.b Foundations for Teachers
.b Foundations is an 8-week training for teachers and staff who wish to learn the foundations of mindfulness. Since being devised by the Mindfulness in Schools Project in 2012, the curriculum has been trialed and developed and proven effective in over thirty schools across the UK and abroad.
Initially we recommend a one-off taster session for staff, delivered by a certified .b Foundations teacher. This introduces the basic principles behind mindfulness and offering a chance to try out the practice. It also sets out the proven benefits of engaging with mindfulness, along with the proviso that commitment and patience are required.
If a group of staff wish to explore mindfulness further, we offer the eight session .b Foundations training. This sits neatly as a twilight session, delivered in school to optimise staff access.
The training is based on the core mindfulness principles found within the course book Mindfulness, Finding Peace in a Frantic World, by Prof. Mark Williams and Danny Penman.
The training is designed with staff in mind, and the particular challenges they may be familiar with working in educational settings. It offers an alternative to traditional Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) courses, with shorter sessions and home practice designed to be accessible for busy educational staff.
By the end of the course, participants should be able to use mindfulness to:
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Feel happier, calmer and more fulfilled
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Get on better with others, including students and colleagues
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Work more effectively by bringing increased awareness to the process
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Increase resilience in the face of stress and difficulties
Staff who develop a regular practice and feel inspired to go on to teach mindfulness to students could then attend a Teach .b or Teach Paws .b Certification Course. To find out more, click here.