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JournalofTeacherActionResearch1

JournalofTeacherActionResearch-Volume6,Issue1,2019,practicalteacherresearch.com,ISSN#2332-2233

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JTAR EDITORS

JTAR JournalofTeacherActionResearchVolume6,Issue1,2019

ExaminingtheInstructionalDesignofInteractiveandCollaborativeLearning 4OpportunitiesRachelKarchmer-KleinElizabethSoslauJannSuttonComparingCooperativeLearningStrategiesinAssessmentInstruction 21JosephA.MayoDoesMindfulnessStrengthenSelf-efficacyinFirstGradeStudents? 32KristenL.LoganErikK.Laursen“Letthepeoplesing!”-ActionResearchExploringTeachers’MusicalConfidence 44WhenEngagingLearnersin‘SingingWellbeing’DaphneRicksonJoAtkinsonDianneReynoldsRobertLeggUsingFirstAuthor©WritingCurriculumwithStudentswithAutismSpectrum 63DisorderKristieAsaro-SaddlerJessicaColes

JTAR AbouttheJournal

Foundedin2013,theJournalofTeacherActionResearch(ISSN:2332-2233)isapeer-reviewedonlinejournalindexedwithEBSCOthatseekspracticalresearchthatcanbeimplementedinPre-Kindergarten

throughPost-Secondaryclassrooms.Theprimaryfunctionofthisjournalistoprovideclassroomteachersandresearchersameansforsharingclassroompractices.

Thejournalacceptsarticlesforpeer-reviewthatdescribeclassroompracticewhichpositivelyimpactsstudentlearning.Wedefineteacheractionresearchasteachers(atalllevels)studyingtheirpracticeand/ortheirstudents'learninginamethodicalwayinordertoinformclassroompractice.Articlessubmittedtothejournalshoulddemonstrateanactionresearchfocuswithintenttoimprovethe

author’spractice.

EditorialTeam

Co-EditorsGilbertNaizer,Ph.D. AprilSanders,Ph.D.

TexasA&MUniversity-Commerce SpringHillCollege

AssociateEditorsLauraIsbell,Ph.D. TamiMorton,Ph.D. SusanWilliams

TexasA&MUniversity-Commerce TexasA&MUniversity-CommerceTexasA&MUniversity-Commerce

ProductionEditorandWebmasterChaseYoung,Ph.D.

SamHoustonStateUniversity

www.practicalteacherresearch.com

THEJOURNALOFTEACHERACTIONRESEARCH 32

JournalofTeacherActionResearch- Volume6,Issue1,Fall2019,<practicalteacherresearch.com>,ISSN#2332-2233©JTAR.AllRights

DOESMINDFULNESSSTRENGTHENSELF-EFFICACYINFIRSTGRADESTUDENTS?KirstenL.Logan

UniversityofRichmond

ErikK.Laursen

UniversityofRichmond

AbstractExternalandinternalstressorsofteninfluenceyoungchildren’ssenseofself-efficacyandresiliencynegatively.Practicingmindfulnesswithintheclassroommaybeoneinterventionthatcanhelpstudents

strengthenthesocial-emotionalskillsinvolvedinself-efficacyandresiliency.Thisstudyusedamixedmethods

approachtogatherquantitativeandqualitativedatafromsixfirst-gradestudentswhoparticipatedinadaily

mindfulnesspractice.Thedatawereanalyzedusingdescriptivestatisticstodetermineiftheirperceptionsof

self-efficacyandresiliencyimprovedfromweekonetoweeksixofthestudy.Logico-inductivedataanalyses

wereusedtoidentifycommonthemesinstudentinterviews.Studentsfavoredthemindfulnessactivitiesand

sharedbenefitssuchasfeelingcalm,happy,andasenseofself-control.Thesix-weektimeframeandsmall

samplesizearepossiblelimitationsforthisresearchstudytoshowsignificantdifferencesthroughthe

quantitativedataanalysis.

