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Susan I love going live just a moment, early like this so that early birds can share moment with us and get a peek behind the curtain of the you know the webinar magic curtain.

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Welcome. People are logging in. That's lovely. So nice to be here with you again.

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Just last week, I know the week when when when quickly here we are getting to take yourself to the next level. It's great. Yes, I see people logging in, we've got an opportunity to say hi in the chat.

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I'm going to take care of our housekeeping my clock says it's time and like a teacher I move when the bell tells me to.

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This is wonderful. Welcome everyone as you're logging in, and please know how happy we are to have you here. If you're using the chat, make sure to send to all panelists and attendees, so that your colleagues can see your contributions.

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Our topic today is mindfulness is evidence based, let's talk science, and I'm really happy that Susan has offered this as a specific session in our three part series and very much looking forward to the discussion that we have ahead.

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As always I will take care of some housekeeping, and then we'll move into our discussion. Welcome everybody.

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Here's some housekeeping for us, number one question is always whether or not a recording of the webinar will be available. Yes, it will. We also will share resources with you I'm happy that we have permission to share slides.

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We will also share a transcript of the chat, all the wonderful contributions you all are making to one another, you will have those captured as well. And then there is a worksheet that will have available to you as a link through the chat you want to

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you want to download that so we can use it today, and then we'll make sure that that's available as well so there'll be a follow up email communication tomorrow with all the things that we know are necessary in our webinar worlds I've been calling myself

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a webinar nerd. This season because I have really been enjoying these live interactions and opportunities to connect as a community of learners Welcome everybody.

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As we warm up I can see that many of you have already said hello in the chat, please let us know who you are, love to know where you are, we're all coming from from corners all corners of the earth to investigate an important topic important to us as

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educators and important to our students. And so let's say hello there. Please switch your chat down where you're typing and send to all panelists, and attendees.

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If you've, if you've already sent it probably just came to the panelists So Susan and I appreciate your, your input, please do share with everyone and then switch to all panelists and attendees, and then we'll be able to enjoy the chat all together and.

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Wow, but we have, California, Colorado India, Illinois, Utah, Arkansas, Navajo Nation faster than I can read coming in Louisville, Kentucky Fort Worth Texas Bermuda, Berlin, New Hampshire, Iowa willing to tell her wonderful Welcome everyone, you're in

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the right place at the right time, and I'm glad you're here.

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Let me make an official welcome.

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This is mindfulness is evidence based, let's talk science. This webinar is brought to you as a beautiful collaboration between growing minds and teaching channel Plus, it's my pleasure to be your moderator.

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My name is Wendy Amato, I'm the Chief Academic Officer for teaching channel and learners edge. And thank you, thank you for joining today, I want to tell you about an additional part of the collaboration between growing minds and teach internal Plus,

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there's a fantastic course for us to take our investigation of this topic to the next level. A few notes myself to tell you about it you can see there, some details about the course, this is an opportunity for us as educators to gain the language and

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shared language that we need to have the important conversations around, Sal will in this course offers specific strategies, there are practical sessions to reduce stress sessions to help us find an increase the nurse in moments of our days, and, and

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then information about the science strategies.

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What I like most about opportunities like this collaboration is that it's by educators for educators and the work in that course, the experience of the course is designed around our educational environment so take a look at that as the link is available

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to you in our chat. And with that I will make an official Welcome to the one that you're here to hear from Susan low bar is the founder and president of growing minds.

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This is the second in a three part series, and it's my pleasure to welcome you, Susan, to join us and lead us in the conversation today. You have an incredible background and are a specialist in this field.

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We're here to learn with you and through you and expand together, understanding of how to be strong educators and strong individuals. Tell us a little bit about what we're looking forward to today.

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Okay, I'm so excited to be here and learn how many people are coming from all over the corners of the world I think everybody is intrigued by the science behind how are, how, how we manage ourselves, and that's what I love to talk about today.

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What is the research that's relevant to what's important to us in schools and I think what I tried to do is put this together in a format where we will go through a lot of different angles of the science, pretty much like this first learned that well

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is a skill, you can cultivate it it's not something you're born with an unlimited amount, you are born with it but you can grow it a wandering mind is not a happy mind.

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Okay, what does that mean we'll look into that neuro plasticity.

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That is the science behind our ability to change and grow and mindful awareness is the key to that growth mindset and us to that ability to change to improve our own well being.

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And then a shared well being, which is how we function at home and our families in our classrooms and large groups increases with the ability to have a mindful awareness, right, and then be able to manage your emotions.

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Thank you for this careful agenda. We're here for the right reasons.

