-Professor Ritenour

• These are all very real things that are plaguing our schools. Teachers joke all the time, "I don't get paid enough for this" or "that's above my paygrade", but in reality we don't get paid enough for being teacher, mom, nurse, guidance counselor, SEL coach, recess and lunch monitors, and all the other "hats" we wear everyday. That's all before we go home to do it all over for our own kids at home! It's also extremely difficult to do all these things for 25-30 kids in our class.

2) "intense and unrelenting stress that many teachers experience often leads to job burnout, and subsequently, teachers also have one of the highest rates of occupational attrition, with 4% of teachers leaving the profession entirely every year"

• I felt this one! This has been my most difficult year in my teaching career. The kids are DIFFERENT, and I have dealt with so many more behaviors than I ever have. I was ready for summer back in January, because I was already feeling the burnout. I took off more days this year for sickness and mental health days than I ever have before. I had months where I thought "I just don't think I'm cut out for this. I need to find a different career." I am truly hoping that next year will change my mind, because this year has been taxing! I know it's not just me, because my daughter (she's in third grade) has had three different teachers this year. THREE! All because after a few months, the teacher decided that teaching just wasn't for them. So it's not just affecting teachers, but the kids as well.

3) "Negative emotions are often linked to our previous learning experiences".

• I found this interesting. I've never really thought about, but I think my anxiety about teaching math to my 5th graders this year stemmed from my math experience growing up. I really struggled with math in middle school and beyond. I never really had a "good" math teacher that took the time for me that I needed. I just kind of "got by" with decent-ish grades. My math teacher in high school was an old, mean man that made fun of those that just didn't get it which increased my hate for math. This year I had to change my view of math in order to try and convince my class that math is "fun" and that if I can do it, they can do it!

First, the article mentioned how negative emotions are often related to our previous learning experiences and how these memories influence our reactions and behavior as teachers in the classroom.  The article detailed how difficult emotions can impair teaching and the classroom environment, but also how important practicing mindfulness can be to “mitigating the influence of these emotions”. 

With this, my second VIP, is that mindfulness can be used to “cultivate positive emotional states within oneself that can then, in turn, enhance classroom climate and teaching”.  I am excited to begin implementing mindfullness for myself and also with my students next year through the Mind Yeti component of Second Step. If we model it ourselves, we are setting that example for our students.

Lastly, another take away that we have learned about before in this course, is the importance of practicing self care.  If you are addressing your own physical, emotional, and intellectual well being, you are better equipped to meet the needs of the students in your classroom.  This is something that I continue to take away and see the importance of in my teaching career– finding that balance and the time to step away from being a teacher and being yourself, too.  

Felver, Joshua. (2015). Patricia A. Jennings: Mindfulness for Teachers: Simple Skills for Peace and Productivity in the Classroom. W. W. Norton, New York, NY, 2015, 288 pp. Mindfulness. 7. 10.1007/s12671-015-0470-z.

1. "teachers have some of the highest rates of work-related stress among all occupations." As a teacher I completely agree with this, and seeing it in print with the comparison of ambulance personnel was very profound.

2. "teachers also have one of the highest rates of occupational attrition, with 4% of teachers leaving the profession entirely every year." Colleagues are retiring and/or leaving the profession earlier and earlier. The majority of my school is teachers with less than 10 years teaching experience. The stress, combined with the low pay, is driving away great teachers.

3. "negative emotions are often linked to our previous learning experiences and, subsequently, how one's emotional memories influence reactions and behavior as a teacher in the classroom." This is a very interesting thought. Initially, I thought the "learning experiences" our negative thoughts were linked to were strictly school related, but after some thought I think "learning experiences" can be any environment including school, home, sports, etc.. Thinking of "learning experiences" more broadly helped me understand how this thought is very accurate.

of how having emotional regulation and self-awareness is crit-

ical to teaching students social-emotional skills, to managing

classroom behavior, and to reducing teacher’s own emotional

distress." This spoke to me as I end a week where my patience is hitting bottom. I'm feeling frustrated by the same students continuing behaviors that are based on mean girl dynamics.