Keywords:teacheractionresearch,mindfulness,resiliency,self-efficacy,social-emotionallearning

Introduction

DuringKirsten’stimeasateacher,shehadobservedthatherstudents’lowsenseofself-efficacyappearedtoimpedetheirlearning.Commonbehaviorsrelatedtolowself-efficacyincludealowlevelofperseverance,i.e.,situationsinwhichstudentsbecomeeasilyfrustratedbymistakesorunknownanswers,self-talkfocusingonstudents’inabilitytocompleteatask,andalackofestablishing,workingtoward,andreflectingongoalswithintheclassroom.Kirstennoticedthatthesebehaviorswereovertakingmuchofthecoreinstructionaltimeforherstudents.Agreatdealoftheschooldayfocusedonthesenegativebehaviorsandprovidinginterventionstoaddressthembeforeeffectivelearningcouldoccur.Kirstenwasthereforeinterestedinfindingwaystostrengthenherstudents’self-efficacybyinvestigatingthefollowingquestion:Doesmindfulnessstrengthenself-efficacyinfirstgradestudents?



Thepurposeofthisstudywastoexploreiftheimplementationofdailymindfulnesspracticesintheclassroomhaveapositiveeffectonfirstgradestudents’self-efficacy.Overasix-weekperiod,allstudentsinKirsten’sclassroomparticipatedinmindfulnesspracticesduringthemorningmeetingtime.Datawerecollectedfromsixstudentswhoparticipatedinone-on-oneinterviewsandcompletedaquestionnairethreetimes;atthebeginning,midpoint,andendofthestudy.

LiteratureReview

Mindfulnessisgaininginfluenceineducationandabodyofresearchoutlinesthebenefitsofimplementingmindfulnesspracticesintoclassroomsettings(e.g.,Costello&Lawler,2014;Harpin,Rossi,Kim,&Swanson,2016;Moreno,2017).Studentsfacemanychallengesthatcompetefortheirattentionduringschoolhours.MalowandAustin(2016)observedthatstudentstressandanxietycontinuetorise.Asaresult,educatorsmusttakeonthecrucialroletoexplicitlyteachstudentshowtomanagestrongemotionsbeforetheyimpedetheirsuccess.Harpinetal.(2016)identifiedaneedforstudents,specificallywithinurbansettings,tostrengthentheirabilitiestocopewithadversityandtoimprovetheirfocustobemoresuccessfulinschool.

Mindfulnesspracticeisonestrategytosupportstudentsindealingwithstressandanxiety.Mindfulnessis“thecognitiveabilitytopayattentiontothepresentmomentwithoutjudgmentorattachmenttoadesiredoutcome”(Kelleretal.,2017,p.508).Studentscanutilizemindfulnessbytakingastructured,peaceful,reflectivetimetopracticekeepingtheirthoughtsinthepresent.Mindfulnessinvolvesthreeinterconnectingcomponentsthatincludeintention,attention,andattitude.GreasonandCashwell(2009)describedmindfulnessasastateofbeingattentivetoexperienceswithanattitudeofopennessandacceptance.Kielty,Gilligan,andStaton(2017)emphasizedthatmindfulnessisapracticeinwhichindividualsfocusonthecurrentexperiencesratherthanbeingon“auto-pilot.”Increasingacademicdemands,coupledwiththelackofcopingskillstodealwithexternalstressors,oftenleadstoaconstantstateofstressthatcreatesbarriersforstudentsuccess.

Theabilitytopracticemindfulnessinanopenandacceptingwayisnotaninnateskill.Educatorsmustfosteraninvitingenvironmentforstudentstopracticemindfulnessaswellasstrategicallyteachstudentshowtomanagestrongemotionsbeforethesestrongemotionsunderminetheiracademic,social,andbehavioralsuccess(Malow&Austin,2016).TheNationalScientificCouncilontheDevelopingChild(2015)statesthatadultsmustbuildcapabilitiesneededtomanagestresswithinchildren,includingtheabilitytofocusattention,problemsolve,plan,adjusttonewcircumstances,regulatebehavior,andcontrolimpulses.Whenstudentsparticipateinanenvironmentthatfostersmindfulness,thebarriersthatstandbetweenthemandtheiracademic,social,andbehavioralsuccessoftendiminish.