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Okay, so I thought it would be a lot of fun to start by growing the good. And by that, let's focus on something that we love.

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I thought it might be a lot of fun if people put in the chat what they're looking forward to this summer. And again, it can be something big like a trip, but it can be something small like more time in your garden, or just taking a walk with your dog

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without having to rush back.

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So let's see what people put in the chat growing the good.

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What a nice way you probably just put a smile on everyone's face What a nice way to get us all thinking and shifting our mindsets into something so positive things we appreciate things that we value.

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There's a lot of outdoor activity here I've seen the word relaxation scroll more times than I can catch you all will send to all panelists, and attendees, then everybody will be able to enjoy the, the contributions that system and I are seeing a lot of

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gardening here, a lot of family meditation sessions fresh air favorite movies.

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This is wonderful.

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Thank you Susan you put our mindset and just the right place. Well I connect with almost everything you read out loud. So it's, it's we all love the same thing which is I love that.

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Okay, here's one of my favorite cartoons it's got these two little buggers, and one says, Where did you find that I've been looking for it everywhere and he's looking at this little jar of happiness that the other one is holding and that little guy says,

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I created it myself. Okay, so the question is taking in the good. How does that happen.

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Does it happen naturally. Well, Rick Hansen who's a neuro psychologist and author of hardwiring happiness says the practice of taking in the good can literally rewire our brains, for happiness.

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So you can actually, I mean if it was up to us we all want to just only take in the good So in a way, why doesn't that happen.

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There's a natural tendency for us to tie ourselves to these outside circumstances and things are going good out there we feel good.

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And if they're not going so great. Okay, well then we don't feel so great.

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And that puts us on a roller coaster. So if the roller coaster is going up, we're good and when it's going down we're not.

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So I think what this cartoon is all about is we need to cultivate an inner happiness for ourselves, so that even when things aren't going the way we want them to we can focus on what's going right.

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And then we can start over, or start again at least, and not assume that it's going to just get worse and worse and worse.

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So there's some research on

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the mind, and this research that I just love was done in 2010 by two people from Harvard, and what they say is a wandering mind is not a happy mind.

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So, in this study of over 5000 people from 83 countries, what they found when they check in with them periodically through their phones.

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They found that 47% of the time that people were awake. They weren't actually focusing on the project that was in front of them.

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So when you have something in front of you and you're not focusing on it, they call that a wandering mind, and what they learned was that if your mind is not focused on what you set out to do you're less happy than when it is focusing on what you wanted

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to do. So, say your mind is wandering to something pleasant neutral or unpleasant it can go to any one of those three things, even if it's going to something pleasant.

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You'll be less happy than if you're actually focusing on the project you intended to even if that project is challenging difficult are causing these, you know some problems.

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And so, what they're saying is, the ability to manage where your mind is is more important in your happiness.

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Then, in what your mind is thinking about.

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So that makes sense.

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Laura has asked a nice question about happiness and whether happiness is the goal. When I hear you talking about our intended activities. I feel like you may be directing us towards a sense of purpose.

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And I wonder if it's there some merging between the feeling of purpose that is satisfying, that we may label as happiness or, but I like her question is happiness.

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The goal was it more about purpose and intentionality.

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I really love that question and I think it is absolutely about purpose and intentionality. So when these people were focused on what they intended to focus on.

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Then they felt happier.

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So some people use positivity. Some people use happier there's a lot of different words that you can use for the feeling that you get.

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But when you're doing what this person suggested when you're being purposeful or intentional.

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Then, and your mind is able to do that and focus on it, that does lead to happiness or positivity or contentment or joy or satisfaction, it's it's it's a felt sense, it doesn't.

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We put words on it, but the word scientists important is what the feeling is inside us.

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Your answer also conveys that the intention is not to be oblivious of struggle or difficulty, or, or distraction, but it's to, to find that centered focus.

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Exactly, yeah. Beautiful.

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Okay.

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Oh, I'm sure many of us have heard of Dr. Richard Davidson. Whoops. There he goes.

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Dr. Davidson, is from the Center for Healthy Minds in Madison, Wisconsin, and he was nominated as Time magazine's hundred most influential people back in 2006, he happens to live 90 miles from me.

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And so, I'm very connected to him.

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He's influenced my work a lot and actually given me the ability to bring mindfulness into schools because of the research that he's done.

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His.

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One of the things you'll hear him say is, well being is not a static thing.

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Okay, so what does that mean, what it means is, well being absent flows, and it's unique to each of us.

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We know factors that go into building well being. But his main point is, it can be learned and cultivated over time, just like learning to play a musical instrument or riding a bike.

