SOLUTIONS FOR SCHOOLS
Why We Provide Mindfulness Training to Schools
Educating the next generation is a great responsibility; a role with the potential to provide exceptional fulfillment. However, due to the current state of many school systems and the lack of resources to adequately navigate life challenges, that potential is often replaced by less than favorable outcomes. While many external factors can be out of our control, we can help prevent and spot symptoms of trauma related to ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) by teaching mindfulness in schools. Our trauma sensitive programming and approach, creates strong internal resources for well-being, stress-reduction, and resilience that transforms the classroom experience for both teachers and students.
The mindfulness we teach in schools are groups of lessons with easy to follow exercises introducing students and teachers to their thoughts, emotions, feelings, and impulses, both physical and mental. Our lessons are grounded in neuroscience and biology to help students fully understand how the exercises are working, as well as how to self regulate.
800K
people die each year due to suicide. 1 every 40 seconds.*
35 MIL.
kids experience one or more types of trauma in the u.s.*
*As reported by WHO and the Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health.
What we learn and how we learn it is paramount - it shapes our world. Invest in a more hopeful and compassionate tomorrow through our services.
Our Services for Schools
Since 2013, we’ve taught Trauma-Responsive Mindfulness and Social & Emotional Learning curriculums to districts, schools, teachers, psychologists, counselors, and school staff across the US. The sustainability and efficacy of our programs has been acknowledged by the Department of Education, demonstrated in schools and districts nationwide, and supported by our collaboration with researchers. Our ongoing research studies on the efficacy of our mindfulness programs, in partnership with Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University, illustrate the following themes:
√ 95% of teachers increased in nonreactive measures, feelings of achievement, and judgment.
√ 94.7% of teachers decreased In feelings of burnout & depersonalization.
√ Overall improvement in teacher-student relationships, emotional regulation, & self-management. Teachers spent more time teaching and supporting mental health lifeskills.
√ Expanded teacher self care. Mindfulness has helped teachers to prioritize and recognize the importance of their wellbeing and purposefully engage in self-care practices, which includes setting limits on their time.
√ Improved collegial relationships. Teachers are less reactive with one another and in some cases, feeling more connected with one another as colleagues. Personal relationships have benefited as well, with strengthened ability to listen and pause while engaging in difficult conversations.
√ More positive interactions with students. Students in general seem to be responding to mindfulness practices being embedded into classroom routines as evidence that they are being cared for and in moments of, general or individual, emotional upheaval in the classroom, teachers pause before responding to students and know how to help them regroup before engaging in a “teachable moment.”
√ Practicing mindfulness has a ripple effect in everyday life. They notice that their increased awareness impacts the way they manage themselves, their interactions with students, colleagues, and within their personal lives.
By compiling our extensive knowledge and invaluable resources, we’re now able to offer schools an online program designed for teachers that is affordable, manageable, and sustainable. Schools have the flexibility to customize the training experience by choosing to have teachers enroll in the convenient online course or to also add the optional in-class modeling, where available.
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During this 17-week, Teaching Mindfulness I online training course, we'll teach your staff trauma-informed Mindfulness Based Social Emotional Learning, MBSEL. They'll learn how to establish their own practice for themselves and are given all the resources they need to teach their new life-skills to their students, including K-12 curriculums. Participants have lifetime access to their course.
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During Teaching Mindfulness II, 8-week online mentorship course, your staff will deepen their knowledge, practices, and understanding of MBSEL. Our Mindfulness First Instructors will support them in developing a plan for mindfulness in their classroom and school.
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During these 30 minute in-school training lessons, our Mindfulness First Instructors model the sixteen K-12 lessons from Teaching Mindfulness I, to students. Facilitated by Mindfulness First Instructors, your staff will receive hands-on training that supports their understanding of how to teach MBSEL, reinforcing mindfulness within the classroom. This training is available upon enrollment or completion of Teaching Mindfulness I.
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During these onsite support sessions, we'll check in with your staff, provide opportunities to learn from us directly, and practice new life skills as a group. These onsite sessions help to support each individual school’s culture and unique needs, while providing additional exercises and mindfulness implementation practices.
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During these onsite support sessions, we'll check in with your school's mindful leaders, and provide opportunities to learn from us directly and practice new life skills as a group. These onsite visits help to support each individual school culture, their unique needs, and provides them with additional exercises and mindfulness implementation ideas.
Strategy and sustainability consultation can include but is not limited to: school year programming prep, regular sustainability scorecard review check-ins, one-on-ones, etc.
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During this presentation, we’ll provide a brief introduction into MBSEL, discuss the research and results behind these tools, and talk about the programming model that the school is participating in.
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During Parent Teacher Conferences, Mindfulness First will be present to answer questions and provide information about MBSEL and the programming model that the school is participating in.
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Start the beginning of the school year with a mindfulness kick-off lesson.
For new schools: Introduce MBSEL and why we are doing it, speak about sustainability and what to expect for the upcoming school year, answer questions.
For continuing schools: Celebrate how the MBSEL training courses went last school year, share stories and practices, talk about sustainability and how MBSEL will look in this up coming school year.
We can help you prioritize mental health wellbeing in your school or district. Reach out today to discover more.
Here’s What Some of Our Clients Have to Say About Us
“We were fortunate to have Sunny and her team join our staff retreat session to share the healthy benefits of mindfulness with us! It was an informative experience, fun, and the perfect way to start our strategic planning meeting! Getting to our center and focusing on the present helped make our day even more productive.”
-TERRI WOGAN CALDERON, SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS, EXEC. DIRECTOR
“The Vitalyst Health Foundation hired Mindfulness First to conduct an in-house training for our staff, and we found it to be a very helpful and rewarding experience. The instructor was both professional and engaging, and it was of real benefit to the staff who participated. I heartily recommend them.”
- SUZANNE PFISTER, PRESIDENT & CEO, VITALYST HEALTH FOUNDATION
“The learning I received through Mindfulness First taught me about the brain and the way I think about student behavior. It taught me how to recognize when I need my own mindful minute as well as be able to offer that as a solution for my students. I owe many thanks to Sunny and the staff of Mindfulness First.”
- MEREDITH HILL, ROOSEVELT SCHOOL DISTRICT, ART TEACHER
Our Past Clients
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