ResiliencyandSelf-Efficacy.Students’abilitytocontroltheiremotions,thoughts,andbehaviorsisessentialforsuccessinschoolandinlife(Thierryetal.,2016).Prolongedandunresolvedinternalandexternalstressinhibitsstudentsfromdevelopingastrongsenseof



self-efficacyandresiliency.However,mindfulnesscanbeutilizedtostrengthenbothareas.Social-emotionallearning(SEL)curriculumsfocusondevelopingtheabilitytorecognizeone’sownemotions,aswellastheemotionsofothers,whileprovidingthenecessaryskillstocommunicateemotionalunderstanding(Malow&Austin,2016).SELcurriculumsfostertheimplementationofmindfulnessandthedevelopmentofresiliencyinstudents.MalowandAustin(2016)definedresiliencyas,“thedegreetowhichanindividual’spersonalresourcesmatchorexceedtheirreactivitytointernalorexternalstress”(p.83).Self-efficacy,definedas,“one’sbeliefsorjudgmentabouthisorhercapabilities”(Greason&Cashwell,2009,p.3),isalsonurturedwithinSELcurriculums.

Self-efficacydevelopmentistheorizedtooccurthroughfourprimarysources,includingmasteryexperiences,vicariouslearning,verbalpersuasion,andchangesinemotionalarousal(Greason&Cashwell,2009).Mindfulnessisapracticethatcanbeusedintheclassroomwiththesefoursourcesofself-efficacydevelopmentinmind.Theopen-endednatureofmindfulnessallowsstudentstofeelasenseofmasteryintheirownuniqueway,whilecontinuouslylearningnewstrategiesandpractices.

Mindfulnessallowsstudentstorecognizetheadverseeffectsof“mindtraps”andoffersaperiodofreflection,stillness,andpeace(Costello&Lawler,2014).Mindtrapsarementalhabitsthatincreasestress,suchasnegativeself-talkinwhichchildrenarehardonthemselves.Thesehabitscanincludeself-criticizing,wherestudentsperceivethemselvestobeworthlessorinadequate(Costello&Lawler,2014).Mindfulnesspracticescanhelpstudentsovercomethenegativeinfluenceofmindtrapsontheirperceptionsofself-efficacyandresiliency.

Inadditiontoresiliencyandself-efficacy,self-regulationandemotionalawarenessarecriticalskillsforstudentstomastertoallowthemtolearnefficiently,workwellwithothers,anddecreaseanxietyanddepression(Kelleretal.,2017).Mindfulnesspromotestheseskillsthroughdirectinstructionandteachesstudentsstrategiestheycanindependentlyutilizewithintheirdailyroutines.Withdailypractice,mindfulnesscanpositivelysupportemotionalself-regulation,whichconsequentlyimprovesthelikelihoodofacademicsuccess(Kelleretal.,2017).

BrainDevelopmentandNeuroplasticity.Criticalperiodsinachild’sdevelopmentaretimesduringwhichpositiveexperiencescanprovideoptimalbraindevelopment.However,iftheseexperiencesareabsentorreplacedbynegativeexperiences,healthybraindevelopmentcanbedisrupted(Lally,2012).Earlychildhoodisacriticalperiodinwhichthebrainismalleableandeasilyshapedbythechild’senvironment.Knowingthatbraindevelopmentisshapedbyearlyexperiences,muchofwhatgetsinthewayoflearninginlateryearsistheresultofskillsthatwereunderdevelopedorneglectedinearlychildhood.Ifstudentsareexpectedtobesuccessfulinschool,teachersmustprovideexperiencesthatsupporthealthybraindevelopment.Lally(2012)describesexperience-createdexpectationsthatimpactbraindevelopmentas“brainshaping”experiences.Theseexperiencesfluctuate



greatlyfromstudenttostudentandcanpresentawidecollectionofvariablesthatinterferewithlearning,suchasstressorsorenvironmentalfactors.

Mindfulnesssupportsstudents’developmentofskillsthatarenecessaryforschoolsuccess.Stress-reducingpractices,suchasmindfulness,cancontributetopositivebraindevelopmentandfunctioningwhilealsoreducingtheexpressionofpro-inflammatorygenes(NationalScientificCouncilontheDevelopingChild,2015).Overtime,dailymindfulnesspracticescanleadtohealthybraindevelopmentinchildrenandfillinthe“gaps”thatmayexistinmanystudents.Mindfulnesspractices,inconjunctionwiththebrain’sneuroplasticity,allowchildrentocontinuouslydevelopandstrengthenskills,suchassustainedattention,focus,andcalmnessintheschoolsetting(Kieltyetal.,2017).Researchhasalsoshownthatmindfulnesscanstrengthenneuralsystemsthatsupportemotional,cognitive,andbehavioralregulation(Thierryetal.,2016).