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And in his mind he would love to see it as something we do every day like we brush our teeth twice a day that we practice, you know, a couple minutes, five minutes more if this is really your thing, but that we learned that we can train our mind just

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like we learn other things it's about repetition.

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So that leads me into what his favorite tool is and mine too which is mindfulness, and we many of us have heard the definition of mindfulness, as that act of paying attention to this moment, noticing the world around you, bringing that sense of kindness,

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non judgmental curiosity to our thoughts or physical sensations are behaviors are urges.

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I love what Cortland doll says when he finds it, it's a heightened sense of flexible intention.

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You're aware of what you're doing, who you're doing it with. And what's happening inside you. So, just to bring that to the classroom.

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Imagine that you're in the classroom, and it's a little bit unruly.

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And some people, we all find ourselves doing this sometimes I get rigid, and I start to scold people and sort of take things away from them and maybe even threaten them, you know you're not going to get recess.

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So, that's when I'm not aware sometimes I get like more chaotic and I lose complete track of what I'm doing and get flustered.

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But when we're mindful we have that sense of attention to what's going on.

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And we have flexibility, we're connected to the prefrontal cortex so we can make these conscious choices. How do I want to be in this moment.

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And we all know that takes practice to get there. Right.

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So, here's a slide one of my favorites. It's called mindful, or mindful is your mind, full, or are you being mindful do have that flexible attention with this heightened awareness.

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So looking at the man on the right.

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If you look at the bubble above his head you can see his mind is full, full, full of things. Wash emails carpooling last socks, all sorts of things. Crazy.

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And if you look at the bubble over the dog. Well, the dog is in the present moment.

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He has that heightened awareness of what's really happening right then and right there.

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Of course, we'd all rather be the dog.

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Right.

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So, when this person gets back from their walk they're going to feel probably like they need a vacation because even though they were outside walking their mind was full of all sorts of things that would be kind of fun Wendy if we have time to let people

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put in the chat room. When your mind is full. What's it full up where does it go.

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Let's see all the crazy things people, their mind is full of.

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Lesson noted to do list Priscilla said the same thing to do lists scrolling up faster AJ said the same they're going faster than I can read, but we do keep a sort of a ram portion of our operating memory that's just spinning, spinning to keep track of

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things, maybe some of the educators with us today are, are like me and keep a notepad by the bed because just need to get it out of your head and onto a piece of paper, so you can let go and go to sleep, or your keep spinning, spinning a few items like

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in the morning and you do remember this, I need to remember this, remember this and the to do lists. Wow.

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So, our minds are going to get full that's normal.

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And the skill that we're talking about is how do you take it from full and just sort of let it settle down so that you're aware of what you need. But you can also you're not caught up in the emotions about it.

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You actually can be, problem solving, there's some suggestions and recommendations and strategies coming through as well journaling, practicing yoga, taking care of people I think there are some, some strategies in place to.

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I love that taking care of people that can be very calming.

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Beautiful.

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OK, so the growth mindset, I'm sure most of us have read Carol Dweck by now, she says, in a growth mindset we understand that our talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence.

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Okay, so this is called neuro plasticity, meaning the ability of the brain to structure itself. And when we understand neuro plasticity.

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We actually believe in the growth mindset, even more so the word neural plasticity neuro comes from the name of our brain cells which are neurons and plasticity that the brain is malleable.

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It is experience dependent.

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The more experiences you have, the more hardwired your brain will be in going into that pattern again. So sometimes I liken it to being in the woods.

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So, if you're going through a forest or a jungle and there's no path there. This is the first time you've ever done it. It's going to be very slow and you have to cut your way through it and it's extremely difficult, then the more you go on it.

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maybe that becomes a path.

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And then it becomes a road than a highway and then a superhighway.

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So, when it's just our it's the very first time it's a struggle to do something, then it becomes a highway it's a lot easier when it's a superhighway we can do it without thinking about it.

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So there's pros and cons to all ends of that. But the idea is, the more you do something, the better you get at it and that becomes the go to pattern in your brain.

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That's how all learning takes place.

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So, this concept of neuroplasticity is important when I grew up.

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We believed that the way your brain was, it was very fixed and I remember my parents saying if you drink too much you're going to kill your brain cells and then they'll never regenerate.

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And in fact, that's not true.

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Our brain is continuously regenerating every single day and so the patterns, and the thoughts that we have are every single one of them is extremely important because we are creating patterns for ourself.

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Before you switch topics here a one of my doctoral advisors, always talked about ruts in the road and said if the pathway is traveled frequently the ruts make it easier to travel the path the next time so think about where you're going, and whether or

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not those are ruts that you want to create for your mind and then there's the instead of practice makes perfect we get, practice makes permanent and think about practicing mindfulness, then we can make it a regular part of our way of being was.

