Mindfulness Resources for Teachers

Mindfulness Programs for Students Mindfulness for Teachers

Thanks for checking out these resources for educators! Click here to access a copy of the Introduction to Mindfulness handout from the session you attended.

Starting a Mindfulness Practice

Remember — we get good at what we practice, and we are always practicing something! If you want to be more present and less reactive during your days… you need to practice.

A daily practice can consist of intentional moments for:

Mindful breathing
Mindful listening (see links below)
Body Scan practice
Mindful moments
- Check in with your attention several times during the day — what do you notice? Where IS your attention?
- Bring mindful awareness to one routine daily activity: washing dishes, driving to work, eating breakfast, etc.
Set a timer (just 3-5 minutes if you’re just getting started!), and bring your attention to your breath (as we practiced in our session)
You can focus on your breath in the nose, in the chest, or in the abdomen, or wherever you most notice it in your body

Need Some Guidance?

You can access the Mindful Schools Mindful Moments practices created especially for teachers here.

Mindfulness Practices for the Classroom

Spidey-senses practice — activate your senses and be mindful of your environment!
Breathing Buddies — short video from Daniel Goleman
Mindful Listening — free demo lesson from Mindful Schools (click here and then scroll down a bit on the page to see this lesson demonstrated with a first-grade class and a fourth-grade class)
Mind Jars — watch the glitter settle just as the thoughts in your head settle
Chill Breaks for middle and high school students

Helpful Websites

Change to Chill (a free, online mental well-being program offered by Allina Health, aims to help teens identify what stress is, what causes it, and, most importantly, how to manage it — check out their resource page here)
The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley (definitely recommend subscribing to their newsletter)
Health Powered Kids (a free health and wellness program provides schools, community groups and families fun, easy-to-use information on nutrition, physical fitness, hygiene and mind-body balance)
Mindful Schools (online courses + resources for educators)
Mindfulness in Schools Project
The Guardian Teacher Network
Dr. Dan Siegel (great resources for parents and teachers of teens!)
Mindful Parenting
American Mindfulness Research Association