For 2024, MiSP remains committed to making a positive impact on the lives of children and young people, and the adults working with them. Our recent Team ‘away day’ enabled us to revisit our current key objectives for the upcoming year, including:

• Expanding the reach of our School Mindfulness Pathways programme and resources. This will enable us to offer and articulate MiSP’s support to more schools and students, including those in underserved communities.
• Continuing to showcase the voices of children and young people, including those who have benefited from mindfulness practices.
• Increasing awareness of the connection between mindfulness and overall wellbeing. Mindfulness practices can enhance our lives in many ways. One goal in 2024 is to highlight the relationship between mindfulness and wellbeing, find new ways to articulate this and share with you.
• Supporting our community of trained teachers, including a soon to be updated round-up of the latest evidence-based research.

So, please watch this space during the coming months! This list is by no means exhaustive, and we are always open to feedback and suggestions from our community on ways we can improve MiSP’s offering.

Recent projects for long-term impact

It has been a pleasure to begin training teachers in Warrington, thanks to the generous fundraising efforts of Esther Ghey in memory of her daughter, Brianna. Esther’s dedication and support has been incredibly inspiring and we are hugely grateful to be the recipient of such a heartfelt legacy. Thank you to everyone who has donated to the latest campaign which, at the time of writing, is close to reaching its target of £50k!

We are also proud to be working with schools in some of the most deprived areas of Newcastle upon Tyne, through a new partnership with the NEAT Academy Trust and the generosity of the CHK Foundation. This project builds on our previous training efforts in the region, and it has been such a highlight to see our training in action and hear directly from the children who benefit.

MiSP is currently exploring the possibility of joint funding bids in other geographical areas to make mindfulness a community-wide initiative. If you are interested in discussing potential projects in your area or Trust, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Bringing mindfulness to schools around the world

It’s also heart-warming for us to celebrate the growing MiSP global community, with around 1 in 4 of our participants joining us from overseas and partnerships where MiSP training is delivered in the local language (including Hong Kong, Japan and the Netherlands). To support our colleagues worldwide, we will continue to pilot training that works for different time zones. These will also hopefully support our UK colleagues’ varying work schedules.

As we move forward, MiSP remains committed to making mindfulness accessible to as many children and young people as possible.  As ever, if you have thoughts about how we can fund work in your community or with a particular group of educational settings, do get in touch.

Keep in touch

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The post What’s ahead for Mindfulness in Schools Project? appeared first on Mindfulness in Schools Project.

Thank you to all trained teachers who attended the MiSP MYRIAD reflections surgery on Wednesday 21st September 2022, at which MiSP’s Co-founder and Chair, Richard Burnett, shared some background.

In response to feedback from attendees, here are some more of Richard’s reflections on the recently published findings from the MYRIAD project; a large randomised control trial exploring the effectiveness of mindfulness training in schools.

What question was MYRIAD trying to answer?

In 2014, when MiSP was invited by one of the world’s foremost universities to research our secondary school curriculum –  .b – it was very exciting. We had already been testing curricula since 2009 but here was an opportunity to see whether the positive outcomes we were seeing in smaller trials could be replicated on a much larger scale.

And so began MYRIAD, the first large-scale trial of mindfulness in schools, funded by the Wellcome Trust and led by Oxford University, alongside Cambridge, Exeter, King’s College London, University College London and Pennsylvania State University.

100 schools. 650 teachers. 28,000 children. This was serious stuff.

Eight years later, what have we learnt?

The attention-grabbing headline was an easy one and a gift for the sceptics: ‘Mindfulness in schools doesn’t work’.

But let’s unpack that.

It is easy to lose sight of one of the key questions that MYRIAD was trying to answer.

MYRIAD was not asking “Does mindfulness work?”. We know that mindfulness ‘works’ if by ‘works’ we mean that, at its most simple, it helps people who practise it. We could back this up with the ‘science’ of large-scale randomised control trials, or the commercial interest in the sector, but I’d point you towards the person or people you know who might have done some Headspace, or been on a Breathworks course, or read Mark Williams’ book, and it has helped them.

Like going to the gym, for most people, most of the time, it is a healthy thing to do, even if people who do it a lot and tell you about it may be a bit annoying to some!

MYRIAD was not even asking “Can mindfulness work in schools?”. The Wellcome Trust would not have funded MYRIAD if they hadn’t been reasonably sure from earlier trials, of the same curriculum, that mindfulness can support children and young people in a wide range of educational contexts.

No. At the heart of MYRIAD’s approach and implicit in the design of the research was the question:

“Is this scalable?”

The early evidence base for mindfulness in schools was coming primarily from trials where it was being taught by schoolteachers who were also mindfulness experts.  But if we were serious about scaling this up, we would have to ask a more difficult question:

Could thousands of teachers be trained up from a standing start – teachers who don’t yet practise mindfulness and may not even have an interest in it – so that it can be swiftly and cost-effectively implemented for the benefit of children and young people?”

How transformative it might have been if the answer had been ‘yes’.

But it wasn’t.

Were we disappointed?