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I love the way you said that about the ruts in the road. Because you said, make sure that you're choosing.

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And it's that choosing that's so critical. That's the mindful component that you're aware that you have choices. And sometimes when we get caught up doing and doing and doing.

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We fall into sort of the downstairs part of the brain, and we become more reactive and mindfulness brings us up to the prefrontal cortex where we have more expansion and that's where we get that flexible heightened of awareness, where we have choices

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so thank you i love that the ruts.

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I'm going to use that.

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So Patricia Jennings from the University of Virginia, did a study on teachers in classrooms, and she's a mindfulness practitioner herself she developed a program called care.

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And she studied teacher burnout. What she learned was that receiving mindfulness training help teachers on a personal level to lower psychological distress.

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arose during the day. So rather than focusing directly. I'm teaching how to teach English how to teach math in the classroom environment, what they learned was that they could change help the teacher modify understand her own emotions and disposition

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and verify changing the culture in the classroom.

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So the second slide really talks about the classroom climate.

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So in addition to increases in educator well being.

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Patricia Jennings research shows that teachers who receive mindfulness training are better able to improve their emotional climate and increase class organization.

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So under her mindfulness protocol which is very similar to ours.

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Teachers began smiling, more.

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That was impactful, asking more questions.

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Before doling out repercussions and remaining curious about student misbehavior.

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So rather than moving towards punishment. These educators were able to pause and take some breaths and slow down. Their encounters with students.

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And so by impacting teacher well being. the classroom climate really was able to change.

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I remember a story Patricia Jennings told me that moved me deeply. She was overseeing a mentor to another teacher, and there was a little girl that came in late every single day.

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And this student teacher was really frustrated, and she started disciplining this little girl for coming in late. And that's understandable I, you know, that's can be annoying.

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Well, afterwards on the side. Dr Jennings asked the teacher Have you ever asked her why she's coming in late.

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And in this case, she was a student teacher. She hadn't thought of that no she hadn't done that because there's the hustle bustle of the day and so many different things taking place.

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Well it turns out her mother was working third shift and she had to get her little brother out the door with lunches.

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And so sometimes asking those questions and again this is a very dramatic example. But, asking those questions, gives us so much information, and that pause helps us create a stronger relationship and understanding with students, colleagues family members.

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Okay.

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Not sure if I showed that slide but I went through it.

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So, Let's just talk about shared well being.

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As mindful awareness and well being increase.

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It's been shown that educators are able to intentionally model the mindsets and behaviors they hope to see in their students, creating that ripple effect.

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And when you observe and experience the pain of mindful leaders, they're more naturally guided to being more mindful themselves, and students learn to quiet their minds focus better, and then feel more connected, which is really really critical.

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And we know that now And not only do we not but I think most schools and their SEO programs are valuing that.

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So it would be really interesting to see anybody has any interesting ways of creating shared well being that they'd be willing to share in the chat.

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Put the question in here, how do you create shared wellbeing for one another. I believe that everybody has some strategies, we need to wake them up a little bit, and certainly sharing strategies is like giving gifts to one another.

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And we've all chosen to be here for this discussion so I can't imagine a better question, better opportunity to share good things and Susan while people are typing here, they want to call out specifically the information you're providing for us, the research

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studies that you're citing the data that you're offering. These are the kinds of things that may be helpful to us as we position our instructional practices within our school in these, these may be references that we want to bring forth to help our administrators

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understand that this needs to be a priority. This may be language that we use when we explain to parents and to students, why we're using time, a certain way, we had at least one person right in in the questions that you can ask when registering for the

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webinar series, Murray was wanting to learn some guidance or have some guidance for implementing Sal school wide. And I think part of that is raising this evidence based awareness of, of the benefits of the impact and the power.

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Yeah, I completely agree. One of the reasons that I would love for everyone to make sure that they receive the science of well being.

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handout that we provided today is so that they can actually hand back to their administration.

00:30:57.000 --> 00:31:07.000
Okay, because it's very complicated for for somebody to put this together in a coherent way. But I think if you you said handle.

00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:33.000
It will be helpful. I also feel that if you are a teacher who does practice, and use, Sal skills in your classroom successfully that you, you're probably the best champion to go to your administration and suggests that everybody needs this and that if

00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:41.000
we create an entire climate in the building will have a calmer Kinder community.

00:31:41.000 --> 00:32:04.000
Our vision for this is that by taking these modules that educators will have a common language in our session three which is about your stress response, we give a very simple description, a hand model of the brain and also use a mind jar, so that any

00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:06.000
teacher.

