mindfulness stress reduction for student teachers linda bradley, curtis mason, molly sartorius...

Mindfulness Stress

ReductionFor Student Teachers

Linda Bradley, Curtis Mason, Molly Sartorius

Columbia College

Stress and Student Teaching

• Student Teaching is the clinical capstone of certification and comes with stress-

• Classroom Management,

• Lesson Planning,

• Dealing with Student Needs, Parent Demands,

• Collaborating with Professionals

• Evaluating Students, Grading Papers, Answering Emails

• Attending Student Teaching Seminar

• Hard to find time to work….No Money

• MoPTA

• MoPTA

• Job Applications, Interviews, Resume, Letter Writing

• Dispositions- Attendance, Preparation, Participation, Professional Dress and Behavior, Attitude, Flexibility, Positive Communication, Accepting, Caring, etc.

How this study will impact future student teaching seminar topics and

work

• Reflective Practitioner

• CAPE Tripod Survey and the Seven C’s of Effective Instruction: Care, Challenge, Captivate, Control, Confer, Clarify, Consolidate (see handout)

• Retrospective Video Reflection

• Teacher Observation, Seven C’s and MoSPE Standards, Seven C’s instruction throughout program, Stress Reduction instruction throughout program, Stress Reduction and the Classroom, MoPTA Pilots throughout program…..

Why Mindfulness

oAllows us to stop constant Rehearsing or Rehashing

oPositive emotions are linked to a healthier life

oAnxiety, depression and irritability all decrease with regular session of meditation.

o Improves memory and reduces stress

Williams & Penman

What is Mindfulness

“Mindfulness is awareness, cultivated by paying attention in a sustained and particular way: on purpose, in the present, and non-judgmentally.”

Jon Kabat-Zinn

More about Mindfulness

oMeditation is not complicated.

oNor is it about success or failure.

oIt will not deaden your mind.

Williams & Penman

More about Mindfulness

oMeditation is not religion

oYou don’t have to sit cross legged on the floor

oMindfulness does not take a lot of time, although some patience and persistence are required

Williams & Penman

Mindfulness

Elements of Mindfulness

Mind Body Connection

• The Bodies Response to Stress

• Breathing Techniques

• Body Scan Meditation

• Mind Body Bridging Exercise

Stress & the

Mind/Body

Connection

Fight vs. Flight (don’t forget Fright)

• Fight, flight, Fright: Prepares the body to fight or run from danger. Some people actually don’t run or fight but instead freeze up.

• Negative thoughts can bring on a sense/feeling of danger

• While we may not be able to stop ourselves from having a negative thought, we can stop the bodies response to it and the downward spiral of more negative thoughts.

Anxiety

Relationship between Anxiety and Performance. . .

Anxiety

Extreme

Excellence

Performance

None

Poor

Turning off Autopilot

• Autopilot

•Doing vs Being Mode

•Habit Releasers

Here & Now Focus

The First Step: Waking up from Automatic pilot

Examples of Autopilot:

• Driving home out of habit when your intent was to meet a friend.

• You park your car in a different lot, and find yourself looking for it in the same lot where you always park.

• Sitting down to send an email message only to get caught up in checking new mail. You turn your

computer off and an hour later realize you did not send the email you intended to send.

Doing vs. Being Mode

The first step

Learning to pay attention in the moment to whatever you are experiencing.

Example: Brushing Teeth

• Where does your mind wander when you brush your teeth? Notice the sensations in your mouth, the brush on your teeth and gums, the flavor of the paste, the moisture. . . Etc.

The following week continue the experiment with a different activity.

Experiment 1

• Choose one of the following activities (or one of your own choosing) and everyday for the next 7 days see if you can pay attention while doing it:

• Brushing your teeth

• Taking out the trash

• Washing Dishes / Loading Dishwasher

• Washing your hair

• Loading clothes in the washing machine

• Drinking Tea, coffee, juice

Habit Releaser

Changing Chairs:

Over the next week, If you always sit in the same place at work/school, or a café then try changing it up and sitting somewhere else. See what you notice about this experience.

Cognitive Techniques

•Attitudes for Mindfulness

•Cognitive Distortions

•ABC Theory

•Mind Body Mapping

Tools for Cognitiv

e Turmoil

Attitudes for Mindfulness

Non-Judging

Patience

Beginner’s Mind

Trust

Non-Striving

Acceptance

Letting Go

Jon Kabat-Znn

Mind Body Bridging

• Developed by Stanley H. Block, MD & Carolyn Block• Has elements for CBT & Mindfulness

Take out a sheet of paper & draw a circle in the middle.