Of course – who wouldn’t want to find a way of supporting young people’s mental health? But were we surprised? Not especially.

MYRIAD was testing whether a single curriculum could be scaled up to deliver measurable improvements in mental health and well-being via teachers with no mindfulness background, who had taught it only once before. And all of this is in secondary education with adolescents, whose need is arguably the greatest but who are less biddable than their primary school counterparts.

It was always ambitious. Mindfulness was the new kid on the block and this was one of the questions that needed to be answered. With the mental health of children and young people seemingly continuing to worsen, according to NHS Digital, I even wonder if we were asking it more in hope than expectation.

Was it worth doing?

Definitely – even if with the wisdom of hindsight those involved might have changed a few things.

Those of us who teach mindfulness in schools regularly see the impact it can have, but we also know how difficult it can be and that it is not for everyone. The spirit of MYRIAD was intended to be investigative and exploratory; it was not supposed to be asking ‘whether’ but ‘how?’. What works and for whom? How do gender or cultural differences for instance play out? What about teacher interest, mindfulness experience and competency? What about socio-economics? The findings are nuanced and some of them are at odds with other research, but it is all helping to build a clearer picture of how mindfulness in schools does and doesn’t work.

In mindfulness, we talk a great deal about the ‘beginner’s mind’. So, whilst acknowledging that there were limitations as with any large-scale trial, let’s turn towards these findings with an open heart to better understand which aspects of the approaches used in the trial don’t work, which ones do and for whom, and innovate accordingly.

Interested in further reflections on MYRIAD?

1. See MiSP’s initial response
2. See also the response from the Mindfulness Initiative.

The post MYRIAD Reflections appeared first on Mindfulness in Schools Project.

The programme was delivered by Gerry Rickard, who trained to teach Paws b earlier this year and completed a Masters in Mindfulness-Based Teaching at Bangor University.

In this blog, you’ll hear all about the school, Gerry’s experience and feedback on the course.

About Southern Cross Academy

Southern Cross Academy is a small school in the town of Vilanculos on the Indian Ocean which was set up as a foundation around fifteen years ago and is funded by school fees and donations. With less than thirty pupils between the ages of 6 and 12, the school caters for both local and ex-pat children and follows the UK curriculum. The curriculum is mainly taught through topics and the children are encouraged to share their viewpoints, question and explore.

The school also fosters an ethos in which the children are like a ‘family’ and are encouraged to look after and respect each other and their natural environment. Older children act as role models for the younger ones and are given special responsibilities.

Teaching Paws b at Southern Cross

Paws b was taught in two separate groups – one for those aged 7-9 and another for older children up to 11 years old – over 12 weeks.

I loved the interaction with the kids, especially the younger group, who really got involved. It’s amazing how much they remember on a week-to-week basis. Having only had experience teaching mindfulness to adults, giving a Paws b course was so refreshing. The course itself is fantastic – with all the themes from the adult eight-week courses wonderfully contained in this programme. It was so cool to sit and lead a group of children in a meditation practice. – Gerry

Southern Cross Academy Head, Megan Gotine, was happy to have given the children the opportunity to learn Paws b:

The Paws b programme was such a wonderful opportunity for our children. It is linked closely with the ‘Growth Mindset’ that we strongly encourage all the children to develop. It was fascinating to watch how they responded to the mindfulness practices and to hear their ideas during the discussions with Gerry. They have developed a good understanding of how different parts of the brain function and how they link with our feelings and behaviours.

We are very grateful to Gerry for delivering this programme at the school, and feel privileged to be the first school in Mozambique to experience Paws b! We will be continuing some of the practices with the children, and would also love to have Gerry back to deliver more sessions. Thank you, Gerry and Mindfulness in Schools! – Megan

Learn to teach Paws b

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Background to MiSP’s curriculum used in the research

MiSP’s curriculum for 11-18 year olds, .b, was selected to be used in the MYRIAD project in 2015 as the UK based mindfulness curriculum with the strongest published evidence base for this age group. Alongside its curricula for younger children, .b has been developed by MiSP as a classroom introduction to mindfulness, designed to be taught by teachers who understand and practise it.

The same curriculum was previously the subject of a controlled trial (with 522 pupils, taught by 9 teachers in 9 different schools) and showed a positive impact on pupils’ mental health, namely stress, depression and wellbeing^[i]. All of these teachers were experienced in classroom mindfulness teaching, having taught .b many times, and were supported by their own routine mindfulness practice.

The MYRIAD project was the first large scale randomised trial (with more than 28,000 pupils, taught by 650 teachers in 100 different schools) to see whether the above successful trial could be easily and cost-effectively scaled up – this time by training teachers who were new to mindfulness and the curriculum. MYRIAD also explored the impact of mindfulness training on teachers’ mental health and wellbeing, and on school climate.

The full results of the project can be found at the MYRIAD website here.

