Eileen Hernon
Mindfulness and Reflection
"By three methods may we gain wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest." ~Confucius
To me, mindfulness means cultivating a conscious, non-judgmental awareness of my present experience. It means acknowledging my thoughts and feelings before automatically acting on them. Having a mindful approach to teaching has increased my patience and self-control, resulting in a gentler, more peaceful classroom.
I begin each day by taking at least 3 deep, mindful breaths with my students during morning meeting. It calms our bodies and centers our minds.
I incorporate frequent pauses throughout the day. Taking a pause before a transition, before calling on students, or before reacting to a student's behavior allows me to make decisions more purposefully.
I liberate myself and my classroom from judgment. Judgment leads to guilt and shame, neither of which are conducive to a positive learning environment. I identify my feelings, listen to my students, and observe my classroom without passing judgment.
I begin each day by taking at least 3 deep, mindful breaths with my students during morning meeting. It calms our bodies and centers our minds.
How do I incorporate mindfulness into my teaching practice?
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I believe reflection is a powerful way to improve my teaching practice, because it forces me to intentionally think back on a lesson/day/unit/assessment and identify my strengths and weaknesses. Although reflection is intentionally not focused on the present moment, I think it goes hand in hand with mindfulness, as it helps cultivate my self-awareness. I do not view reflection as a time to judge myself, but rather as a way to acknowledge what I did well and what I could've done better. From there, I make a plan to improve for next time. Daily journaling is my favorite reflective practice.
"Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience." ~Jon Kabat-Zinn