2) Chapter 5 stresses "the critical im-

portance of self-care and how via addressing one’s own

physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual well-being

teachers become better equipped to meet the needs of

their students in the classroom. " I'm finding that to be so difficult at the moment. I'm overwhelmed with stresses at home, school responsibilities, and grad class work. This has me feeling tired and much less patient than I normally am as a teacher.

3)"Mindfulness for Teachers was
written to help teachers cultivate the skills they need to pro-
mote a calm, relaxed, but enlivened learning environment that
can prepare children for the future by fostering creativity, in-
novation, collaboration, and cooperation."

I would be interested in her techniques as I do tend to bring my own emotions into the classroom. My ultimate goal is always to create a classroom where students can grow and shine academically and emotionally. Separating our inner stress or negative emotions is important for fostering such an environment.

The second VIP in this article is How can you practice mindfulness. This is important because you may know what it is but may not know how to practice it. You could first read about it so you can practice it, you can enroll in trainings, establish a devoted daily practice in the community, practice medication, or get additional support from others or a professional.

The tired VIP in this article is how to teach it in your classroom. Two examples they gave were 1. The Still Quiet Place which is where kids practice breathing and their mind goes on a trip. They also talked about practicing P.E.A.C.E which is anther way to practice breathing and calming the body, then moving and observing thoughts and emotions.

Mindfulness for Teachers

1. “...it is not surprising that teacher’s have some of the highest rates of work-related stress among all occupations, with stress levels comparable to those faced by ambulance personnel, prison guards, and call-center customer service agents.” This quote really stuck out to me because I obviously know that my job is stressful; however, I feel this truly puts into perspective just how stressful our job is for others.

Mindfulness: A Guide for Teachers

1. “...first, second, and third graders who participated in a bi-weekly, 12-session integrative program of mindfulness and relaxation showed significant increases in attention and social skills and decreases in text anxiety and ADHD behaviors" (Saltzman, pg.2). This quote really stuck out to me due to the mention of ADHD. I found it very interesting how mindfulness could suppress those behaviors. Thinking about the many kids I have in my classroom, it makes me wonder how they would be impacted by mindfulness practices.

2. “...children who began the study with poor executive function had gains in behavioral regulation, meta-cognition, and overall global executive control. These results indicate Mindfulness Awareness Practice training benefits children with executive function difficulties" (Saltzman, pg. 2-3). Again this quote struck me because it is truly showing how impactful tending to your emotions can be. With the struggles children are facing today, it is so interesting how once we tend to their emotions and provide them strategies to address them, everything else falls into place.

1. The comparison made of teaching to other occupations.(Introduction)

- This struck me off the bat because I have not related being an educator to these other professions, "teacher’s have some of the highest rates of work-related stress among all occupations, with stress levels comparable to those faced by ambulance personnel, prison guards, and call-center customer service agents". It made me reflect and realize that I agree with this statement. As an educator, I always feel the sense of uncertainty or that I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for something to happen. In the world of education, it doesn't matter how many years of experience you may have, there is always going to be that sense of "what am I going to have today".

2. Emotions affect both the teacher and the classroom. (Chapter 2)

- Emotions run our course of the day. Now factor in 15 other tiny humans and their emotions. How are we going to help manage them all? When you self-assess and you need a mindfulness break to help regulate yourself, model it for your students. For example, "I am feeling overwhelmed. I am going to do star breathing to get myself back into the green zone. Let's all do it together".