MiSP is encouraged to note the following findings from the study:

1. Teachers who underwent an initial 8-week mindfulness training saw improvements in their own mental health, especially relating to burnout. This is in line with research findings from our own trainings designed for teachers and parents^[i], from feedback from our courses and from wider research on the impact of mindfulness on teachers’ wellbeing and effectiveness^[ii].
2. School based mindfulness training (SBMT) improved the school climate, according to teachers’ perceptions. School climate has been shown in previous research to underpin positive outcomes for teacher and pupil wellbeing^[iii].
3. The higher the quality of mindfulness teaching in the classroom, the more credible it is to children and young people and the more effective it may be in supporting their mental health. Such findings are supported by previous research^[iv].
4. Whilst not that many young people in this study routinely carried out mindfulness practice at home, those who did enjoyed better mental health. This is in line with previous findings, including from research on our programmes^{[v] [vi]} and we continue to seek ways of encouraging mindfulness skills and approaches in and beyond the classroom.
5. The study showed that SBMT was more helpful for children from poorer backgrounds. Reaching increased numbers of children and young people from economically disadvantaged areas – through fundraising for subsidised training places – remains key to our charitable objectives.

Findings that we look forward to exploring further include:

• The relatively low acceptability (popularity) score for this curriculum in this trial differs markedly from previous research and our own feedback collated over 12 years. For instance, of the more than 5,000 pupils who have completed .b class impact surveys: over 80% said they found the course enjoyable; over 70% said they found the course useful, and almost 70% said it helped them cope with difficulty. Why was there such a difference in the MYRIAD study? We look forward to unpicking this and make some suggestions below.
• MYRIAD’s finding that mindfulness in this study did not have the expected effect on mental health is perhaps less surprising, given that in the previous trial, the curriculum was taught by experienced mindfulness teachers with an established practice^[vii], and they were assessed when they had taught it many times. In the MYRIAD trial, teachers need not have had any interest in mindfulness, were excluded if they had previously recently trained in it and had usually only taught it once at the point of being assessed.
• Achieving teacher competency in mindfulness is complex, takes time and may not be suited to all. Whilst some of the classroom teachers in the MYRIAD study will have been proficient, we also know that, in the time available, teachers on average only achieved a level of competence of ‘advanced beginner’ (as defined by an adapted version of the MBI-TAC (Mindfulness-based Intervention – Teaching Assessment Criteria)^[viii].
• MYRIAD’s research, coupled with MiSP’s own class impact data and case studies, appears to suggest the importance of training teachers who self-select out of an interest in mindfulness rather than attempting to work with teachers universally. If so, and with others in the mindfulness field, MiSP looks forward to exploring innovative ways of reaching more teachers with a natural interest, as well as raising awareness about mindfulness more generally amongst a greater number of educators.
• We are increasingly aware that mindfulness practice in a meditation-type format may not be suitable for children who are particularly vulnerable to mental health difficulties. MYRIAD’s finding that the curriculum was less helpful to those directly experiencing mental health problems in this trial appears to add weight to this. Since MYRIAD began in 2015, MiSP has become increasingly aware of the principles of trauma-sensitive mindfulness.^[ix] MYRIAD’s research is a useful and timely reminder as to why this is so important.

Looking ahead

These findings will continue to help us in our constant innovation, particularly of the .b curriculum and approach. They are also likely to add renewed impetus to MiSP’s ongoing teacher development, co-creation of resources with teachers and young people, and our work on broader school climate.

We look forward to further reflection and consideration of all the findings in the fullness of time, alongside our own experience, case studies, class impact surveys and other high-quality research.

[i] Kuyken, W., Weare, K., Ukoumunne, O., Vicary, R., Motton, N., Burnett, R., . . . Huppert, F. (2013). Effectiveness of the Mindfulness in Schools Programme: Non-randomised controlled feasibility study. British Journal of Psychiatry, 203(2), 126-131. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.113.126649

[ii] Beshai, S., McAlpine, L., Weare, K. et al. (2016) A non-randomised feasibility trial assessing the efficacy of a mindfulness-based intervention for teachers to reduce stress and improve well-being. Mindfulness 7, 198–208. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-015-0436-

[iii] Zarate, Kary & Maggin, Daniel & Passmore, Amanda. (2019). Meta‐analysis of mindfulness training on teacher well‐being. Psychology in the Schools. 56. 10.1002/pits.22308.

[iv] Wang, MT., Degol, J. School Climate: a Review of the Construct, Measurement, and Impact on Student Outcomes. Educ Psychol Rev 28, 315–352 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9319-1

[v] Kuyken et al (2013) ibid

[vi] Huppert, F. A., & Johnson, D. M. (2010). A Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Training in Schools: The Importance of Practice for an Impact on Well-Being. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5, 264-274. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17439761003794148

[vii] Kuyken et al (2013) ibid

[viii] The six levels of competency as defined by the MBI-TAC are Incompetent, Beginner, Advanced Beginner, Competent, Proficient and Advanced.

[ix] For instance, training its teachers to ensure a school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead or other pastoral stakeholders deselect any particularly vulnerable pupils.

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Elinor interviews primary school teacher and MiSP Associate Trainer, Chris Alekkou:

The post Chris Alekkou appeared first on Mindfulness in Schools Project.

