This session will give educators an in-depth look at mindfulness interventions for teachers and students. Research in the area of mindfulness-based interventions has supported the use of classroom mindfulness practice in order to improve student focus and prosocial skills, reduce disciplinary referrals, and even improve grades. Teachers who practice mindfulness are more effective communicators and are less susceptible to burnout. The first half of the session will address teacher burnout and mindfulness. Practice will be informed by the book “Mindfulness for Teachers” by Patricia A. Jennings. Later in the session, teachers will learn techniques that can be directly applied in the classroom with their students. Handouts will be distributed with lesson plans for classroom use, and teachers will have time to practice the techniques in small groups for hands-on learning. This session is taught by Emily Haygeman, PhD. Emily is a school psychologist in Granite. She has conducted research on the benefits of mindfulness for an adolescent population, and has taught mindfulness groups to parents, teachers, preschool and elementary students, and adolescents.
