Workshops — Mindful Literacy

Why Mindfulness in Education?

According to a 2011 meta-analysis of 213 studies by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), students who participated in SEL programs across the U.S. showed an 11-percentile-point gain in achievement compared to controls.

WHOLE SCHOOL MODEL

The central objective of the whole school mindfulness model is to create a caring, reflective climate spearheaded by the administration that permeates the entire school community.

Teachers express greater job satisfaction and students are able to achieve their academic goals as well as meet 21st century learning expectations including self-management, creative problem-solving, and conflict resolution.

SUSTAINED, PERSONALIZED, ON THE GROUND TRAINING

A PD training before the school year begins introduces faculty to mindfulness practices and develops a shared language grounded in current neuroscience research. The mindfulness climate is supported throughout the calendar year with opportunities for faculty to engage further with mindfulness practices during collaboration time or in a mindful writing workshop series. Compassionate, trauma-informed classroom management and instruction strategies are the primary focus. Demonstration lessons build teacher confidence to lead short mindfulness practices and SEL-embedded reading and writing lessons on their own.

Sample Lesson Plan

Student Reflections

What is the best thing you have learned about mindfulness this year?

“I have learned to calm myself down when there is a problem. I use mindfulness at home when my brother annoys me. It helps me by not hurting anyone.”
“Mindful breathing helps me think and gets me focused.”
“You can practice self-constraint and relieve yourself from all the negative things in your life.”
Mindful practice outside of our class:

“I practice mindfulness at home when I’m feeling pressured.”
“I practice mindfulness at nighttime to go to sleep.”
“I practice using mindfulness during lunch. It helps me get ride of anger and hate.”
What did you learn about writing poems?

“I learned that writing poems is not just art. It helps me get rid of anger and hate.”
“It is important to make the poem interesting so the reader will want to read it.”
“I learned that writing poems is fun!”
“I like my ‘Quietness’ poem because it reminds me to stay quiet.”
“By writing poems, I’ve learned to be calm and patient, especially when I get mad about something dumb.”
How do you feel about having your poems published in a book?

“Excited because as students we express what we feel and to let people see is awesome.”
“I feel good because other kids can use that for madness and other things.”
“I feel scared and nervous because you never know if people will like it or not.”
“It feels good because I can write more poems.”

Teachers are tuning forks.

Teachers are just as important as the curriculum they teach, so the program begins with them — focusing on their self-care and classroom management techniques so they can model responsiveness rather than reactivity.

TEACHER RETENTION: $20,000 Savings

Teacher turnover rate: 46% in the US, 70% in Oakland.
Nationwide, 54% of teachers cited a lack of a supportive work environment, not just pay.
According to the Learning Policy Institute, each teacher who leaves can cost urban districts as much as $20,000.
Teachers who participate in mindful awareness PD programs show significant improvement in their ability to regulate emotions and sense of efficacy.

Professional Development Options

Mindfulness for Improved School Climate Workshop

Half Day
Full Day
Provide open forum to discuss how stress impacts students’ lives and teacher effectiveness
Experience first-hand the benefits of mindfulness and self-care practices to increase teacher effectiveness
Review current neuroscience explaining how mindfulness works to improve student academic, social and emotional outcomes
Decrease the number of referrals and suspensions
This program will include brief moving and seated mindfulness exercises. We will practice with various anchors of attention including body sensations, sounds, and breath. Establishing a daily mindfulness practice as a component of one’s self-care will be encouraged.
Teachers will leave the daylong program with their own creative story of overcoming obstacles to share with students during the first weeks of school to model a growth mindset and lay the foundation for building authentic teacher-student relationships.

Mindful Educator’s Seminar

8 sessions, 1 hour each
Provide open forum to discuss how stress impacts our lives
Experience first-hand the benefits of mindfulness and self-compassion practices to reduce stress and mitigate the effects of trauma, including secondary trauma
Review current neuroscience explaining stress response and how mindfulness works
Each session will include brief moving and seated mindfulness exercises to promote relaxation and develop focused attention, open awareness, self-compassion and empathy. We will practice with various anchors of attention including body sensations, sounds, and breath. In addition, we will learn about basic neuroscience, discuss ways of working with trauma, and develop awareness of implicit bias.
Strategies to build community with students and respond rather than react when triggered in classrooms will be shared. Ample opportunity to share struggles and success stories will be given.

Mindful Writing Workshop Series for Educators

8 sessions, 1.5 hours each
Practice self-reflection and self-care
Develop strategies to build authentic relationships with students
Decrease the number of referrals and suspensions
Learn how to integrate 21st Century learning expectations such as creative problem-solving, self-management, and conflict resolution in reading and writing lessons aligned with Common Core standards.
This workshop will consist of hands-on demonstrations of mindfulness and reading and writing lessons from my forthcoming book, Mindful Literacy. Lessons include a guided mindfulness practice, reading and discussion of a mindful poem, and a collaborative writing activity.
Following the emotional arc of the school year, themes include resiliency and growth mindset, unkind thoughts, disturbing emotions, self-compassion and empathy. Anecdotes of sharing this curriculum and sample poems and stories will be shared. Teachers will receive digital copies of the lessons.

Contact for More Info

Testimonials

“We really enjoyed the Mindful Literacy Curriculum

Our students looked forward to being outside for their weekly lesson, and were very engaged in the heartfulness practice Laura shared with us. We will use the skills she shared throughout the year in our community.”

-Erin Conrad, Teacher
Alsion Montessori, Fremont, CA

“More depth, direction, and purpose

Having Laura Bean in my classroom helped me to provide more depth, direction, and purpose to my existing mindfulness program. She taught me a plethora of child-friendly mindfulness activities and set the tone that helped me open up a more sincere, vulnerable dialogue with my students.”

-Teresa Friedham, First Grade Teacher
Ardenwood Elementary School, Fremont, CA

“I’m thrilled I stayed.

Encouragement to express this way. The second I saw writing on the wall, I wanted to walk away because writing has always scared me. I’m thrilled I stayed.”

-Workshop Participant

“The depth and vulnerability in her students’ work truly speaks for itself

Ms. Bean would open our English Language Development Department meetings with a ‘Mindful Minute.” Beginning in this way helped us to release any lingering tensions from the day and prepared us to focus our full attention on one another. In the anthology she published at the end of [the] school year entitled Same Boat, the depth and vulnerability in her students’ work truly speaks for itself. Same Boat demonstrates Ms. Bean’s ability to inspire students to give voice to their struggles and trauma and, in doing so, begin to cope with them.”

-John Henry Evan, English Language Development Department
Helms Middle School