Awarenessofbraindevelopmentallowseducatorstoplanactivitiesthatstrengthenunderdevelopedskillsandsupportstudentsforlearningandacademicsuccess.Forexample,childrenbenefitfromlearninghowtoslowdowntheirthinkingtogivetheirbraintimetooverridenegativeresponsestoshutdownoractout(Moreno,2017).Mindfulnessoffersstudentsstrategiestoslowdowntheirthinkingandgivesthemtimetoreflectandrespond,ratherthannegativelyreactingtostressfulevents.Moreno(2017)showedthatsix-year-oldchildrenwhoparticipatedinmindfulnesspracticestrengthenedtheircapacitytoslowdowntheirthinkingandreflect.Kieltyetal.(2017)demonstratedthepositiveinfluenceofmindfulnessformiddleschoolstudentswhowereaskedtopracticemindfulbreathingtocalmtheamygdalaand“freeup”thepre-frontalcortexbeforeengaginginhigh-stakestesting.

GrowthMindsetandPositivePsychology.Mindfulnessprovidesopportunitiesforstudentstocultivateandpracticeagrowthmindset.Apersonwithagrowthmindsetcanbedescribedasanindividualwhobelievestheirintelligenceandabilitiescanbecontinuouslydevelopedandenhanced(Kieltyetal.,2017).Bothmindfulnessandagrowthmindsetfosterapositiveattitudethatiscenteredonpracticeratherthanperfection.Theopennatureofmindfulnessallowsforfeedbackandopportunitiestopracticeovercomingadversityandsetbacks.Mindfulnessalsoenablesstudentswithanoptimisticattitudeandwithbasictrustduringtimesofuncertainty(Malow&Austin,2016).

Positivepsychologyis“employingstructuredinterventionstobuildresiliencywiththegoalofbufferingsymptomsofemotionaldysregulation”(Malow&Austin,2016,p.84).Mindfulnessisoneexampleofastructuredinterventiontosupportpositivepsychologicalfeelings.Mindfulnesscanalsoaidinalleviatingdistressthroughself-regulatoryprocesses,suchasmindfulbreathing.Cultivatingthepositivityandoptimismalongsidemindfulnessallowsforopportunitiesforgrowth.Moreno(2012)describedmindfulnessbeingrootedinthebeautyoffailure,wherestudentsworktorecognizethatratherthananendpoint,mindfulnessfocusesonrepeatedengagementwithacycleoffocus-lossandfocus-refocus.Withagrowthmindset,failurepresentsitselfasacontinuedopportunitytostartanew,



ratherthanafixedstoppingpoint.Routhier-Martin,Roberts,andBlanch(2017)stressedthatthepurposeofmindfulnessisnotforstudentstoforgetorrepresstheirstressorsorweaknesses,butrathertoacknowledgetheseareasforimprovementandpracticetheabilitytofocusonschoolworkinstead.

Insummary,social-emotionallearningandbraindevelopmentarefoundationalbuildingblocksforstudentstosucceedinschoolandinlife.Earlyexperiences,whetherpositiveornegative,impactbraindevelopment.Thelackofpositiveexperiencesinearlychildhoodcanimpedestudentsuccessandcreateaneedforinterventionslaterinlife.Mindfulnesspracticesintheclassroomareonetypeofinterventionstrategythatcanprovidestudentswithskillstodevelopandcultivateresiliency,astrongersenseofself-efficacy,emotionalawareness,andself-regulation.Pairingmindfulnesswithagrowthmindsetallowsforanoptimisticoutlookforgrowthinallstudents,nomattertheirbackgroundorseverityofstressorspresentintheirlives.Educatorswhoestablishmindfulnessroutinesandprocedureshelpstudentsunderstandthattheirintelligenceismalleableratherthanfixedandcanprovidestudentswithtoolsandstrategiestoovercomeadversitywithintheclassroomenvironment.Inaddition,teacherswhopracticemindfulnessthemselvescanhelpnurturemindfulnesswithintheirstudents.