3. Emotional qualities experienced by the teacher can have profound impact on students. (Chapter 4)

- This relates back to our previous reading where Brackett discusses how people can create a "false front". I think that it is important for teachers to recognize their emotions throughout the day and integrate mindfulness activities in. Whether that be personal mindfulness of journaling on your lunch break or sharing the mindfulness activity with your students, it is important for the educator to be regulate. As Zones of Regulation state, the green zone is the optimal zone for learning. I would tweak that and say that the green zone is the optimal zone for teaching. We can't be our best if we do not feel our best. Teachers should be utilizing positive emotional intentions!

 One point that Jennings made was how teaching is just as stressful as other occupations such as call centers, ambulance personnel and prison guards. These occupations you need to think quick on your feet to handle any situation that may be thrown at you. We must juggle behaviors and academics while keeping in mind meeting state standards. Our year long of work is depicted on a 2-week period of students testing. It can be a daunting task to deal with. It doesn’t reflect the sweat and tears that are put into teaching students the entire year.

Another point that was brought up was the amount of burnout teachers have and teachers leaving the classroom. This is my first year and I had a decent year with only a handful of behaviors. I did see veteran teachers who seemed to highly dislike their job and complained a lot each day. I think it is a good concept to have the skills to deal with stress and be more mindful, but unless it can be implemented into your actual day to me, it is ineffective.

What I mean by ineffective is the person must be willing to use those skills that Jennings talks about in her book. The resources are there but the person has to be willing or have the time to take the step to practice their mindfulness. Again, this is only my observations from what I seen this year with others and in my previous career. It is a good concept Jennings has and I do think it would be beneficial, just taking the time to implement it in your own life is the goal.

1.       “those that do remain often have a diminished sense of their own sense of efficacy which in turn impacts student achievement”

This point concerned me especially as an educator because I reflect and think about if there is a possibility that could happen to me being in the education field long-term. Its very shocking to know that long-term teachers often feel a lack of accomplishments, but I know it comes from the feeling of burnout. Feeling burn-out as a teacher can directly impact the classroom environment with students.

2.       “chapter 3 also details how negative emotions are often linked to our previous learning experiences”

This research fact surprised me because you typically wouldn’t think that someone’s experience with schooling would present itself in the teaching environment. In my opinion, I view that as projecting; and if that is the case than educators who have negative memories should seek professional support to overcome any negative emotions and/or perspectives when it comes to the learning environment and teacher-student relationship.

3.       “positive emotions (e.g., love, gratitude, joy) can be engendered by teachers, and how these emotional qualities experienced by the teacher can have profound impact on students.”

This was considered an important point to me because the classroom atmosphere does influence students’ performance. Both children and adults benefit from positive emotions. It makes a person feel valued, loved and cared for and also releases oxytocin. If the educator can foster positive emotions and positive feedback, this can help create a classroom community where everyone respects one another, and the teacher doesn’t have to feel overwhelmed.

1. "Mindfulness reduces stress and aids in learning."

   I felt this is an important part of the article because it sets the tone for all the other topics. Within the first page, the reader sees an explicit benefit to Mindfulness.

2. "Mindfulness training benefits children with executive functioning difficulties."

   So many of our students suffer from the symptoms of ADHD, Autism, and depression. Simply implementing the Mindfulness process can improve the way these students function. It is crazy to think that a bit of reflection and analysis can have such a huge impact on attention, organization and more!

3. "Since Mindfulness is an experiential discipline, to offer it with integrity, the teaching must come out of your own practice."

   No surprise here. Every good teacher knows you need to do as you say and model expectations for our students.

1. "[P]ositive emotional states within oneself that can then, in turn, enhance classroom climate and teaching.[...] these emotional qualities experi-enced by the teacher can have profound impact on students."

   I probably knew this, but it was good to be reminded about the fact that the emotional state I bring to the classroom as the teacher will have a distinct impact on my classroom and students. I think it's easier to remember that it has an impact on the classroom atmosphere at large than to remember that it has an impact on the students themselves.

2. It was interesting to read "how negative emotions are of-ten linked to our previous learning experiences and,
   subsequently, how one’s emotional memories influence
   reactions and behavior as a teacher in the classroom."