Elinor interviews the founder of Teachappy and author of the award-winning Wellbeing In The Primary Classroom – A Practical Guide To Teaching Happiness, Adrian Bethune:

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Mindfulness has been such an important part of my life for many years. I have always been attracted to meditation and particularly the roots of contemporary, secular mindfulness in Buddhist psychology. When I came across mindfulness 20 years ago it seemed to show me a way of integrating meditation and mindfulness-based practices into my everyday life.

It has taken me a long time to build the habit of a ‘formal practice’ into my day but as with so many people, I have commuted and travelled much less over the last two years, and finding 20/30 minutes in the early morning to practice has become easier. I do find this makes a difference and mindful awareness is now more likely to show up day to day. That can mean noticing when I am doing one thing and pulled to do another. I can be half way through writing a paper and think ‘oh I must just check my emails’, then before I know it I am flitting around from emails to twitter and back to writing. Mindfulness helps me notice when my attention is scattered in this way, lean back, take a breath and go back to my intention to finish what I started writing!

I have also noticed how much it has helped me during zoom calls

I now remember to take an upright posture and be aware of when my mind wanders, which is easy to do when online. I have also found how strong my own ‘inner narrative’ is on zoom where I can get drawn away from what someone is saying into my judgment or analysis of what I am hearing or not listening at all, and instead busy rehearsing what I want to say next. Although I am still staring at the screen, I am now more aware when I am not really there. I then straighten my posture, feel my feet on the floor take a couple of deep breaths and come back to the present moment.

I used to have a very strong inner critic.

I was always beating myself up for mistakes or for falling short of my own high expectations of myself. I now have a much healthier relationship with this critical voice. I notice it, I welcome it, I tell it that I’m OK and don’t need it right now, then breathe until it loosens its hold on me. It was a revelation to me when I realised that these voices in my head were not real but a mental fabrication that I could choose to take notice of or not. This is an area of mindfulness practice that many school leaders I work with find really helpful. It’s also a revelation to them when they realise so many of their peers feel the same way – it normalises it and helps them to work skilfully with this critical inner voice.

I have many less than perfect moments!

Mindfulness has really helped me to live in a way that accepts that ‘nothing lasts’, and therefore all moments, even those that feel tough, are to be welcomed. I have learned to ‘let go’ of the day at the end of the day. The practices of Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village community have helped me immensely, especially the breathing practices which I lean into at the end of the day especially if I have been commuting. To sit in the car for a moment, breathe and note ‘I have arrived, I am home’ is a way of bringing myself back to being ‘whole’ once again, regardless of the day. I have begun to understand that this doesn’t mean I don’t care about what went on during the day – but that by returning to the most authentic sense of myself, and by practising ease of being by breathing and coming into stillness, I can let it go.

My ‘go to’ practice during the day is ‘grounding myself’.

I call this ‘throwing down my anchor’, when the world threatens to knock me off course. This can happen through an email, an overheard remark, a news headline, or a ruminative thought and worry about that which has not yet happened, and probably never will. Simply stopping, feeling my feet on the floor, and breathing, then noticing my thoughts and using my breath and my body to ‘tether them’ a little really helps. No one knows I am doing it and it only takes a micro moment. Ending these little grounding practices with a smile helps me to lighten up too!

The more I practise, the more I see that other activities I love are also opportunities to practise mindfulness. Swimming, walking and knitting, for example are in themselves embodied activities that offer a slowing down and a natural way of ‘going to ground’. Getting into the local pool in the morning which is usually very cold is also a good way of practising an appreciation of cold water on skin!

I have had the opportunity to develop the practice of mindfulness with hundreds of amazing school leaders. The benefits they have experienced have helped deepen my practice also. So many of them experience self-doubt and tend to down play their incredible and heroic leadership, particularly over these last two years. This quote by Jon Kabat Zinn says something about why the practice of mindfulness has been so helpful to them and to me:

‘Maybe our fear is that we are less than we are
When the reality is that we are far, far more’.

The post A day in the life of . . . appeared first on Mindfulness in Schools Project.

I recently facilitated a MiSP programme on ‘Exploring Mindful Leadership’ for those trained, through MiSP, to teach mindfulness to children and who were interested in exploring how their mindfulness practice could enhance their leadership whatever their role. We also explored how we might use our experience, as teachers of mindfulness, to influence the development of a culture of mindfulness across a school and the impact this can have on all members of a school community.

This exploration draws on the voices of some of those who took part in the programme. The themes are taken from the four stanzas of a lovely poem written by Hamish as he reflected on the core themes that resonated for him in the programme.

Leading with presence

What if we could lead with presence,
And clear intent,
Pause, listen deeply,
Especially, even to unsaid words,
And tangled emotions hidden in plain sight,
Simply witness,
Unblinkered and unshuttered,
Assuming positive intent in others?

As a leader or teacher the greatest gift we can give to any one is our presence. To be here, fully aware, attentive and focused when conversing, when teaching, when reading, when listening. We can only embody presence, when we are fully in this moment. After all, this very moment is the only moment we have in which to live, and in which to lead. So why not be here for it?

