As we continue the transition into the second half of the semester, the majority of our class time will be spent preparing for the Exhibition. I will continue to observe students working collaboratively, as they work in groups to finalize scripts, assign roles and rehearse their plays. The goal of Phase One’s intervention is to engage in brain literacy workshops during this group-work time, followed by activities in practicing applying the concept of mindfulness. I hope to observe students making connections and demonstrating the ability to make direct application from the workshops into their actions. My students and I will then reflect on these activities, providing a means for assessment.
These workshops align with the anticipated progress of the plays in my classroom. Starting off with a basic introduction to the concept of mindfulness provides an accessible entry point into Phase One’s activities, allowing students to gain a deeper understanding of my research. As students become more comfortable with mindfulness activities, such as meditation, we will slowly integrate the biological and physiological responses in the body, providing information about the effects of stress on the body and the power of breath. The workshops will conclude with workshops focusing on eliminating preconceived notions and expectations. The closing workshops will also stress the importance of reflection on all of their entire experience during Phase One. The brain literacy workshops will be conducted twice a week for three weeks, and will cover the following topics:
Workshop #1: Introduction into the concept of mindfulness
Upon discussion of my research, students will be asked to find a comfortable seated position with their eyes closed. Should any student wish to opt out of the activity, they will be instructed to quietly read. My students and I will engage in a ten minute guided meditation, encouraging us to concentrate on our breath. After the activity, the students will be provided time for an anonymous written reflection in response to the open-ended prompt: How do you feel now?
Workshop #2: The Happiness Advantage
My students and I will watch a short TEDx talk video titled “The Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor. Following the suggestion of Achor, students will be instructed to close their eyes, reflecting on three new things they are grateful for that have occurred in the past twenty-four hours. Students will be asked to journal their thoughts and each will share at least one of their responses.
These workshops align with the anticipated progress of the plays in my classroom. Starting off with a basic introduction to the concept of mindfulness provides an accessible entry point into Phase One’s activities, allowing students to gain a deeper understanding of my research. As students become more comfortable with mindfulness activities, such as meditation, we will slowly integrate the biological and physiological responses in the body, providing information about the effects of stress on the body and the power of breath. The workshops will conclude with workshops focusing on eliminating preconceived notions and expectations. The closing workshops will also stress the importance of reflection on all of their entire experience during Phase One. The brain literacy workshops will be conducted twice a week for three weeks, and will cover the following topics:
Workshop #1: Introduction into the concept of mindfulness
Upon discussion of my research, students will be asked to find a comfortable seated position with their eyes closed. Should any student wish to opt out of the activity, they will be instructed to quietly read. My students and I will engage in a ten minute guided meditation, encouraging us to concentrate on our breath. After the activity, the students will be provided time for an anonymous written reflection in response to the open-ended prompt: How do you feel now?
Workshop #2: The Happiness Advantage
My students and I will watch a short TEDx talk video titled “The Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor. Following the suggestion of Achor, students will be instructed to close their eyes, reflecting on three new things they are grateful for that have occurred in the past twenty-four hours. Students will be asked to journal their thoughts and each will share at least one of their responses.
Workshop #3: Stress and the Body
We will discuss the physiological effects of stress on the body. This workshop will include discussion of the “Fight or Flight” vs. the “Rest and Digest” response, showing how the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems respond during times of stress and times of calm. We will then participate in a ten minute guided meditation, followed by journaling in response to the following prompts:
Workshop #4: The Science of Breath
We will watch a short animated video demonstrating the science of breath. This will continue the discussion of the effects of stress on the brain, showing what happens to the brain under stress and how we can handle it. The physical response to stress that effects the brain can impede focus and concentration, limit social connectedness and strain relationships. This elicits the release of cortisol, a hormone that limits the function of neurotransmitters, making it difficult to think clearly. Cortisol triggers the “Fight or Flight” response, affecting our ability to learn new things. The video provides a tangible tool to take control of our emotions: the breath. Research has found a direct link between breathing and emotions. Each emotion produces a distinct breathing pattern, which shows we can influence our emotions through our breath, transforming emotions through breathing techniques as stress-managing tools.
