A growing body of scientific evidence suggests mindfulness is an essential life skill. Mindfulnes... more A growing body of scientific evidence suggests mindfulness is an essential life skill. Mindfulness practices help focus attention and have the potential to enhance both teacher and student well being. Techniques focus on the development of the whole person – awareness of the mind, body and emotions. Mindfulness is practiced widely around the world and is also a burgeoning area of academic interest. Research started in the early 1980s with people experiencing chronic pain and stress. By the close of 2012 there were approximately 2500 journal articles on the topic investigating its impact on a wide range of health conditions and well-being. Due to positive research results in adult populations, mindfulness programs have been implemented in schools around the world over the last decade and researchers are conducting studies to determine how learning mindful- ness impacts a school community’s well-being. The current research project focuses on understanding children’s and teachers’ exp...
Across the globe mindfulness is taking a prominent role in a child's education. Research in t... more Across the globe mindfulness is taking a prominent role in a child's education. Research in this field is also expanding rapidly, but failing to keep pace with the practical implementation of mindfulness programs in schools. In the current study the authors address some of the research gaps - reporting on the experiences of two school counsellors introducing mindfulness to thirty-eight New Zealand elementary school students. The methodologies of Thematic Analysis and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis were used to understand the children and counsellors' perspectives and experiences. Four super-ordinate themes captured the essence of how the school counsellors made sense of child-based mindfulness instruction: Support Factors; Facilitator Engagement; Motivation and Benefits of Sharing Mindfulness with Children; and Program Adaptions and Additions. A number of recommendations are suggested to help progress the research field and the practical implementation of mindfulne...
Across the globe mindfulness is taking a prominent role in a child’s education. Research in this ... more Across the globe mindfulness is taking a prominent role in a child’s education. Research in this field is also expanding rapidly, but failing to keep pace with the practical implementation of mindfulness programs in schools. In the current study the authors address some of the research gaps – reporting on the experiences of two school counsellors introducing mindfulness to thirty-eight New Zealand elementary school students. The methodologies of Thematic Analysis and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis were used to understand the children and counsellors’ perspectives and experiences. Four super-ordinate themes captured the essence of how the school counsellors made sense of child-based mindfulness instruction: Support Factors; Facilitator Engagement; Motivation and Benefits of Sharing Mindfulness with Children; and Program Adaptions and Additions. A number of recommendations are suggested to help progress the research field and the practical implementation of mindfulness in schools.
A growing body of scientific evidence suggests mindfulness is an essential life skill. Mindfulnes... more A growing body of scientific evidence suggests mindfulness is an essential life skill. Mindfulness practices help focus attention and have the potential to enhance both teacher and student well being. Techniques focus on the development of the whole person – awareness of the mind, body and emotions.
Mindfulness is practiced widely around the world and is also a burgeoning area of academic interest. Research started in the early 1980s with people experiencing chronic pain and stress. By the close of 2012 there were approximately 2500 journal articles on the topic investigating its impact on a wide range of health conditions and well-being.
Due to positive research results in adult populations, mindfulness programs have been implemented in schools around the world over the last decade and researchers are conducting studies to determine how learning mindfulness impacts a school community’s well-being.
The current research project focuses on understanding children’s and teachers’ experiences and perspectives of learning and teaching mindfulness for the first time in an independent school located in New Zealand. The following questions were posed: "What is a child’s perspective of learning mindfulness practices at school?" and "How do teachers make sense of introducing a mindfulness program to children? "
In 2013, approximately 40 (forty) Year 2 and Year 5 students from a primary school in Auckland, New Zealand participated in a 10-week mindfulness program. The program was developed in Australia, by Janet Etty-Leal, and is based on the text “Meditation Capsules: A Mindfulness Program for Children” (see p. vi for an outline of the program).
The school’s Counsellor and Well-Being Director delivered the program with the general classroom teachers participating in some of the activities. During the mindfulness course, students completed age appropriate journals (see Appendix A) designed by Nicole Albrecht. The journals were then analysed by Karen Ager, who searched for prominent themes associated with the pupils’ perceptions of learning mindfulness.
Upon completion of the program, Angela Bucu interviewed the School Counsellor and Well-Being Director to find out about their experiences of teaching the program for the first time. Themes and patterns were generated from the interview data, based on the most meaningful and important experiences identified by the school’s facilitators.