00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:25.000
Any student, you know, any sex can describe the brain in two to three minutes, or even sentences in a way that is normalizes we all have emotions, it's going to happen.

00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:38.000
The question is, can you self regulate Can you help yourself can educators, teach can educators, manage their own emotions.

00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:49.000
And I know most educators can do that in the classroom, but what's being built up inside. So, from moment to moment can you you know keep yourself regulated.

00:32:49.000 --> 00:33:10.000
And also, healthy, and then can you teach that or model that for your students. So having a common language, a common set of practices, and then stabilizing it so that it works for you in your unique classroom with your skills, your personality and your

00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:22.000
strengths, and having a whole community in a building, to share this is beautiful. When we go into schools we'd like to create a team of mindful champions.

00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:35.000
And that would be a team of five people you know maybe someone from administration a couple teachers couple specials a pair up that can work together create what works best.

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:38.000
And then help disseminate.

00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:54.000
Some of these practices and encourage others. We've had some lovely suggestions come in through the chat and Marie noted morning announcements, as a time to create a practice and then Vivian offered the same observation was that if we're probably typing

00:33:54.000 --> 00:34:06.000
We're probably typing at the same time. Grace mentioned yoga which can even be done on zoom, we, we can do this, virtually as well and be successful with it.

00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:13.000
Michael talked about warm, warm up activity sometimes we do now or an activator activity.

00:34:13.000 --> 00:34:20.000
Michael mentioned warm up activities, making it a daily practice at the beginning of each class period that would be lovely.

00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:29.000
That's my dream at the beginning of every, every new topic would be really beautiful.

00:34:29.000 --> 00:34:39.000
Let me just show this here's another thing that where your attention goes grows.

00:34:39.000 --> 00:34:49.000
Okay, where your attention goes grow so here we've got the little guy and read a brain, look, all this good stuff over here.

00:34:49.000 --> 00:34:58.000
And then the brain says not now hard Can't you see I'm busy I'm focused on what's wrong I'm focused on this problem.

00:34:58.000 --> 00:35:08.000
One of the really simple things to do that hasn't come up yet and what you said. Though I love every single thing you mentioned.

00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:26.000
Because you can't do too many things to be supportive in a classroom, right, is simply focusing on what's going well and things that aren't going well, letting them go, or if you're working with somebody to help manage behavior.

00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:34.000
Try not to have them feel bad for having emotions.

00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:55.000
And again, that this is possibly a very very new concept just like Sal, right, Sal Beck term didn't exist, almost at all 15 years ago, it was around but really it's Sal standards are new in scope and sequence aren't even established in every state yet.

00:35:55.000 --> 00:36:13.000
And so let's just remember we're talking about something new and not to feel bad or guilty if you don't know this. Again, it's not something necessarily you were born with all the language of it but it can be cultivated focusing on the good is probably

00:36:13.000 --> 00:36:16.000
the number one thing you can do.

00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:30.000
Laura's going to revolutionize the teaching world she works with teacher candidates, and she's collecting short mindfulness activities for middle school and high school teachers to use during the first minutes of class So Laura.

00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:44.000
Thank you, Laura please reach out to me let's do this together I love what you're doing, let's let's share that, that's so beautiful, Jorge noticed practicing gymnastics for our brains.

00:36:44.000 --> 00:37:04.000
There's so much good coming in, please remember we will share a transcript of the chat, as part of our follow up with everyone you can share an ondemand link for this recording with with others in your school and create your own you said mindfulness champions

00:37:04.000 --> 00:37:13.000
you could create a team of mindfulness champions within your program and encourage all of these practices.

00:37:13.000 --> 00:37:14.000
Yes.

00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:18.000
So,

00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:20.000
there is.

00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:24.000
There's two, two ways.

00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:28.000
In, generally to train your mind. One is to reduce stress.

00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:45.000
Okay. And that's. If you go into our modules of course that that's sort of modules, one, two, and three talks about the stress, but the second two modules in everyday resilience, really talks about hardwiring happiness.

00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:52.000
And I'll just step back that term hardwiring, even though that's the name of Rick Hansen's book.

00:37:52.000 --> 00:38:03.000
You don't hardwire anything, right, because of this neural plasticity. You can wire it but you've got to keep practicing it to keep it. Keep it going.

00:38:03.000 --> 00:38:22.000
But we try to train ourselves for more positivity more noticing that savoring the good being grateful, things like that, and also having compassion. Compassion is a very powerful way to soothe yourself and others.