Schools are busy places and as a result we can easily fall into a state of “continuous partial attention”, mentally living in the past or the future, rarely still and never fully present for ourselves or for those we teach and lead. The cultivation of leadership presence, attentiveness and deep listening, was a core part of the programme.

We noted with interest how we teach the practices of grounding, responding wisely, noticing intrusive thought, but in our day-to-day work, get caught up in busy-ness and lead or teach with ‘constant partial attention.’ As Liz shared ‘I have explored how can I be a more mindful leader with less stress and more compassion, aware of some of the habits I have fallen into especially during the pandemic. I have had a chance to reflect and have decided to change how I approach my leadership’.

We shared that one of the core roles of leaders and teachers is to be ‘chief noticers’, and this requires us to be here, in this moment – noticing when we are pulled into the past or the future, or simply distracted and on autopilot. Seren noted how she now has more present moment awareness, arriving in school each morning doing a short breathing practice and settling clear intentions for the day, balancing her ‘to do’ and ‘to be’ list.

Leaning into that which is difficult

What if we could lean into that which is difficult,
Invite the tiger to tea,
And how things ‘ought to be’,
Getting close,
With kindness, curiosity and compassion,
Remembering ‘what we resist persists’,
Awakening our inner coach to
What else might be true here?

School leadership is complex and demanding. Challenging conversations, high stakes accountability and leading our schools in complex and uncertain times can take its toll.

We explored cultivating a wise relationship with our thoughts and feelings. We noticed how often we ‘borrow trouble from tomorrow’, falling into ‘anticipatory worry’, ruminating on an all too realistic worst-case scenario. This sort of anticipatory worry or fear can make us feel powerless. We can feel unbalanced as if we are losing our grip. Self-doubt can creep in.  Mindfulness helps us notice when we are leaning into a future replete with uncertainty and worry and, by drawing on some simple practices in the programme, we learned to come back with a greater degree of inner confidence and mental clarity to the present moment.

Helen noted this when she reminded us that teaching and leadership can be a lonely business, especially when facing difficulty. The work we did on the inner critic and imposter syndrome really resonated with her, helping her to work with the little voice in her head, that we all have, saying – ‘am I good enough?’.

Sam practices leaning into the difficult by stopping, breathing and looking at the situations in his day-to-day work in a different light.

Seren explored how the programme and the mindfulness practices have supported her in handling challenging conversations. She is now clearer on her own intention in the conversation, of how she speaks, of the power of silence and of how she is able to ‘eavesdrop’ on herself and name what’s happening in a conversation as its happening -staying grounded and open throughout.

Leading with equanimity

What if we could lead with equanimity,
Skipping lightly from dance floor to balcony and back,
With a ‘radical acceptance’ of what’s here,
In awareness of inner bias and
Letting go of what we think we already know,
A willingness to rethink and reframe,
and decide, then invite dissent,
as you would the tiger?

We explored the practice of effective leaders who cultivate balance in their day-to-day work. They spend time ‘on the dance floor’ – in the thick of it – and also ‘on the balcony’– watching, sensing, with open perception. We reflected on how our work is often characterised by a ‘driven, doing, striving’ mode of being, and we practiced balancing this with a ‘sensing, experiencing and being’ mode. The driven, doing ‘dance floor’ is alluring, it feeds our need to be ‘valued’, and for a number of the participants weaning ourselves off the pull of the dance floor was an important aspect of the programme.

In other words we practiced equanimity and being ‘in balance’, in the middle of the demands of the day. We noticed how these practices brought greater clarity to our work, allowing us to be more responsive and less reactive in day-to-day encounters. They enabled us to be calm and so ‘model calm’ to others. For Vanessa the practice of being in balance, modelling this and ‘lending the children our calm’, for example at the start of assembly, really resonated.

Leadership renewal and sustainability

What if we could renew and sustain ourselves,
Ask for help and see it as a strength,
Be aware, offer hope,
And lead with compassion,
Seeing attentiveness, a subtle act of love,
Inattentiveness, a subtle act of neglect,
Pivoting towards purpose and asking,
What really matters to me in this moment?

We explored the art and practice of daily renewal as a teacher and a leader, drawing on the practices of compassion and gratitude, and cultivating micro moments of pause in our daily lives. For Liz, the programme gave her the ‘permission slip I never knew I needed’ to have the confidence to practice renewal and support others to similarly attend to and renew themselves. This meant modelling stillness in mind and body, turning towards that which nourishes and lifts our spirits at work, and intentionally practicing gratitude and appreciation.

For a number of participants this meant reconnecting with their core purpose once again and living it moment by moment by pausing and asking: ‘what really matters to me in this moment, so how am I going to be in this moment?’ – then acting in accordance with their purpose.