We will discuss the physiological effects of stress on the body. This workshop will include discussion of the “Fight or Flight” vs. the “Rest and Digest” response, showing how the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems respond during times of stress and times of calm. We will then participate in a ten minute guided meditation, followed by journaling in response to the following prompts:
- What are the main takeaways?
- How does this relate to your own participation in a collaborative group?
- How can you use this workshop to support your peers?
- What did you find valuable today? What action steps are you going to take?
Workshop #4: The Science of Breath
We will watch a short animated video demonstrating the science of breath. This will continue the discussion of the effects of stress on the brain, showing what happens to the brain under stress and how we can handle it. The physical response to stress that effects the brain can impede focus and concentration, limit social connectedness and strain relationships. This elicits the release of cortisol, a hormone that limits the function of neurotransmitters, making it difficult to think clearly. Cortisol triggers the “Fight or Flight” response, affecting our ability to learn new things. The video provides a tangible tool to take control of our emotions: the breath. Research has found a direct link between breathing and emotions. Each emotion produces a distinct breathing pattern, which shows we can influence our emotions through our breath, transforming emotions through breathing techniques as stress-managing tools.
The video also suggests regular breathing exercises have the following effects:
Workshop #5: Effort
This workshop debunks the myth of more effort towards mindfulness equates to better and faster results. We will watch a short animated video, demonstrating what happens when we try to force mindfulness and meditation. Mindfulness and meditation work in the opposite manner. The harder you work at it, the more effort you put forth, you find yourself further and further away from the goal. This process is similar to trying to “make” yourself go to sleep. The more you concentrate on the need to sleep, the more awake you become. Mindfulness cannot be forced. Rather, the process of mindfulness is gradually returning the mind to a natural state of calm. We will then participate in a ten minute guided meditation, followed by journaling to the same prompts as above.
Workshop #6: Expectation and the Mind
This workshop will discuss the expectation many may have when approaching mindfulness and meditation. The first short animated video we will watch will explain that training the mind isn’t about stopping thoughts or eliminating feelings. When we first try to slow down, we can become unsettled by the multitude of thoughts flooding our mind. Mindfulness, however, is not changing those thoughts. Rather, it is about changing our relationship with the passing thoughts and feelings, learning to view them with more perspective.
Students will then read a short text of an old Zen proverb, equating the mind to a body of water, with our thoughts as stones being thrown into the water causing ripples. We will then participate in a ten minute guided meditation, followed by journaling in response to the same prompts as above.
As we progress in the play process, the goal is for students to be able to make connections between the workshops and their roles as collaborative members of a team. I hope students will gain a better perspective into themselves as individuals, peers and contributors to the learning environment. I hope through participating in brain literacy workshops that focus on understanding the concept of mindfulness, students will gain insight into understanding their own minds, impacting their academic performance and improving focus as self-directed and self-regulated learners. I also hope these workshops will provide students the valuable tools to understand the source of many of their behaviors and attitudes, ultimately having a positive impact on interactions amongst group members, both academically and socially. These workshops will also provide me the opportunity to further understand my behaviors and attitudes as a teacher and a student.