00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:41.000
Just to turn towards them and let them know, or let yourself know that this is challenging and yes you can get through it. So he says, The practice of taking in the good can literally rewire our brains for happiness.

00:38:41.000 --> 00:39:02.000
A simple practice for this is a gratitude practice where you take 30 seconds to a minute to think about and imagine something you're grateful for. So you can think about the colors, the location the sounds, the words the images.

00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:16.000
The trick for hardwiring happiness, is that you stay with it for 30 to 60 seconds at least, because it takes that long for good things to be hard wired.

00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:32.000
So let's contrast that with with, you know, difficult experiences, say you have a pot of boiling water, and you put your hand in it. Oh, that hurts, it takes a fraction of a second.

00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:38.000
For our system to hardwire that I'm not going to do that again it hurt.

00:39:38.000 --> 00:39:59.000
So hardwiring happiness or positive thoughts takes longer. And again, it's not just about thinking that you know I love my cup of coffee in the morning it's what do I love about it and feeling it and imagining it and seeing it so that it actually those

00:39:59.000 --> 00:40:19.000
neurons connect to each other and create that rut, that you talked about that pathway crystal and just use the word cultivating in a comment and you get that sense of something being tended to, and something that, that has required elements, sun, water,

00:40:19.000 --> 00:40:37.000
a quick doesn't happen by accident, just that word cultivating shows the stewardship of this of the practice, I'm grateful for that. Susan. Can you talk a little bit about the growing minds website and for those of us who want to explore more.

00:40:37.000 --> 00:40:56.000
Are there areas that you would recommend, as most helpful for getting started. I'm probably guilty as it as an educator of jumping to the How to Tell me what to do, maybe maybe that's okay or how might we use your site and the resources that you've prepared

00:40:56.000 --> 00:41:14.000
so carefully. Okay, So, that's a very important question. When a teacher teaches. Okay, so first of all let's go back to the beginning about being intentional and purposeful, it's important to understand what you're trying to accomplish.

00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:31.000
When you practice mindfulness so we found that in the classroom environment, it's most important for an educator to spend time learning about how to be mindful with their, their own life.

00:41:31.000 --> 00:41:43.000
Okay, so that you believe that you can modify how you manage difficult emotions and situations. And so that you have go to practices and patterns.

00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:51.000
You have cultivated your own practices and patterns, so that when things get difficult.

00:41:51.000 --> 00:42:05.000
You are that you have that sort of that balance at equity is a word that's occasionally use and it's a not a very familiar word but it's that balance that I'm aware of what's happening.

00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:15.000
And I can access my choices in the, in the, close to that moment or I have the ability to come back and repair.

00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:24.000
So, we believe strongly that an educator needs to manage themselves first and that's what Patricia Jennings work.

00:42:24.000 --> 00:42:26.000
Why I presented that today.

00:42:26.000 --> 00:42:33.000
Once you understand that you can bring those practices into your classroom.

00:42:33.000 --> 00:42:51.000
And you can then guide your students you can model them or guide your students so on the website I really encourage you, first to see how successful we've been with our classes to sign up and take the sessions, you know, even if you only take a portion

00:42:51.000 --> 00:43:05.000
of some of them. There's, there's a lot of content I will say, in every session. And so, whatever you get through if you practice that and you said and integrate it into your own life.

00:43:05.000 --> 00:43:10.000
I'm sure you'll see a difference, very very soon.

00:43:10.000 --> 00:43:27.000
And then you can bring it into the classroom. And to do that we have three practices on the website so we have three practices for the classroom I think we have almost 30 practices for the classroom and we have practice three practices for adults, so

00:43:27.000 --> 00:43:47.000
if you don't want to sign up for a course right away and you just want to access some pre practices, you can do that. That's pretty much how our website is set up. Thank you. I think this is a topic that we have to invest some time into in order to benefit

00:43:47.000 --> 00:44:08.000
and then we should be very clear, when we're talking about SEO. This is not an SEO curriculum that you add in or teach and and walk away from as Olivia noted, be what you teach, Laura says we're modeling so we have to we have to internalize, and, and,

00:44:08.000 --> 00:44:21.000
and demonstrate the benefits as teachers, this isn't this isn't something that you layer on or do and leave behind it is it a practice in an ongoing way of being.

00:44:21.000 --> 00:44:22.000
That's. She couldn't have said it better.

00:44:22.000 --> 00:44:39.000
You couldn't have said it better. When, when you lead with that grace, people follow, then you're not pulling people, along with you or pushing them along. I mean that's always going to happen.

00:44:39.000 --> 00:44:43.000
We can't, you know put rose colored glasses on.