Methodology

Design.Thisstudyusedamixed-methodmethodologycollectingdatafromsixstudentsonaLikertscalestylequestionnaireandfrominterviews.Open-endedquestionsandfollowuppromptswereusedtoexplorestudents’perceptionsofself-efficacyandtheimpactofthemindfulnessintervention.Interviewswererecorded,transcribed,andanalyzedforcommonthemes.Allinterviewsandquestionnaireswerecompletedinaquietspotintheclassroom,awayfromotherstudents.

ParticipantsandProcedure.All15studentsinKirsten’sfirst-gradeclassroomparticipatedinguidedmindfulnesspracticesoverasix-weekperiodusingaudioandvideoclipsfromGoNoodle(n.d.)andCalm(n.d.).Sixstudents,threemalesandthreefemales,wereselectedtocompleteaten-itemquestionnaireandtobeinterviewedtoexploretheirperceptionsofself-efficacy.Thesurveyincludedtenquestionswiththreepossibleresponses,yes,sometimes,andno.Acompositescorewasgiventoeachofthequestionnairesbyconvertingthesmilefacetothreepoints,theneutralfacetotwopoints,andthefrowningfacetoonepoint,yieldingapossiblescoreforeachstudentbetween10and30points.Ascoreof30indicateahighlevelofself-efficacyandalowerscorealesserdegreeofself-efficacy.Kirstenselectedthesesixstudentsbecauseoftheiropennesstoengageinone-on-oneconversationswithher.

Thequestionnaireincludedtenquestionsaskingstudentstoreflectontheirperceptionsoftheirself-efficacyandresiliencyskills.Thestudentscompletedthequestionnaireatthebeginningofthestudy,atthemidpoint(weekthree),andattheendofthestudyaftersixweeks.Thethree-pointLikertscaleutilizedsymbolsforthefirstgradestudentstoeasily



answerthequestions:asmilefaceforyes,aneutralfaceforsometimes,andafrowningfaceforno(seeTable1).

Table1:StudentQuestionnaire

Yes

Sometimes

No

1Iworkhardinschool.

2IcannameatleastonethingIamgoodat.

3Itrymybestatschooleveryday.

4 Icansolvemostproblemsbymyself.

5 Icanfinishallmyschoolwork.

6 IcancalmmyselfdownwhenIamangryorfrustrated.

7 Ipayattentiontomyteacherinclass.

8 IaskforhelpwhenIneedit.

9 Ikeeptrying,evenwhenthingsgethardortough.

10Icanmakeagoalformyselftoworktowards.

Thequalitativedatawerecollectedthroughfouropen-endedinterviewquestionsandfollow-upquestionswereusedtoexpandonstudents’thinking.Theinterviewswereadministeredatthesamethreepointsthroughouttheresearchstudyasthequestionnaire.Theinterviewswererecorded,transcribed,andanalyzedforcommonthemesinstudentresponsesusingthelogico-inductiveprocess(Mertler,2019)tomakesenseofthenarrativedata.Theinterviewquestionsincludedthefollowing:

1. Whatisyourfavoritepartofdoingmindfulnessactivities?

2. Domindfulnessactivitiesmakeyoufeellikeyouhaveself-control?Ifyes,howso?

3. Whatmindfulnessstrategieshaveyouusedthroughouttheschoolday?

4. Whatfeelingsdoyoufeelwhenwedomindfulnessactivities?



Results

Thesurveydatafromthequestionnairewassummarizedforthesixstudentsandthemeanandrangewereusedtocompareparticipants’answersbetweenthethreetimesthequestionnairewasadministered(Table2).Theresultsshowthattwostudentsincreasedtheirself-efficacyscoresoverthesixweeks,whilefourshowedadecrease.Themeanvariedslightlybetweenthethreesurveysandtherangebetweenstudentsdecreasedfromanine-pointrangewithinthefirstweektoafive-pointrangewithinthesixthweekofthestudy.Theresultssuggestthatthestudentsperceivedthemindfulnesspracticesfavorablywithameanscoreconsistentlyabove25,butdonotindicatethatstudentsincreasedtheirperceptionoverthesix-weekperiodoftheintervention.

