the cure for the distracted mind: why law schools should teach mindfulness shailini j. george...
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The Cure for the Distracted Mind: Why Law Schools Should Teach
Mindfulness
Shailini J. George [email protected] of Legal Writing
Suffolk University Law School
Fourth Annual Colonial Legal Writing Conference“Teaching the Academically Underprepared Law Student”
December 6, 2014
What is mindfulness?
Today’s law students
• Millennials
• Digital natives
• “gen M”
• Google generation
• FOMO generation
Why mindfulness in law school?
Science of Learning
• Frontal lobe-brain’s manager. Used to concentrate and deeply focus.
• Parietal lobe-always seeking sensory information from the environment.
How do we learn?
• Complex, multi-step process which requires attention
Mindfulness can improve focus
Benefits of mindfulness
Benefits include:• Improved attention• Increased working memory capacity• Rise in academic achievement• Increased empathy and self compassion• Improved creativity• Boosted immunity• Reduction in stress and anxiety
Mindfulness in the classroom
• Breathing exercise
• One minute journal
• Discussion of metacognition
Mindfulness in law schools now
• Law schools have begun teaching and encouraging mindfulness • For credit/not for credit classes
• Emotional intelligence• Professional responsibility• Dispute resolution
• Part of clinics• Meditation retreats
Mindfulness in teaching benefits
learningExamples:
• Journals• Self-critiques• Mid-term evaluations• Short writing assignments• Muddiest point/one-minute paper