The findings support the integration of mindfulness across the whole school, focusing initially on both teacher and student populations. Further research is recommended to determine whether mindfulness practice leads to long-term whole person development, enhanced academic performance and a reduction in student and teacher stress levels.
Over the last decade, the cultivation of mindfulness has become a common part of the curriculum i... more Over the last decade, the cultivation of mindfulness has become a common part of the curriculum in classrooms around the world. A recent survey indicates that nearly 50% of teachers are sharing mindfulness with children. To date, researchers have predominately used outcome-based trial designs to understand the practice’s efficacy for improving wellness in children. Less research has been directed towards understanding how children perceive mindfulness experiences. This gap inspired the research question—What are students’ perspectives of learning mindfulness practices at school? Thematic analysis was employed to understand and interpret 38 elementary school students’ mindfulness journals. Findings suggest that mindfulness enhances student wellbeing and helps children develop a greater awareness of their body, mind and emotions. Implications of these findings are discussed. Future research is required to determine how mindfulness practices enhance and sustain student wellbeing and learning.
Over the last decade, the cultivation of mindfulness has become a common part of the curriculum i... more Over the last decade, the cultivation of mindfulness has become a common part of the curriculum in classrooms around the world. A recent survey indicates that nearly 50% of teachers are sharing mindfulness with children. To date, researchers have predominately used outcome-based trial designs to understand the practice’s efficacy for improving wellness in children. Less research has been directed towards understanding how children perceive mindfulness experiences. This gap inspired the research question—What are students’ perspectives of learning mindfulness practices at school? Thematic analysis was employed to understand and interpret 38 elementary school students’ mindfulness journals. Findings suggest that mindfulness enhances student wellbeing and helps children develop a greater awareness of their body, mind and emotions. Implications of these findings are discussed. Future research is required to determine how mindfulness practices enhance and sustain student wellbeing and learning.
A growing body of scientific evidence suggests mindfulness is an essential life skill. Mindfulnes... more A growing body of scientific evidence suggests mindfulness is an essential life skill. Mindfulness practices help focus attention and have the potential to enhance both teacher and student well being. Techniques focus on the development of the whole person – awareness of the mind, body and emotions. Mindfulness is practiced widely around the world and is also a burgeoning area of academic interest. Research started in the early 1980s with people experiencing chronic pain and stress. By the close of 2012 there were approximately 2500 journal articles on the topic investigating its impact on a wide range of health conditions and well-being. Due to positive research results in adult populations, mindfulness programs have been implemented in schools around the world over the last decade and researchers are conducting studies to determine how learning mindful- ness impacts a school community’s well-being. The current research project focuses on understanding children’s and teachers’ exp...
Across the globe mindfulness is taking a prominent role in a child's education. Research in t... more Across the globe mindfulness is taking a prominent role in a child's education. Research in this field is also expanding rapidly, but failing to keep pace with the practical implementation of mindfulness programs in schools. In the current study the authors address some of the research gaps - reporting on the experiences of two school counsellors introducing mindfulness to thirty-eight New Zealand elementary school students. The methodologies of Thematic Analysis and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis were used to understand the children and counsellors' perspectives and experiences. Four super-ordinate themes captured the essence of how the school counsellors made sense of child-based mindfulness instruction: Support Factors; Facilitator Engagement; Motivation and Benefits of Sharing Mindfulness with Children; and Program Adaptions and Additions. A number of recommendations are suggested to help progress the research field and the practical implementation of mindfulne...
Across the globe mindfulness is taking a prominent role in a child’s education. Research in this ... more Across the globe mindfulness is taking a prominent role in a child’s education. Research in this field is also expanding rapidly, but failing to keep pace with the practical implementation of mindfulness programs in schools. In the current study the authors address some of the research gaps – reporting on the experiences of two school counsellors introducing mindfulness to thirty-eight New Zealand elementary school students. The methodologies of Thematic Analysis and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis were used to understand the children and counsellors’ perspectives and experiences. Four super-ordinate themes captured the essence of how the school counsellors made sense of child-based mindfulness instruction: Support Factors; Facilitator Engagement; Motivation and Benefits of Sharing Mindfulness with Children; and Program Adaptions and Additions. A number of recommendations are suggested to help progress the research field and the practical implementation of mindfulness in schools.
