Ready, Set, Teach Summer Institute, 2018: A Conference for Early Childhood Professionals
When: August 1st and 2nd
Where: McCormick Place, Lakeside Center
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Professional Learning Credits: Click here for options to receive credit for your attendance at Ready...Set...Teach
Limited Capacityfull Adding this to your schedule will put you on the waitlist.
This workshop is based on the original conception of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Kabat-Zinn's defines mindfulness as “…awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” The focus is on teacher self-care and wellness. As such, the presentation does not focus on interventions or techniques in the classroom. However, we will briefly discuss suspension rates for African American pre-school boys, and research on pre-k expulsion rates, in relation to teacher stress levels. We will also briefly discuss research on Calm Classroom, which is a classroom intervention that focuses on mindful breathing. We will also explore the early mind-body research of Dr. Herbert Benson at Harvard University on the effects of meditation on blood pressure as well as subsequent research on the benefits of meditation for other disorders. We will discuss the role of the central nervous system, fight or flight responses to stress, and how mindfulness and meditation helps us manage stress. We will also discuss the role of the mind, thinking, and appraisals in either creating or managing stress. Participants will have the opportunity to practice mindful breathing and practice a mantra based meditation that helps them quiet negative thinking patterns and redirect attention away from negative thoughts and toward acceptance of the present moment.