00:44:43.000 --> 00:44:55.000
But the more that you can be that person that somebody wants to learn from and wants to be around the easier, our jobs become.

00:44:55.000 --> 00:45:14.000
So mindfulness is not a panacea for everything, but it will help you get through difficult moments with more ease and recover more quickly from difficult moments, so that it doesn't take a whole weekend to get back from you know where your ruminating

00:45:14.000 --> 00:45:15.000
about something.

00:45:15.000 --> 00:45:31.000
You can notice it and go, all that's part of being human. Maybe give yourself some self compassion, and then understand, there was a message there I reacted so strongly for a particular reason.

00:45:31.000 --> 00:45:42.000
And, and maybe it's because I could have, it would have helped to slow down or would have helped a pause. And so we learn to use those physical cues.

00:45:42.000 --> 00:45:51.000
As signals to inform how we'd like to be next time which path we want to take the next time.

00:45:51.000 --> 00:46:11.000
Susan Brooks talking about authentic mindfulness and not some toxic positivity, just almost crazy frenetic, high, high energy oblivious to real world.

00:46:11.000 --> 00:46:12.000
Real World.

00:46:12.000 --> 00:46:22.000
How do you distinguish authentic mindfulness from something that may be inauthentic.

00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:26.000
That's a good question.

00:46:26.000 --> 00:46:29.000
The answer to that is try it.

00:46:29.000 --> 00:46:31.000
Try it. Try pausing.

00:46:31.000 --> 00:46:53.000
Try simply taking 30 seconds, out of your day, you know, using one of our free practices and pausing to just feel your shoulders. Are they tense and tight what's happening in your job, are you breathing, and then see how you feel after that 30 seconds,

00:46:53.000 --> 00:47:04.000
and if you feel better. That's authentic. And if you don't feel better. It's because you were so stressed so take another 30 seconds.

00:47:04.000 --> 00:47:07.000
So, anytime you try, it's authentic.

00:47:07.000 --> 00:47:20.000
If you are intentional and purposeful and really doing the best that you can do in that moment, it's authentic Now, sometimes.

00:47:20.000 --> 00:47:34.000
I'm tired. So my best isn't as good as it is when I'm not tired or I'm hungry. Or I'm just so agitated, that no I can't sit still, I have to go out and take a walk.

00:47:34.000 --> 00:47:45.000
There's nothing wrong with the walk. If it's intentional and I'm really being mindful about it. That's just as good as a quiet set. so we don't want to be comparing.

00:47:45.000 --> 00:47:55.000
We just want to be doing it. And we don't have to do it all the time, just enough so that we know that we can manage our emotions.

00:47:55.000 --> 00:48:01.000
When della asks us to be who we needed as a child.

00:48:01.000 --> 00:48:08.000
We can think back about the role notes that influenced us and be who we needed.

00:48:08.000 --> 00:48:11.000
As a child, I like that idea.

00:48:11.000 --> 00:48:28.000
It's calming girl, several recommendations that we think about this through a faith lens, some different ways throughout the chat and if that's appropriate for you it's another way to understand the practice.

00:48:28.000 --> 00:48:29.000
Yeah.

00:48:29.000 --> 00:48:40.000
Yeah, lots of ideas and that's very inspiring to hear how much people are actually doing.

00:48:40.000 --> 00:48:58.000
So, creating communities for yourself so that you have people, so you don't feel like you're alone but you have people to share the highs with, and to generate new ideas and to share resources is extremely powerful.

00:48:58.000 --> 00:49:15.000
Let's take a look if you don't mind at the SEO initiatives shared well being an SEO initiatives. And then, let's talk about your course and let people know how they can extend their, their learning and their practice.

00:49:15.000 --> 00:49:20.000
Okay, okay. So,

00:49:20.000 --> 00:49:26.000
this. Oh, I think I'm Allah

00:49:26.000 --> 00:49:27.000
burps.

00:49:27.000 --> 00:49:31.000
Somehow I'm going the wrong direction I'm sorry. Here we go.

00:49:31.000 --> 00:49:33.000
I'm missing.

00:49:33.000 --> 00:49:45.000
The, the shared well being an SEO initiatives. Let me just speak to it as opposed to using my.

00:49:45.000 --> 00:50:02.000
If you don't mind, as opposed to using the slide it's they want slides gives every educator or a well needed break, but I think you'll have zero complaints or concerns, and please I'll remind everyone that you will have the slides available as part of

00:50:02.000 --> 00:50:19.000
our follow up communication so you'll see a few specific bullets, about the about shared well being in a CL, but do talk to us Susan and then we'll, we'll, we'll pull together our discussion with some positivity.