   I remember something along this line being brought up in the math education course in terms of our feelings about math. As this book is said to point out, the impact of these feelings can be "mitigate[d]."

3. This isn't a very important point per se, but it is one thing that would strongly influence me to read the book. Each of the chapters seem to have resources, tools, or activities for putting into practice whatever that chapter was about. I love good applications laid out for me.

1. "One of the primary ironies of modern education is that we ask students to 'pay attention' dozens of times a day, yet we never teach them how."

   This is so true. Some of the kids in my class have never been in any kind of school before and have no idea how to function at the beginning of the year. Just saying 'pay attention' isn't enough, even for the kids who have been in preschool. They have to know what to do to get their minds focused and stay focused.

2. "Data ... shows that mindfulness training decreases burnout and compassion fatigue and increases empathy and effective communication."

   I have never heard the term 'compassion fatigue' before, but I believe it describes something that I've felt before, especially near the end of the school year. I know that I need to take care of myself in order to take care of the kids, but sometimes I need that reminder that there's evidence that it's necessary and helpful.

3. "Since mindfulness is an experiential discipline, to offer it with integrity, the teaching must come out of your own practice."

   I have never considered this before, but now that I've read it, it seems obvious. It makes me wonder how many times a school or administrator has suggested teachers use mindfulness in their classrooms without ever starting with having the teachers begin their own mindfulness practice.

Three important points that stood out to me from the article are as follows:

“teacher’s have some of the highest rates of work-related stress among ALL occupations” This point did take me by surprise. Even though I do realize that teachers do have some stressful days in the classroom, I never realized that teachers have the highest stress level of ALL occupations. In thinking about my current school year, I think my highest level of stress has occurred in nearing the end of the school year. There is so much to get done before the school year ends (report cards, student assessments, student placements, field trips, end-of-year parties, musical presentations, etc.). I try to alleviate some of the stress by going to the gym and taking walks to clear my mind.

Chapter 3 – “negative emotions are often linked to our previous learning experiences and, subsequently, how one’s emotional memories influence reactions and behavior in a teacher in the classroom”. I never really thought about this, but it does make sense. If a student experiences a bad school year due to a negative experience with a teacher, classmates in the class, or a negative learning experience outside of the classroom, this experience does have the potential of carrying over to the student’s life in the future. If the student does become a teacher, there is the possibility that the behavior can carry over to classroom.

Chapter 3 – “addressing one’s own physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual well-being teachers become better equipped to meet the needs of their students in the classroom”. This is definitely a very important point. Taking the time to address self-help is a valuable concept in any occupation. Everyone needs to take time to enjoy things in life that they enjoy. Taking care of one’s physical health is important so that there is no detrimental effect later in life.

>Think of it this way- I would be a very crummy basketball coach because I know nothing about basketball. How can we coach our students on mindfulness if we’ve never practiced it? We need to put in the work in our own lives so it’s apparent we hold experience in the discipline.

2) “…Science is NOW documenting the negative impact that stress is having on learning every day.”

>Really? Just now? I feel a little left out as a kid on 9/11. We were expected to go back to class (I was in high school at the time) and we were never ever asked about how we were feeling about it. The guy I was seeing asked me out on a date that night!! (Um…no???) I, however, missed the next three days of school because I was so emotionally spent I couldn’t stand to step foot inside my school. I wonder if someone would have been documenting our stress levels THEN, could we have started this whole discipline of SEL earlier?

3) Self-compassion has academic benefits, especially when dealing with perceived failure.

>Kids who have exceptional needs like ADHD are often redirected exponentially more than their neurotypical peers. They are so used to feeling like “the bad kid,” they lean into that persona. It’s really hard to convince a child who is constantly in trouble that they are a worthwhile human with loads of potential. It’s really hard to convince a child who constantly gets bad grades that they are actually super smart…in other areas. If a child goes into a situation thinking it’s going to be the worst, then they’ll prove themselves correct. It’s up to us as teachers to change that inner narrative and replace it with a growth mindset, and hopefully the child will hear it enough to believe it!

