Mindfulness Practices: Cultivating Heart Centered Communities Where Students Focus and Flourish (Creating a Positive Learning Environment Through Mindfulness in Schools)

4 reviews for Mindfulness Practices: Cultivating Heart Centered Communities Where Students Focus and Flourish (Creating a Positive Learning Environment Through Mindfulness in Schools)

1. 

   Carol C – November 28, 2024

   Mindfulness Practices brings kindness and compassion to our students and their teachers!
   The current focus of our schools is based on measurable outcomes- local, state, and national assessments abound and support a culture of testing and accountability- all at the expense of a personal growth mindset. In Mindfulness Practices, Mason, Murphy, and Jackson attempt to refocus the education community on heart-centered leading, teaching, and learning- a refreshing change. The book is organized into three parts. Using a deliberate design that is supportive of adult learning, each chapter begins with a key principle and ends with mindful reflections and an open space for notes.The authors present foundation knowledge in Part I- the urgency of now. This section is abundant with references to support their belief in the mounting necessity for heart-centered communities of practice because of the stress and trauma that our young people face day-in and day-out both inside the schoolhouse and outside in their communities. Among the key principles, one resonates with this reviewer- neuroplasticity research confirms children’s brains and brain functioning can improve with mindfulness practices. Mindfulness can mediate toxic stress.In Part II, the authors share how to develop and sustain a heart-centered community of leaders and learners by highlighting personal and practical classroom experiences. Readers are provided with useful exercises that transition educators from what is to what can be to create mindful classrooms. Breath work, movement through the practice of yoga, and conscious awareness of sensation, emotion, and presence are highlighted in Chapters 4, 5, and 6. Educators are presented with an opportunity to incorporate these strategies into their learning communities.Deeper collaborative understandings and experiences are presented in Part III. After the authors present the why and the how, they answer the question what’s next. They ask us to consider our audience- the leaders of tomorrow- and create a context in which we nurture responses to teachable emotional moments that develop cultural competence. The final principle- that mindful leadership is critical to cultivating compassionate and heart-centered school communities- highlights the importance of including the school leadership team in this process- their leadership matters to move forward and develop “…caring, compassionate school communities, where teachers and staff help children heal, where students’ well-being is a primary concern, and where school leaders fully integrate mindfulness into leadership behavior, actions, and practice.“ (pp. 154-155)This is a book that every educator will want to read to guide them in educating the whole child. In Mindfulness Practices a firm foundation is chartered for a future that will bring kindness and compassion to our students and their teachers.

2. 

   Dana Sitterson – November 28, 2024

   An essential guide for practically applying mindfulness to improve student & teacher outcomes.
   This book will help teachers at every grade level better understand why it is important for them and their students to manage their stress and delivers actionable ways to do so. Mindfulness Practices begins with neuroscience and developmental psychology evidence that explains how trauma affects the brain’s functioning and ultimately student achievement. Powerful statistics throughout the book demonstrate how prevalent trauma is; examples of successful studies of the healing effects of mindfulness for students who have experienced trauma demonstrate what a revolutionary tool it can be for our schools. While the theory of this book is explained in an easy-to-digest manner, the authors acknowledge that understanding theory alone will not make a lasting in difference in students lives. To ensure that their work helps teachers and students alike, Drs. Mason, Rivers, and Jackson provide practical mindfulness techniques that teachers can easily integrate into their own lives to better regulate their emotions in an effort to allow room for higher cognitive functioning and more compassionate living as well as techniques they can teach their students to do the same. The authors consistently show readers how one adult can transform a child’s life by being the calm center that all humans seek out.

3. 

   Amber H Wilhelm – November 28, 2024

   An informative and approachable book that offers great promise for changing a classroom!
   This book has a great balance of research and practical guidance, and is a great resource for those hoping to address behavioral challenges and also promote healing and academic achievement in the classroom.The information is packaged in thoughtful and approachable ways that allow for great insight even if you don’t have time to read it cover to cover (though you should!). It includes step-by-step meditation exercises teachers can facilitate in the classroom, and several ideas and strategies for incorporating mindfulness into lessons. The authors also provide many question-based “Mindful Reflection” exercises that encourage readers to think about all of this information in the context of their actual classroom scenarios, which makes it great for problem-solving and self- or group-study. Another aspect I especially appreciate are the “from the classroom” sidebars scattered throughout that share stories of how teachers have incorporated the practices in their classrooms. These accounts are of course very encouraging, and I always find I learn so much from the experience of others, but they are also wonderful reminders that you are not alone in these challenges!All in all it is a very informative book and one that offers great promise for changing a classroom.

4. 

   Meghan W. – November 28, 2024

   Great Read! Very thorough and practical guide to mindfulness and addressing the whole child
   I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone working with children or anyone interested in learning more about the far-reaching benefits of mindfulness.Mason, Rivers Murphy, and Jackson do an excellent job of explaining the mental, emotional, social, and physical effects of stress and trauma and really communicating the urgency in addressing them. Then once you fully understand the problem, they provide clear and concrete steps to improve your own as well as others’ well-being through mindfulness.I love how they include Mindful Reflection sections at the end of each chapter to help you pause and think about what you’ve just read. You can respond to the listed questions, clarify your own internal thoughts, and jot down notes and initial reactions. This really helped me move from a passive reader to an actively engaged learner.Often books focus almost exclusively on theory and academics, but I appreciated how practical and applied this book it. It includes academic research to outline the problem and how mindfulness is a proven solution, but then it provides a variety of explicit activities you can practice and perfect in the real world.