Table2:StudentResponsestoQuestionnaire

Student Week1 Week3 Week6

M 30 28 26

E 21 25 26

H 29 29 30

K 28 21 26

A 26 26 25

L 25 24 25

Mean 26.5 25.5 26.3

Range 9 8 5

Aftertheinterviewsweretranscribed,commonstatementswerecoded.Usinglogico-inductiveanalysis(Mertler,2019)patternsandtrendswereidentifiedfromthestudentinterviews.Twopatternsemergedfromthestudentresponses.In15ofthe18interviewsstudentsidentifiedfeelingcalmafterparticipatinginamindfulnesspractice.Fiveofthesixstudentsfeltthatmindfulnesshelpedthemcalmdown.StudentHsaid,“they[themindfulnesspractices}calmmybodydown,”andStudentLfeltthat“ithelpsourbrainscalm.”Feelinghappyduringthemindfulnesspracticewasanotherpatterndiscoveredinten



interviewsasillustratedbyStudentL’scomment:“Itfeelslikeayummystrawberry.”Thefollowingtrendswerenotedfromacrossallinterviews,studentssharedthattheywereinterestedintryingthemindfulnessactivities.Fouroutofsixparticipantssaidthatmindfulnessactivitiesmadethemfeeltheyhadself-controlattheendofweekone.Attheendofweekthree,allstudentsreportedfeelingcalmwhenpracticingmindfulness,andfivestudentsreportedthattheactivitiesmadethemfeeltheyhadself-control.Attheendofweeksix,allstudentsreportedthatmindfulnessactivitiesprovidedthemwithasenseofself-control.Whenaskedwhatspecificidentifymindfulnessstrategiesstudentsusedthroughouttheschoolday,studentswereunabletoidentifyspecificstrategies.Insummary,studentswereeagertotryandwerereceptivetomindfulnessactivitiesandexpressedthattheyfeltastrongsenseofself-efficacyfollowingthemindfulnesspractices.

Thepurposeofthisstudywastoexploreifdailymindfulnesspracticesstrengthensself-efficacyinfirstgradestudents.Theresultsofthesurveysshowthatthesixstudentswhoparticipatedinthestudydidnotincreasetheirself-efficacyoverthesix-weekperiodofthestudy.However,intheinterviews,studentsexpressedthatmindfulnesspracticesmadethemhappyandhelpedthemcalmtheirbodiesandbrainsleadingtoasenseofself-control.Research(e.g.,Abdel-Khaleketal.,2014,Tahmasbipour,2017,Zakeretal.,2016),thoughnotdonewithelementarystudents,showastrongrelationshipbetweenhappinessandself-efficacy.Additionally,calmnessandself-controlareessentialelementsofself-efficacy.Insummary,theresultsofthestudentinterviewsshowthatstudentsexperiencedhappiness,calmness,andself-controlafterparticipatinginmindfulnesspractices,allessentialelementstodevelopingself-efficacy.

Discussion

Kirstenwaseagertoimplementmindfulnesswithinherfirst-gradeclassroom.Althoughshehadreceivednoformaltraininginmindfulnesspriortotheimplementationofthisstudy,sheresearchedbestpracticesandstrategiesthatwouldbeappropriateforherfirstgradestudents.Oneofthegreatesttakeawaysofhavingtheroleas“mindfulleader”forherstudentsisthepatienceherstudentsshowedintheclassroom.Shebeganthemindfulnessactivitieswithanopenmindset,whichallowedhertoguidethestudentsthroughthepracticeswithoutexpectingthatallstudentswouldreactinthesamemanner.Somestudentsshowedreluctancetoparticipateinthemindfulnessactivities,butwithhergrowthmindset,Kirstensawgrowthinallherstudentsduringthissix-weekperiod.Workingwithyoungerstudents,thepracticesweretakenmoreseriouslyandintentionallybytheendofthisstudybyallstudents.Studentsweremoreopenandwillingtosharetheirreflectionsduringthemorningmeetingtimeaswell.Theoverallcultureofthestudents’reflectivenaturewasonepositivebenefitthatKirstenobservedthroughoutthestudy.

Limitations

Thepresentstudyhasseverallimitations.Withasamplesizeofsixstudentsfromthesameschoolandreceivingmindfulnessactivitiesthroughthesamemethod,thefindingscannotbegeneralizedtoagreaterpopulation.Further,Kirsten’sdualroleasateacherandresearchermayhaveinfluencedthestudents’answersonthequestionnaires,despitebeing



madeawarethattheiranswerwasinnowaygoingtoinfluencetheiracademicgrade.Theshorttimeframeofthisstudymayalsolimitthestudybynotallowingstudentssufficienttimetopracticeandreflectontheimpactofmindfulnessactivities.Finally,askingsix-andseven-yearoldstudentstoreflectontheirperceptionsthroughthequestionnaireandinterviewquestionsmaynothavebeendevelopmentallyappropriateforallparticipants,e.g.,“Icanmakeagoalformyselftoworktowards.”