A growing body of scientific evidence suggests mindfulness is an essential life skill. Mindfulnes... more A growing body of scientific evidence suggests mindfulness is an essential life skill. Mindfulness practices help focus attention and have the potential to enhance both teacher and student well being. Techniques focus on the development of the whole person – awareness of the mind, body and emotions.
Mindfulness is practiced widely around the world and is also a burgeoning area of academic interest. Research started in the early 1980s with people experiencing chronic pain and stress. By the close of 2012 there were approximately 2500 journal articles on the topic investigating its impact on a wide range of health conditions and well-being.
Due to positive research results in adult populations, mindfulness programs have been implemented in schools around the world over the last decade and researchers are conducting studies to determine how learning mindfulness impacts a school community’s well-being.
The current research project focuses on understanding children’s and teachers’ experiences and perspectives of learning and teaching mindfulness for the first time in an independent school located in New Zealand. The following questions were posed: "What is a child’s perspective of learning mindfulness practices at school?" and "How do teachers make sense of introducing a mindfulness program to children? "
In 2013, approximately 40 (forty) Year 2 and Year 5 students from a primary school in Auckland, New Zealand participated in a 10-week mindfulness program. The program was developed in Australia, by Janet Etty-Leal, and is based on the text “Meditation Capsules: A Mindfulness Program for Children” (see p. vi for an outline of the program).
The school’s Counsellor and Well-Being Director delivered the program with the general classroom teachers participating in some of the activities. During the mindfulness course, students completed age appropriate journals (see Appendix A) designed by Nicole Albrecht. The journals were then analysed by Karen Ager, who searched for prominent themes associated with the pupils’ perceptions of learning mindfulness.
Upon completion of the program, Angela Bucu interviewed the School Counsellor and Well-Being Director to find out about their experiences of teaching the program for the first time. Themes and patterns were generated from the interview data, based on the most meaningful and important experiences identified by the school’s facilitators.
The findings support the integration of mindfulness across the whole school, focusing initially on both teacher and student populations. Further research is recommended to determine whether mindfulness practice leads to long-term whole person development, enhanced academic performance and a reduction in student and teacher stress levels.
Over the last decade, the cultivation of mindfulness has become a common part of the curriculum i... more Over the last decade, the cultivation of mindfulness has become a common part of the curriculum in classrooms around the world. A recent survey indicates that nearly 50% of teachers are sharing mindfulness with children. To date, researchers have predominately used outcome-based trial designs to understand the practice’s efficacy for improving wellness in children. Less research has been directed towards understanding how children perceive mindfulness experiences. This gap inspired the research question—What are students’ perspectives of learning mindfulness practices at school? Thematic analysis was employed to understand and interpret 38 elementary school students’ mindfulness journals. Findings suggest that mindfulness enhances student wellbeing and helps children develop a greater awareness of their body, mind and emotions. Implications of these findings are discussed. Future research is required to determine how mindfulness practices enhance and sustain student wellbeing and learning.
Over the last decade, the cultivation of mindfulness has become a common part of the curriculum i... more Over the last decade, the cultivation of mindfulness has become a common part of the curriculum in classrooms around the world. A recent survey indicates that nearly 50% of teachers are sharing mindfulness with children. To date, researchers have predominately used outcome-based trial designs to understand the practice’s efficacy for improving wellness in children. Less research has been directed towards understanding how children perceive mindfulness experiences. This gap inspired the research question—What are students’ perspectives of learning mindfulness practices at school? Thematic analysis was employed to understand and interpret 38 elementary school students’ mindfulness journals. Findings suggest that mindfulness enhances student wellbeing and helps children develop a greater awareness of their body, mind and emotions. Implications of these findings are discussed. Future research is required to determine how mindfulness practices enhance and sustain student wellbeing and learning.
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Papers by Karen Ager
Mindfulness is practiced widely around the world and is also a burgeoning area of academic interest. Research started in the early 1980s with people experiencing chronic pain and stress. By the close of 2012 there were approximately 2500 journal articles on the topic investigating its impact on a wide range of health conditions and well-being.
Due to positive research results in adult populations, mindfulness programs have been implemented in schools around the world over the last decade and researchers are conducting studies to determine how learning mindfulness impacts a school community’s well-being.