1. Mindfulness Supports Learning and Emotional Well-Being:

Mindfulness is a critical practice that helps students perform better academically and develop their social and emotional skills. By learning to focus their minds and manage their feelings, students can respond thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively. This is especially important in today's fast-paced and sometimes stressful school environments. When students practice mindfulness, they can better manage challenges, leading to improved academic results and healthier relationships with their peers.

2. Benefits of Mindfulness for Teachers:

When teachers practice mindfulness, they enjoy numerous personal and professional benefits. It helps reduce stress and prevents burnout, which keeps their enthusiasm for teaching alive. Mindfulness also enhances classroom interactions by fostering empathy and promoting better communication. When teachers demonstrate mindfulness in their own lives, they create a supportive atmosphere that motivates students to adopt these practices as well. Staying present and grounded is essential not only for teachers’ well-being but also for delivering meaningful lessons on mindfulness to their students.

3. Simple Mindfulness Techniques for the Classroom:

Integrating mindfulness into the classroom can begin with simple exercises that cater to different age groups. For younger kids, a technique called the "Still Quiet Place" helps them imagine a calm and peaceful spot within themselves. For older students, the "P.E.A.C.E." approach—standing for Pause, Engage, Acknowledge, Care, and Evolve—offers a straightforward way to develop mindfulness and emotional understanding. However, for these practices to be effective, teachers need to be well-prepared and sensitive to the emotional needs of their students, creating a safe and nurturing environment for everyone to flourish.

My first VIP moment I had when reading this text was in the first sentence, where Jennings states that teachers are facing many obstacles and difficult situations, and then lists many of the obstacles. I found this sentence to be a very important point, but not for the fact that it supports the need for mindfulness. I think it is disappointing that the statement Jennings stated is stated so many other places and is just read as if it is something normal. I don't think it is normal for our career to have these issues. I do not think that these statements should be read like they are normal. I wish that we could take away the normalization of this sentence and find a way to change.

I also think it is a VIP that Jennings makes when she states that teachers' levels of stress not only affect the teacher but it also affects the students. This point is very important in the fact that it shows the cyclical effect of teacher stress. The career creates stress, the stress affects performance, and in turn, the career becomes even more stressful.

Lastly, I think it is a VIP that "mindfulness can be used to cultivate positive emotional states within oneself that can then enhance classroom climate and teaching." This statement stuck out to me because it also shows that the cycle of poor environment and stress can be a positive cycle. With mindfulness, teachers can create positive emotional states within themselves, and with that, their classroom can be a positive environment as well.

From student testimony in the article, "It feels sort of strange but peaceful, I can't really tell how I use mindfulness at home, but I do know it helps me when I am mad at my brother". The fact that the student implements strategies at home that he has learned from school is amazing. Maybe a teacher mentioned to use these strategies at home or maybe not. But the student made the connection from home to school in order to achieve mindfulness. It's great the students apply it to their lives and environment outside of school.

"In fact, learning to balance the emotional demands of teaching with other professional and personal pressures is central to the teacher's art, vital to professional longevity." The article doesn't fail to emphasize the importance of the teacher's mental health. It acknowledges that most have duties outside of the classroom, which is refreshing to read. At times, it doesn't feel like people acknowledge it. Learning the balance of an emotional job such as this one is key.

2. Mindfulness helps teachers regulate emotions and improve the classroom environment. This shows how mindfulness is not just about staying calm but about making real changes in how we interact with students and manage our own stress.

3. Self-care isn’t optional. As teachers it's so easy to feel guilty for focusing on ourselves and our needs, but this point shows us that its difficult to be a good teacher without taking care of ourselves.