Implications

Thisstudyprovidedinsighttotherolemindfulnessactivitieshaveintheclassroomsetting.Studentswereeagerandwillingtoparticipateindailymindfulnessactivitiesandclassdiscussions.Werecommendthatteachersintroducemindfulnessactivitiesatthebeginningoftheschoolyear,pairingthemwithothersocial-emotionallearningconceptssuchasfosteringagrowthmindsetandcharacterstrengths(ViaInstituteonCharacter,n.d.).Implementingmindfulnessactivitiesisonestrategytohelpstudentsstrengthenself-efficacyandresiliency.

Teacherswhowishtoimplementmindfulnesspracticeswithintheclassroommustfosterandcreateanopenandinvitingclassroomcultureforstudentstopracticemindfulness.Theclassroomschedulemustallowforperiodsofcalmnessforstudentstopracticemeditationandreflection.Aspracticingmindfulnessandself-reflectionarenotinnateskills,especiallyforyoungstudents,werecommendthatteachersspendseveralweeksatthebeginningoftheschoolyearintroducingthetopicofbeingmindfulandfosteringagrowthmindset.Studentscanbeencouragedtoprogressattheirownpacethroughoutthemindfulnessjourney.Wealsorecommendedthatteacherssetasideatimeofdaytopracticeamindfulnessactivityfortheclass.Asstudentsgrowmorecomfortablewiththestrategieslearnedinthescheduledmindfulnessactivities,studentsshouldalsobegivenopportunitiestoapplythesestrategiesthroughouttheschoolday.Intentionalconversations(Laursen,2018)and“teachablemoments”shouldbeutilizedforstudentstoidentifyperiodsofthedayinwhichmindfulnesspracticescanbeutilized.Inelementarygrades,theteachercanserveasthemodelbyusinga“thinkingoutloud”modelinwhichtheteacherexplicitlydemonstratesaperiodofthedayinwhichamindfulnesspractice,suchasdeepbreathingorabodyscan,canbeusedintheclassroom.

Conclusion

Weencourageschoolleaderstoprovideteacherswhoarewillingandreadytotakeontheincorporationofmindfulnesspracticeswithprofessionaldevelopmentonbeinga“mindfulleader.”Thereareprofessionaldevelopmentworkshopsandonlineclassesthatcanbeutilizedforteacherstobecomefamiliarwithdifferentprogramsandmindfulnessactivities.Teacherswhopracticeandfamiliarizethemselveswithmindfulnessfirstwillhaveasmoothertransitionimplementingitwithintheirownclassroom.

Finally,wesuggestthatteachersreflectonstudents’perceptionsofmindfulnessactivitiesandtheimpactonstudents’self-efficacyandresiliency.Follow-upresearchonwaysto



measurestudentperceptionsofmindfulnesspracticesissuggestedtobestfittheagegroupofstudentswhoareparticipatinginmindfulnesspractices.

AbouttheAuthors

KirstenL.Logan,M.Ed.iscurrentlyafirstgradeteacherinVirginia.ShereceivedherundergraduatedegreefromAshlandUniversityinAshland,OhioinEarlyChildhoodEducationandhermaster’sdegreeinCurriculumandInstructionfromtheUniversityofRichmondinRichmond,Virginia.Herresearchinterestsincludegrowthmindset,mindfulness,positivebehaviorinterventions,andsocialemotionallearningcurricula.Email:[email protected]

ErikK.Laursen,Ph.D.isanAdjunctAssociateProfessorintheDepartmentofEducationattheUniversityofRichmond.Heteachestheactionresearchcourseandworkswithhisgraduatestudentstopublishtheresultsoftheirclassroom-basedprojects.Hisresearchinterestsareinpositiveeducation,caringrelationships,andcharacterstrengths.Healsoteacheseducatorsinyouthworkersintraumainformedpractices.Dr.LaursenreceivedhisdoctoraldegreefromVirginiaCommonwealthUniversity.Email: [email protected]



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