The current research project focuses on understanding children’s and teachers’ experiences and perspectives of learning and teaching mindfulness for the first time in an independent school located in New Zealand. The following questions were posed: "What is a child’s perspective of learning mindfulness practices at school?" and "How do teachers make sense of introducing a mindfulness program to children? "
In 2013, approximately 40 (forty) Year 2 and Year 5 students from a primary school in Auckland, New Zealand participated in a 10-week mindfulness program. The program was developed in Australia, by Janet Etty-Leal, and is based on the text “Meditation Capsules: A Mindfulness Program for Children” (see p. vi for an outline of the program).
The school’s Counsellor and Well-Being Director delivered the program with the general classroom teachers participating in some of the activities. During the mindfulness course, students completed age appropriate journals (see Appendix A) designed by Nicole Albrecht. The journals were then analysed by Karen Ager, who searched for prominent themes associated with the pupils’ perceptions of learning mindfulness.
Upon completion of the program, Angela Bucu interviewed the School Counsellor and Well-Being Director to find out about their experiences of teaching the program for the first time. Themes and patterns were generated from the interview data, based on the most meaningful and important experiences identified by the school’s facilitators.
The findings support the integration of mindfulness across the whole school, focusing initially on both teacher and student populations. Further research is recommended to determine whether mindfulness practice leads to long-term whole person development, enhanced academic performance and a reduction in student and teacher stress levels.
designs to understand the practice’s efficacy for improving wellness in children. Less research has been directed towards understanding how children perceive mindfulness experiences. This gap inspired the research question—What are students’ perspectives of learning mindfulness practices
at school? Thematic analysis was employed to understand and interpret 38 elementary school students’ mindfulness journals. Findings suggest that mindfulness enhances student wellbeing and helps children develop a greater awareness of their body, mind and emotions. Implications of
these findings are discussed. Future research is required to determine how mindfulness practices enhance and sustain student wellbeing and learning.
Psychology and Psychiatry by Karen Ager
Mindfulness is practiced widely around the world and is also a burgeoning area of academic interest. Research started in the early 1980s with people experiencing chronic pain and stress. By the close of 2012 there were approximately 2500 journal articles on the topic investigating its impact on a wide range of health conditions and well-being.
Due to positive research results in adult populations, mindfulness programs have been implemented in schools around the world over the last decade and researchers are conducting studies to determine how learning mindfulness impacts a school community’s well-being.
The current research project focuses on understanding children’s and teachers’ experiences and perspectives of learning and teaching mindfulness for the first time in an independent school located in New Zealand. The following questions were posed: "What is a child’s perspective of learning mindfulness practices at school?" and "How do teachers make sense of introducing a mindfulness program to children? "
In 2013, approximately 40 (forty) Year 2 and Year 5 students from a primary school in Auckland, New Zealand participated in a 10-week mindfulness program. The program was developed in Australia, by Janet Etty-Leal, and is based on the text “Meditation Capsules: A Mindfulness Program for Children” (see p. vi for an outline of the program).
The school’s Counsellor and Well-Being Director delivered the program with the general classroom teachers participating in some of the activities. During the mindfulness course, students completed age appropriate journals (see Appendix A) designed by Nicole Albrecht. The journals were then analysed by Karen Ager, who searched for prominent themes associated with the pupils’ perceptions of learning mindfulness.
Upon completion of the program, Angela Bucu interviewed the School Counsellor and Well-Being Director to find out about their experiences of teaching the program for the first time. Themes and patterns were generated from the interview data, based on the most meaningful and important experiences identified by the school’s facilitators.
The findings support the integration of mindfulness across the whole school, focusing initially on both teacher and student populations. Further research is recommended to determine whether mindfulness practice leads to long-term whole person development, enhanced academic performance and a reduction in student and teacher stress levels.
designs to understand the practice’s efficacy for improving wellness in children. Less research has been directed towards understanding how children perceive mindfulness experiences. This gap inspired the research question—What are students’ perspectives of learning mindfulness practices
at school? Thematic analysis was employed to understand and interpret 38 elementary school students’ mindfulness journals. Findings suggest that mindfulness enhances student wellbeing and helps children develop a greater awareness of their body, mind and emotions. Implications of
these findings are discussed. Future research is required to determine how mindfulness practices enhance and sustain student wellbeing and learning.