How Mindfulness Enriches our Practice as Educators

Mindfulness is a practice that has moved into mainstream consciousness. There are mindfulness books, teachers, and retreats. Mindfulness came to the United States through different teachers and Buddhist traditions. At the end of the last century, mindfulness became a part of clinical psychology and has been studied and written about in scientific and medical journals.

Webster's dictionary says mindfulness is "the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis." In the Buddhist tradition, mindfulness is "the memory of the present." The founder of mindfulness-based stress reduction, John Kabat-Zinn, said mindfulness is "the awareness that arises through paying attention on purpose in the present moment, and non-judgmentally."

My thinking about mindfulness started during a discussion at a recent training on documentation. One of the presenters shared that in our work with children, the act of observation involves "learning to pay close attention to life's moments and details." As I listened to the presenter, I thought, this is an example of mindfulness practice.

How does a mindfulness practice apply to our work with children?

To explore how mindfulness practices connect to early childhood education, I read the book, In Dialogue with Reggio Emilia. Educators shared their deep connection to each moment working with the children but did not call it mindfulness in the book. The educators shared stories about the co-learning journey with the children and expressed a deep connection to each moment in the classroom.

There are four essential practices that I learned from reading their stories. Exercises that will help us enhance our mindfulness in the classroom and enrich our practice as educators.

Observation is an act of relationship – To be in a relationship is to connect to another person or the moment. The more we connect to the moment (mindfulness) creates, the better the relationship exchanges. The observation process is more enjoyable and valuable if we are present in the moment. Our active presence provides information and insights of higher depth and value.

Listening with intention is being open to the process – Being mindful of the moment allows us to participate in the experience and listen to each other. A critical act when engaged in a co-learning relationship. When all protagonists of the inquiry are present, the ideas and explorations reach a greater depth and enhance the learning journey.

Listening is a challenging practice that requires a desire to change – To engage well in a community of learners involves practice. At times, listening can be difficult when working with children. We all have prior knowledge. Our current understanding can create a tendency to align ourselves with what is comfortable. The search for answers requires us to suspend judgment and be open to the ideas and questions of the children, no matter how far they push us past our comfort zone.

Mindfulness is letting go of self to be in the moment – To be in a community of learners is to be open to the possibilities of knowledge. The investigation of a question opens us up to what may take place in us during the inquiry. By letting go of ourselves at the moment, we invite different values and points of view to become present. Our willingness to seek answers and learn invites the children to see challenges and questions as gifts, not a burden.

The early childhood environment is busy with many demands on our time that pressure our work. Mindfulness practices can help educators reduce stress and enhance performance. Mindfulness can help us gain new insights into our work with children and release our curiosity. Mindfulness opens our minds to seeing each moment with clarity, kindness, and interest.