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Teach, Breathe, Learn...at the surface, it sounds simplistic, yet when we really look deeper, the complexities are abounding. The concept of mindfulness carries the same weight - something which seems to be so simple, yet to practice mindfulness can be so challenging. Although we take breathing for granted, when we frame the process of breathing in a mindfulness realm, it seems like such a daunting task. As stated in our reading, our breath is used as the anchor that keeps our mind focused. It is amazing to think that our breath has the ability to be such a strong tool. For many of us, I think we already practice aspects of mindfulness (such as focusing on our breath), but we need to learn  how we can dig deeper to be mindful.
One philosophy that I will apply in my daily routine when working with students is "letting go of some control to create a sense of shared involvement." Thus allowing for more genuine and authentic experiences in the classroom. I have learned that mindfulness is not about controlling yourself or the actions of others, but letting things happen organically and in the moment.
In life, I have certainly learned how important it is to live in the moment and to be grateful for all of the wonderful things we have been given.

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I found the book to be very informative and helpful to bring mindfulness to my personal life, professional life, and to share it with others.  The book highlighted the importance of mindfulness in the classroom, as it allows the mind to be in a positive state, ready for learning and interacting with others.  It is important for educators to be mindful, so we are 1) responding instead of reacting, 2) understanding where others are coming from (particularly our students so we best serve them, and our colleagues so we best collaborate and build a positive school community), 3) regulating our emotions.  I strive to practice and incorporate these mindful techniques I read about in order to foster optimal learning and continue to establish a positive learning environment in my classroom.

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I thought the book was very informative and certainly relevant. It was easy to read and provided a simple understanding of what mindfulness is and how to incorporate it into everyday life and the classroom.

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I enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be a great resource that provided many examples/strategies of how to incorporate mindfulness within everyday life, as well as within the classroom. A few ideas that were mentioned within the book that I found interesting was the BCOOL acronym and mindfulness journal.

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Mary
Fifteen years ago I would pack my youngest child, Cecelia into the car.  Many days it was dark when we left Tarrytown to get to Mahopac and often the weather was pretty nasty. Before long,  Cece would go into a full blown melt down and I would spend the rest of the commute listening to a combination of CBS News Radio and baby rage in the back seat.  We were a mess.  When we arrived and I handed her off, Cece would be red in the face and snotty and I would be a wreck.
One day, during one of her tantrums,  I shouted her name in the car to shock her into stopping.  She stopped and looked at me for a moment.  I puffed up my cheeks and blew air at the rear view mirror.  Through her tears she copied me. I had discovered that a person cannot blow out and cry at the same time.  From then on any time she would begin her crying jag I would tell her to blow bubbles!  I felt like a genius and Cece loved the game.
Fast forward sixteen years ...As I read the book Teach Breathe Learn by Meena Srinivasan, it dawned on me that my daughter and I had been practicing a primitive form of mindfulness all those years ago.
I am an almost thirty year teacher and have been looking for ways to revitalize my practice.  I am familiar with the catchphrase “mindfulness” and even know of colleagues who are full out practitioners of it in their classrooms.  This class is my way of dipping my toe in the water and I am pleased that I did.
The book taught me valuable lessons in reflection both personally and professionally and I am eager to begin using these techniques in my own fifth grade class.
I do believe that the structure of an 80 minute practice in my school day with all the other demands is over ambitious; so it is my plan to break the lessons into week long activities that build upon each other as the days progress. I feel that by doing this, my students will better internalize the practice and I can gauge and correct any missteps I will no doubt make as a novice in this valuable piece of pedagogy.  I also plan to read further from the texts that Meena suggests and research materials that will provide a smoother transition into a mindful classroom.
Cece is now a teenager so I am generally the one crying.  The good news is that now recognize that I am “watering the wrong seeds” and will be able to breathe through it all---I do wonder though, does this practice work when I send her off to college or will I need a Master Class?

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It was inspiring to see the student reflections throughout the book and how insightful they became. I would like to evoke that interbeing with my reading students.

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I am glad to have had the opportunity to read this book and think more deeply about Mindfulness. As a teacher of seniors I see firsthand how stressed they are, especially at the beginning of the year. This book has given me the tools to address their stress levels, and my own, and give them the skills to carry with them into college and life. Some of the philosophical ideas echo those I teach as I suggest they "live deeply [and] connect authentically" just as the author does. This will help them with the reflection and writing of their college essays.

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This was an enjoyable and interesting read. The methods for incorporating mindfulness in the classroom and into your life as a teacher were very helpful. The discussions that we engaged in during this time included ways to relieve stress in the classroom for students and teachers. These methods are a definite path for improving student achievement.

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This was a great read. It was easy to read and had many applicable strategies I plan to utilize. It really reinforced for me that my emotional state transmits to my students....It also made me remember to slow down, stop rushing through life, (mindful eating, mindful walking, etc). The benefits for the students are improvements in working memory, attention, academic skills, social skills, emotional regulation, decrease stress, anxiety, etc. I love the "invite the bell" idea, and the BCOOL acronym and will definitely implement these into my room.

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I enjoyed this book both for myself and for my students. Ẅith the practice of mindfulness we can bring more awareness, love and resilience in our lives, this is true for myself and my classroom. I want to create a classroom filled with peace and calmness. I want to practice more mindfulness so that I can be a better person and teacher.  I enjoy all the mindful techniques but need to find the time to practice them.

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I really enjoyed reading this book and thought it a great resource for lessons to use with students. Mindfulness is the the foundation of social and emotional learning because it teaches students to cultivate self awareness and to recognize and manage their emotions. I really loved the idea of gratitude journals and deep meditation with students. I will definitely be more mindful of my breathing, my food, and my speech after reading this book.

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Sonya                                     This book was a resourceful reminder of the importance of mindfulness in our classrooms. Teachers need to remember to take time during the day to breathe and find their center, just as our students need to do.  We need to create a learning atmosphere that is more conducive for ourselves, and for our students. We can take time in our day to have more awareness of our breathe and physical and emotional mindset. 

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Sonya                                     This book was a resourceful reminder of the importance of mindfulness in our classrooms. Teachers need to remember to take time during the day to breathe and find their center, just as our students need to do.  We need to create a learning atmosphere that is more conducive for ourselves, and for our students. We can take time in our day to have more awareness of our breathe and physical and emotional mindset. 

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This book had great lessons and strategies as to how we can implement mindfulness in our daily lessons and lives. It went into great detail about why mindfulness is so crucial in today’s society. Over the summer, I will continue to watch mindfulness videos and work on being more mindful with myself.

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The book was very interesting and had many great mindfulness ideas.  A few that I would like to implement both professionally and personally would be mindful walking, mindful speech and mindful eating. It seems that if we could incorporate any mindfulness activities/lessons in the classrooms it would help teachers and students social emotional learning.

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I found this book to be extremely accessible and useful. I appreciate the fact that it was written by an educator who understands what  we face on a daily basis. The author provided so many extraordinarily useful techniques and suggestions to utilize in both my professional and personal life and my intent is to implement as many as possible in the upcoming school year: mindfulness bell, mindful eating, mindful walking with a colleague during our lunch break, being gentle with myself, observing the breath for five minutes a day, teaching my students how to observe their breaths,utilizing simple mantras for myself and my students (I am calm, I am OK, stay in the moment, etc),the deep relaxation script presented in the book for both myself and my students, BCOOL (Breathe, Calm yourself down, know that the situation is Okay, Observe what's happening inside and hold it with Love), teaching my students that in every moment we have a choice (are we observers or reactors?).