Browsing by Author "Holmes, Kimberley Anne"

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    Learning, Breathing and Well-Being: Teachers' Reflections on Pedagogical Possibilities through Mindfulness
    (2015-09-30) Holmes, Kimberley Anne; Bohac Clarke, Veronika; Leggo, Carl; Friesen, Sharon
    The inspiration and motivation for this thesis came from my experiences as a student, a teacher and a mother. Through years of involvement with various types of education, I recognized significant problems embedded within the traditional ideologies of school: the fragmented focus of the assembly line model, the disregard of learning that is relevant to personal development, and the general disengagement of the educational process. I also observed increasing mental and physical health issues amongst teachers and students due to workload, class size, and time constraints. In addition, the Alberta government and school boards are recommending complex system changes, and this will require teachers to reflect carefully and mindfully on their current pedagogical praxis. Hence, this research was designed to explore the role of mindfulness in curriculum and learning, as a response to these challenges. I engaged nine educators in an initial interview to discuss their understanding of mindfulness and their use of mindful practices in their personal and professional lives. They then participated in four life writing activities and a final focus group activity. The results were analyzed and interpreted using the Integral model. The findings contributed to an exploration of the possibilities for mindful curriculum and learning. The analysis of findings, based on the combination of the data gathered, the theoretical framework, and the existing literature, suggests a framework for ongoing teacher development in mindfulness.