating three categories, which would support key stakeholders in the community: the Students, Staff and Parents. In order to create a positive movement forward, we wanted to focus on the ‘Mind’ in mindfulness and created:
  • Mind @ School
  • Mind @ Work and
  • Mind @ Home


​


​
​Guiding Questions for the Project:
​
​If teachers engage students in regular mindfulness practices, in what ways, if any, will the mindfulness practices lead to changes in students’ social and emotional learning?

How will providing teachers time, space and opportunities to develop their own mindfulness practice affect the development of a community of practice at school?

What resources will be needed to further develop the benefits for staff, students and parents?

Click below and leave your feedback in the interactive board...

THE TEAM & Resources

project Implementation Team

The implementation team, in secondary school, consisted of 3 teachers.
  • All three teachers received MBSR (Mindfulness Base Stress Reduction) training, which is an 8 week program
  • 2 teacher had .b Training from the Mindfulness in Schools Project (https://mindfulnessinschools.org​)
  • 1 Teacher had training in Mindfulness in Teacher Training
  • 1 Teacher had training from the MindWell Foundation

External Collaborators

​The implementation team also consulted with external collaborators through workshops and dialogue from:

​Other Resources

Other resources were used such as the expertise from:
  • Teachers in the school who also had experience in the area of mindfulness
  • Research material and 
  • Multimedia resources
Click below and leave your feedback in the interactive board...

Purpose of Evaluation (Work in progress)
The purpose of this evaluation is to:
  • Assess how the project could be improved by looking at descriptive vs. prescriptive theory (What is...vs. What should be...) (Donaldson & Lipsey, 59)
  • Understand and share best practices through the evaluation design process
  • Take a closer look at the assumptions and interventions that were set out to bring about change and
  • Assess whether the project adhered to the standards of practice in the field of evaluation.
​Questions to consider during this evaluation...
  • ​How can certain models be used in the  evaluation process to  develop a deeper understanding in how effective this program was implemented?
  • Could the the initial stages of program implementations reform the approach of taking the program further?
  • Through this evaluation can factors of whether enough communication was made with all stakeholders in implementation to have an effective  project?
Click below and leave your feedback in the interactive board...