Shifting culture

At the heart of all our conversations was how we can more intentionally model mindfulness in school and over time support a shift in organisational culture to one that is more mindful, compassionate and kind. We realised that this doesn’t necessarily mean we have to ‘put on’ mindfulness programmes for staff although this is undoubtedly useful. Our sphere of influence is often bigger than we think and we kept reminding ourselves that the opportunity to teach mindfulness and change culture often comes in disguise.

For some participants this opportunity came in how they conducted conversations, in how they started and ended meetings, how they gave time to regular staff ‘check ins’, how they now approach difficult decision making, or in how they embodied compassion and kindness in everyday actions.

Sarah reflected ‘I now see how I can take my mindfulness practice into my leadership – I now see the link, I now practice being more mindful as a leader with less stress and more compassion.’ For Liz the realisation that she had slipped into some habits during the pandemic, meant the course gave her a chance to reflect and change how she approaches her leadership. Vanessa had a similar reflection on the programme saying ‘we had conversations that were relevant, intelligent, inspirational and thought provoking – it helped us to notice, attend to and move on’.

Changing culture takes time and starts with our own internal change. This is the power of mindfulness. As Tolstoy said ‘everyone thinks of changing the world but no – one thinks of changing themselves’. Mindfulness allows us to attend to this inner and outer change simultaneously.

Helen describes this shift when she says ‘MiSP courses teach me about myself and how to truly reflect on my inner world. If I can become a more balanced person as a result this will impact on my work life for the better too.’

With thanks to:
Liz Banner
Sarah Gear
Vanessa Hartson Walker
Hamish Keddie
Helen Offen
Sam Payen
Seren Ruane

To join Maggie on the next Exploring Mindful Leadership course please apply here.

Maggie will be one of our expert speakers at our 2022 Conference. Find out more here.

The post From Teaching Mindfulness to Leading Mindfully – An Exploration appeared first on Mindfulness in Schools Project.

• Enw: Ffiona Owen
• Rôl: Athrawes meddylgarwch allanol
• Lleoliad: Abertawe
• Ystod oed y disgyblion: 7 – 11 oed (CA2)
• Nifer y disgyblion: 276 (CA2)
• Nifer o ddosbarthiadau: 9
• Canran premiwm disgybl: Amherthnasol
• Canran ADY (SEND/SEMH): 16.7%
• Nifer o staff a hyfforddwyd i addysgu meddylgarwch: 0
• Dyddiad cyflawni: Tymor yr haf 12/04/2021 – 16/07/2021

Yn ystod mis Hydref 2014, ar argymhelliad seicolegydd, fe wnes i gwblhau cwrs 8 wythnos ar Leihau Straen yn Seiliedig ar Feddylgarwch (MBSR) a gynhaliwyd gan Dr Helen Davies o’r Ganolfan Gwaith ac Ymchwil Seiliedig ar Feddylgarwch, Prifysgol Abertawe, i fy helpu i ddelio â chyflwr niwrolegol yr oeddwn newydd dderbyn diagnosis yn ei gylch ynghyd â’r ansicrwydd, y pryder a’r straen cyson a ddaeth yn ei sgil.

Roeddwn wedi ymarfer fel Ffisiotherapydd ers 10 mlynedd, gan arbenigo mewn adsefydlu strôc. Roedd fy ymarfer yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth ac nid oeddwn erioed wedi clywed am feddylgarwch. Roeddwn yn cael trafferth ar y pryd ac nid oedd gennyf ddim i’w golli, felly cwblheais y cwrs MBSR.

Fe ddysgais i gymaint: sut i fod yn bresennol, sut i ganolbwyntio ar y presennol, sut i ddelio ag emosiynau anodd mewn ffordd iach. Allwn i ddim peidio â meddwl, pe bawn i wedi dysgu’r sgiliau hyn yn gynt, faint gwell y byddwn i wedi delio â straen bywyd. Ar y pryd, roedd fy mhlant yn 5 a 3 oed ac ni allwn beidio â meddwl pa mor fuddiol fyddai meddylgarwch iddynt.

Yn ystod tymor yr Hydref 2019, cysylltais â Mr Ceri Scourfield, pennaeth Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pontybrenin, ysgol gynradd cyfrwng Cymraeg yn Abertawe yr oedd fy mhlant 10 ac 8 oed yn ei mynychu ar y pryd. Roedd gen i berthynas gref gyda’r ysgol eisoes trwy fy mhlant fy hun ac roeddwn i’n gwirfoddoli’n rheolaidd i helpu disgyblion y Cyfnod Sylfaen gyda’u darllen. Fy ngobaith oedd cyflwyno rhaglenni meddylgarwch o fewn yr ysgol.

Eglurais y cwrs Paws b a ddatblygwyd gan y Prosiect Meddylgarwch mewn Ysgolion (MiSP) a daethom i gytundeb y byddwn yn cyflwyno’r rhaglen yn wirfoddol i bob un o’r 9 dosbarth CA2 yn gyfnewid am i’r ysgol dalu ffioedd fy nghwrs. Roedd y cwricwlwm newydd gael ei gyfieithu i’r Gymraeg a ni fyddai’r ysgol gyntaf i’w gyflwyno yn yr iaith hon. Roedd y cytundeb hwn yn rhagddyddio’r ailwampio yng nghwricwlwm ysgolion Cymru a chyn dyfodiad Covid.