00:50:19.000 --> 00:50:37.000
Okay, so my point on the shared well being is that having a mindfulness practice, having a mindful well being so well being is all encompassing, and as long as what you're doing is mindful your present in your intentional about it and it gives you that

00:50:37.000 --> 00:50:41.000
heightened awareness with flexible intention.

00:50:41.000 --> 00:50:56.000
That's what we're looking for, and then you can bring that into all the initiatives that you're using in your school, right. So, responsive Pratt culturally responsive practices.

00:50:56.000 --> 00:51:00.000
They're much more.

00:51:00.000 --> 00:51:18.000
What they can do is so much greater if people come in, grounded and able to manage their emotions. The same with anti bullying programming restorative practices I love you have to be able to sit yourself in a circle and listen to other people and if you

00:51:18.000 --> 00:51:21.000
can't manage yourself.

00:51:21.000 --> 00:51:28.000
The restorative practices circles aren't as always, as effective.

00:51:28.000 --> 00:51:44.000
And the same thing with, you know, other approaches to conflict transformation and, you know, we're the things having to do with diversity, equity inclusion justice.

00:51:44.000 --> 00:51:57.000
When you can when two people can come together, or groups of people, and they can feel grounded so that as their emotions rise they know oh I feel my emotions rising.

00:51:57.000 --> 00:52:12.000
I'm going to take some breaths and settle down or I'm going to look at something beautiful over there, just to get back to that feeling or listening to sounds however you ground yourself and connect the environment and yourself, then you bring a better

00:52:12.000 --> 00:52:17.000
self into these conversations so the conversations are difficult.

00:52:17.000 --> 00:52:27.000
So know that emotions are going to rise. We are going to feel rigid we are going to feel chaotic, but can you get yourself back to that place and reengage.

00:52:27.000 --> 00:52:30.000
That's what we're looking for.

00:52:30.000 --> 00:52:49.000
I'm going to bring up the everyday resilience overview here, you have collaborated with teaching channel plus growing lines and teaching channel, bringing us modules of content that will be helpful to us in establishing practices, learning how to take

00:52:49.000 --> 00:53:04.000
care of ourselves and to create important moments in in our instructional environments. And so, take a, take a look here with everyone and offer link in the chat for people who'd like to explore more.

00:53:04.000 --> 00:53:20.000
This is the kind of program I would strongly encourage gathering colleagues to share, so that you can use the same language and and provide some continuity for students in the classroom who may be moving from one class to another, but offer them that

00:53:20.000 --> 00:53:38.000
through line or commonality of a connection of practices from one classroom to another, or if you're in a contained classroom, think about introducing mindfulness practices and important transitions during the day to help your students to reconnect and

00:53:38.000 --> 00:53:55.000
be centered, making them so much more open to the instruction, it's, it's incredible. Susan any parting recommendations for us as we thank our educators for joining us to explore mindfulness and the evidence based nature of it and the science behind these

00:53:55.000 --> 00:54:14.000
best practices. Well I just am so excited about all the people who are already practicing. If you need help getting into your school please reach out to me through directly through teaching channel or directly through growing minds, today.com and I would

00:54:14.000 --> 00:54:28.000
be more than happy to help you work with your administration to justify this and have, you know, and get get this into your school because it changed my life.

00:54:28.000 --> 00:54:30.000
It's.

00:54:30.000 --> 00:54:35.000
We've worked with the school district or another, literally creating their own content.

00:54:35.000 --> 00:54:52.000
And, and it's exciting. It's exciting because the whole feeling in the district changes over time, when people understand that we're being intentional in the same way.

00:54:52.000 --> 00:54:59.000
And you can remind yourself you know we have a secret signal when your emotions are rising we say we're flipping our lead.

00:54:59.000 --> 00:55:11.000
And so you don't have to even explain why you're doing it but I found that for teachers just being able to communicate that back and forth having that common language, it's a beautiful thing.

00:55:11.000 --> 00:55:15.000
So, I would love to support you in any way to help you get this going.

00:55:15.000 --> 00:55:27.000
Your commitment to education to students to teachers is palpable and we're all grateful, Susan, this is the end of a second. In a three part webinar series, if you will have not registered for the third session, please do please join us.

00:55:27.000 --> 00:55:43.000
If you all have not registered for the third session, please do please join us. If you have already registered, please share the registration link with colleagues, so that they can see the work that you're doing and and participate in the conversation

00:55:43.000 --> 00:56:13.000
as well, the follow up from us will include a link to the recording the slides, the chat transcript and the worksheet as well lots of great resources, please enjoy the growing minds website under Susan's guidance there's incredible material there for