Describe in a few words something

that has been bothering you.

Write down your thoughts about the event “thing” that has been bothering you. Write down any emotions you notice as you think about it.

Describe any tension in your body.

Two Minute Breathing Meditation

Take out a sheet of paper & draw a circle in the middle.

Describe in a few words something

that has been bothering you.

Write down your thoughts about the event “thing” that has been bothering you. Write down any emotions you notice as you think about it.

Describe any tension in your body.

Perceptions

• Waiting for the Train Story.

Perceptions

John was on his way to school.

He was worried about the math lesson.

He was not sure he could control the class again today.

It was not part of a janitor’s duty.

Cognition: ABC Model

• Activating Event: Something happens to you or the environment around you

A

• Beliefs: • You have a

belief or interpretation regarding the activating event.

B

• Consequences

• Your belief has consequences that include feelings and behaviors

C

Meditative Practice

• Breath & Body Meditation

• Body Scan Meditation

• Meditation for dealing w/ Difficulty

• Loving Kindness Meditation

Meditative

Practice

Beginning Meditation of Breath

• In addition to releasing autopilot and paying attention, mindfulness practice begins with a simple meditation focused on breath.

• Why Breath?1)we take it for granted 2) It does not need us to happen 3) gentle, rhythmic and grounds us in the “here and now”, 4) it can be a monitor for our feelings.

• Why daily?

• How long?

• How do I know I am doing it right?

Our Plan

• With a group of 25 student teachers:• Introduce stress-reduction techniques during

August workshop.

• Stress-reduction techniques during September, October, and November workshops.

• Weekly journal prompts focusing on stress-reduction aspect from previous workshop.

• Teacher Stress Inventory given during September and December workshops.

What Happened

• Only twelve signed up, with many citing lack of time: “I think mindfulness is effective, but I don’t have time for the extra work.”

• Of the ones who signed up, four formally removed themselves from the study.

• Of the ones who did not formally back out of the study, only one sustained participation throughout the study.

The Results

• The student with the sustained participation had the biggest drop in stress levels.

• The student also had the highest self-reported informal mindfulness participation levels.

• The student’s cooperating teaching confirmed the reduced stress levels.

Next Steps

• Possible case study of the participant.

• Gathering comparative data with current student teachers who will not experience the stress-reduction techniques during workshops.

• Planning to incorporate stress-reduction techniques prior to student teaching.

Overall Benefits

• Increased cooperation between education department and counseling center.

• Increased awareness of counseling services to our student teachers.

• Increased consideration of need for educating students on coping strategies prior to student teaching.

Mindfulness Apps

• Orange Orb-Guided Meditation

• Headspace Meditation App

• Mindfulness Apps Review

References

• Abebe, S. & Shaughnessy, M.F. (1997). Strengthening the teaching profession: Preparing educators to cope with stress. Retrieved from ERIC Database. (ED411239).

• Abidin, R.R. & Kmetz, C.A. (1997) Teacher-student interactions as predicted by teaching stress and the perceived quality of the student-teacher. Retrieved from ERIC Database. (ED413330).

• Albrecht, N. (2014). Wellness: A conceptual framework for school-based mindfulness programs. The International Journal of Health, Wellness, and Society, 4, 21-36.

• Benn, R., Akiva, T., Arel, S., & Roeser, R.W. (2012). Mindfulness training effects for parents and educators of children with special needs. Developmental Psychology, 48(5), 1476-1487.

• Burke, A. & Hawkins, K. (2012). Mindfulness education: Wellness from the inside out. Encounter, 25(4), 36-40.

• Burrows, L. (2011). Relational mindfulness in education. Encounter, 24(4), 24-29.

References

• Bush, M. (2011). Mindfulness in higher education. Contemporary Buddhism, 12(1), 183- 197.

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• Danyluk, P. (2013). The role of prepracticum in lessening student teacher stress: Student teachers’ perceptions of stress during practicum. Action in Teacher Research, 35, 323-334.

• Davis, T.S. (2012). Mindfulness-based approaches and their potential for educational psychology practice. Educational Psychology in Practice, 28(1), 31-46.

• Fimian, M.J. (1988). Teacher Stress Inventory. Clinical Psychology Publishing.

References

• Fimian, M.J. (2011). The teacher stress inventory info site. Retrieved July 22, 2014, from http://www.instructionaltech.net/tsi/index.htm

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References

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• Mapfumo, J.S., Chitsiko, N., & Chireshse, R. (2012). Teaching practice generated stressors and coping mechanisms among student teachers in Zimbabwe. South African Journal of Education, 32, 155-166.

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References

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