Ar ddechrau tymor y Gwanwyn 2020, fe darodd Covid – gohiriwyd fy hyfforddiant ac ni chaniatawyd ymwelwyr ar dir yr ysgol bryd hynny. Cwblheais fy hyfforddiant Paws b ar-lein fis Mehefin 2020 ac yn nhymor yr haf 2021 cyflwynais y cwrs i ddisgyblion CA2. Y diben oedd cyflwyno meddylgarwch i athrawon a myfyrwyr yr ysgol gyda’r bwriad bod yr ysgol edrych ar hyfforddiant pellach i’w staff er mwyn gwreiddio meddylgarwch yn llawn yn y tymor hir, gyda mi yn dod i mewn ar sail ymgynghorol i gefnogi ei weithrediad.

Nid oeddwn erioed wedi dysgu dosbarth o blant o’r blaen felly roedd yn llwybr dysgu serth! Enillais gymaint o hyder ynof fy hun, fy ngalluoedd fy hun a’r gred oedd gennyf mewn meddylgarwch, a dim ond cryfhau wnaeth y cwrs Paws b. Roedd yn bleser pur dysgu yn yr ysgol ac roeddwn i’n eithaf emosiynol ar ôl gorffen – doeddwn i ddim eisiau gadael. Cefais lawer o adborth anhygoel gyda sawl aelod o staff yn amlwg wedi buddsoddi yn y cwricwlwm a gweld ei fanteision drostynt eu hunain, ac yn awyddus iawn i barhau â meddylgarwch o fewn yr ysgol a rhai hyd yn oed yn awyddus i dderbyn yr hyfforddiant eu hunain er mwyn gallu ei gyflwyno.

Adborth gan staff:

“Rwy’n bendant yn fwy ymwybodol o bryd rwy’n teimlo’n sigledig ac rwyf wedi dysgu technegau i helpu fy hun. Maen nhw wir yn helpu, nid yn unig o fewn amgylchedd yr ysgol ond yn bersonol mewn bywyd bob dydd hefyd.”

“Mae meddylgarwch mor bwysig i ddisgyblion a staff. Rwyf wedi gweld effaith mor gadarnhaol arnom a byddaf yn bendant mewn cysylltiad yn y dyfodol i barhau â’r gwaith gwych hwn.”

“Cyn gynted ag y bydda i’n sylwi bod y dosbarth (neu fi) yn heb setlo, rydyn ni’n gwneud un o’r ymarferion anadlu gyda’n gilydd ac mae’n dod â ni yn ôl i lawr ac yn ein helpu ni i ganolbwyntio’n well, yn bendant.”

“Mae’r ymarferion yn fy helpu gyda fy ngorbryder fy hun.”

“Mae angen i mi wneud yr ymarferion hyn fy hun oherwydd rydw i dan straen, felly rwy’n falch eich bod chi yma!”

Adborth gan ddisgyblion:

“Fe wnes i’r ymarferion anadlu pan oedd fy chwaer yn tynnu arna i. Fe wnaethon nhw fy helpu i setlo a fy atal rhag ymladd yn ôl fel y byddwn i fel arfer.”

“Ydych chi’n dod yn ôl y flwyddyn nesaf i addysgu meddylgarwch eto?”

“Y peth gorau am y cwrs yw ein bod ni’n gallu siarad am yr hyn oedd yn ein poeni ni.”

“Fe wnes i’r anadlu bol a brest cyn i mi wneud fy nghystadleuaeth nofio oherwydd roeddwn i’n ofnus ac yn nerfus. Fe helpodd fi i setlo a chanolbwyntio, ac fe wnes i ennill y gystadleuaeth!”

“Ymlacio!”

“Rwy’n gwneud yr ymarferion cyn i mi fynd i gysgu; maen nhw’n fy helpu i setlo a chwympo i gysgu.”

“Mae’r ymarferion yn fy helpu pan dwi’n drist.”

“Fe helpodd fi i beidio teimlo dan straen.”

“Rwyf wrth fy modd â’r gwersi ymwybyddiaeth ofalgar a byddwn wrth fy modd yn ei wneud bob dydd.”

Ar ben hyn, gwelodd un rhiant, sy’n Ddirprwy Bennaeth ei hun, pa mor fuddiol ydoedd i’w phlant ac mae wedi fy ngwahodd i gyflwyno’r cwrs Paws b i holl ddosbarthiadau CA2 a’u Cyfleuster Addysgu Arbenigol Iau yn Ysgol Gynradd Llandeilo Ferwallt lle rwy’n dod i ddiwedd y cwrs 12 wythnos nawr.

Codwyd ymwybyddiaeth o’r cwrs o fewn yr ysgolion sy’n bwydo Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr a dangoswyd diddordeb gan dîm Seicoleg Addysg Awdurdod Lleol Abertawe.

Wrth i amser fynd rhagddo, mae ysgolion yng Nghymru wedi dechrau datblygu manylion y Cwricwlwm Iechyd a Lles newydd sy’n rhoi cyfle i feddylgarwch wneud cyfraniad sylweddol. Mae Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pontybrenin bellach mewn sefyllfa i gymryd hyn i ystyriaeth a’r gobaith yw rhannu hynny gyda’r ysgolion eraill sy’n bwydo Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr.

The post Astudiaeth Achos: Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pontybrenin appeared first on Mindfulness in Schools Project.

• Name: Ffiona Owen
• Role: External mindfulness teacher
• Location: Swansea
• Age range of students: 7 – 11 years (KS2)
• Number of students: 276 (KS2)
• Number of classes: 9
• Percentage pupil premium: N/A
• Percentage SEND/SEMH: 16.7%
• Number of staff trained to teach mindfulness: 0
• Date of delivery: Summer term 12/04/2021 – 16/07/2021

During October 2014, on the recommendation of a psychologist, I completed the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course run by Dr Helen Davies from the Centre for Mindfulness-Based Work and Research, Swansea University, to help me deal with a newly-diagnosed neurological condition and the constant uncertainty, worry and stress it brought.

I had practiced as a Physiotherapist for 10 years, specialising in stroke rehabilitation. My practice was evidence-based and I’d never heard of mindfulness. I was struggling at the time and I had nothing to lose, so I completed the MBSR course.

I learnt so much: how to be present, how to concentrate on the here and now, how to deal with difficult emotions in a healthy way. I couldn’t help but think if I’d learnt these skills sooner, how much better I would have dealt with life stresses. At the time, my children were 5 and 3 years old and I couldn’t help but think how beneficial mindfulness would be for them.

During the Autumn term 2019, I approached Mr Ceri Scourfield, headteacher at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pontybrenin, a Welsh-medium primary school in Swansea that my then 10 and 8 year old children attended. I already had a strong relationship with the school through my own children and I regularly volunteered to help Foundation Phase pupils with their reading. My hope was to introduce mindfulness programmes within the school.

I explained the Paws b course developed by Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP) and we came to the agreement that I would deliver the programme on a volunteer basis to all 9 KS2 classes in return for the school paying my course fees. The curriculum had just been translated to Welsh and we would be the first school to deliver it in this language. This agreement pre-dated the overhaul in the Welsh schools curriculum and before the onset of Covid.

At the beginning of the Spring term 2020, Covid hit – my training was delayed and visitors weren’t permitted on the school premises at that time. I completed my Paws b training online June 2020 and in the Summer term of 2021 I delivered the course to the KS2 pupils. The purpose was to introduce mindfulness to the teachers and students at the school with a view to the school looking into further training for its staff in order to fully embed mindfulness long-term, with me coming in on a consultancy basis to support its implementation.

I had never taught a classroom of children before so it was a steep learning curve! I gained so much confidence in myself, my own abilities and the belief I had in mindfulness and the Paws b course only strengthened. It was an absolute pleasure to teach at the school and I was quite emotional when I finished – I didn’t want to leave. I had lots of amazing feedback with several staff members visibly invested in the curriculum and seen its benefits first-hand, and very keen to continue with mindfulness within the school and some keen to even train themselves and be able to deliver it.

Some staff feedback:

“I am definitely more aware of when I’m feeling wobbly and I’ve learnt techniques to help myself. They truly do help, not just within the school environment but personally in every-day life too.”

“Mindfulness is so important for both pupils and staff. I have seen such a positive effect on us and I will definitely be in touch in the future to carry on this fantastic work.”

“The practices help me with my own anxiety.”

“As soon as I notice that the class (or I) are unsettled, we do one of the breathing exercises together and it brings us right back down and helps us to focus better, most definitely.”

“I need to do these exercises myself because I’m stressed, so I’m glad you’re here!”

Some student feedback:

“I did the breathing exercises when my sister was winding me up. They helped me to settle and stopped me from fighting back like I normally would.”

“Are you coming back next year to teach mindfulness again?”

“The best thing about the course is that we could talk about what was worrying us.”

“Relaxing!”

“I do the practices before I go to sleep; they help me settle and fall asleep.”

“The practices help me when I’m sad.”

“It helped me not to stress out.”

“I love the mindfulness lessons and I’d love to do it every day.”

“I did the tummy and chest breathing before I did my swimming competition because I was scared and nervous.It helped me to settle and focus, and I won the competition!”

On the back of this, one parent, who is a Deputy Headteacher themselves, saw how beneficial it was for her children and has invited me to deliver the Paws b course to all KS2 classes and their Junior Specialist Teaching Facility at Bishopston Primary School where I am coming to the end of the 12-week course now.

Awareness of the course has been raised within the Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr feeder schools and interest has been shown by Swansea Local Authority Educational Psychology team.

As time has progressed schools in Wales have begun to develop the detail of the new Health and Wellbeing Curriculum which provides opportunity for mindfulness to make a significant contribution.  Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pontybrenin are now in a position to take this on board and hopefully share that with the other feeder schools to Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr.

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