Data Collection and Assessment Plan
I will assess students on their ability to make connections and direct applications from the brain literacy workshop to their academic and social lives. The data collection tools I will use during Phase One are:
Timeline: April 23 – May 7, 2014
Beginning of Phase One: Week 1 (week of April 21 – 25)
Workshop #1: April 23
Workshop #2: April 25
Week 2 (Week of April 28 – May 2)
Workshop #3: April 30
Workshop #4: May 2
Week 3 (Week of May 5 – May 9)
Workshop #5: May 5
Workshop #6: May 7
End of Phase One: May 7
To continue to my Phase One, please click here
To go back to my Action and Assessment Plan, please click here
To return to my Action Research Homepage, please click here
- Enhance brain functioning
- Increase beta-brain wave activity to reduce stress
- Improve focus, helping to solve problems and understand complex issues
- Lower cholesterol
- Boost the immune system
- Relieve stress
- Enhance well being and positive emotions
Workshop #5: Effort
This workshop debunks the myth of more effort towards mindfulness equates to better and faster results. We will watch a short animated video, demonstrating what happens when we try to force mindfulness and meditation. Mindfulness and meditation work in the opposite manner. The harder you work at it, the more effort you put forth, you find yourself further and further away from the goal. This process is similar to trying to “make” yourself go to sleep. The more you concentrate on the need to sleep, the more awake you become. Mindfulness cannot be forced. Rather, the process of mindfulness is gradually returning the mind to a natural state of calm. We will then participate in a ten minute guided meditation, followed by journaling to the same prompts as above.
Workshop #6: Expectation and the Mind
This workshop will discuss the expectation many may have when approaching mindfulness and meditation. The first short animated video we will watch will explain that training the mind isn’t about stopping thoughts or eliminating feelings. When we first try to slow down, we can become unsettled by the multitude of thoughts flooding our mind. Mindfulness, however, is not changing those thoughts. Rather, it is about changing our relationship with the passing thoughts and feelings, learning to view them with more perspective.
Students will then read a short text of an old Zen proverb, equating the mind to a body of water, with our thoughts as stones being thrown into the water causing ripples. We will then participate in a ten minute guided meditation, followed by journaling in response to the same prompts as above.
As we progress in the play process, the goal is for students to be able to make connections between the workshops and their roles as collaborative members of a team. I hope students will gain a better perspective into themselves as individuals, peers and contributors to the learning environment. I hope through participating in brain literacy workshops that focus on understanding the concept of mindfulness, students will gain insight into understanding their own minds, impacting their academic performance and improving focus as self-directed and self-regulated learners. I also hope these workshops will provide students the valuable tools to understand the source of many of their behaviors and attitudes, ultimately having a positive impact on interactions amongst group members, both academically and socially. These workshops will also provide me the opportunity to further understand my behaviors and attitudes as a teacher and a student.
Data Collection and Assessment Plan
I will assess students on their ability to make connections and direct applications from the brain literacy workshop to their academic and social lives. The data collection tools I will use during Phase One are:
- Sample student writing and discussion prompts: I will collect student writing samples throughout the implementation of Phase One. These samples will include student responses to discussion prompts provided during the brain literacy workshops.
- Classroom Observations and tracking of five focus students: Throughout Phase One, I will record both general classroom observations and those of five focus students on an observation guide. The focus students represent a broad scope of the behaviors and attitudes in the classroom. I selected these particular students for their varying abilities and mindsets, including level of academic achievement, ability and willingness to collaborate, and perceived openness to the concept of mindfulness. In addition to the recording on the observation guide, I will conduct informal check-ins through oral conversations, where students will share ways they have or have not applied the content from the workshops into their collaborative work on the plays. I will also ask these students to share more in-depth descriptions of their experience throughout Phase One.
- Student Feedback Forms: I will use google forms in order to collect both quantitative and qualitative data.
- Teacher journal: I will also maintain a teacher journal in order to collect qualitative data. This data will be used to support my analysis of my subquestions, specifically the workshops' affect on students' self-perception, peer interaction during collaborative work, and the evolution of students' understanding and beliefs about the importance of the concept of mindfulness. I will also journal my personal experience through this process, reflecting on the effect the brain literacy workshops have on my perception of my students, as well as myself as a teacher and a student.
Timeline: April 23 – May 7, 2014
Beginning of Phase One: Week 1 (week of April 21 – 25)
Workshop #1: April 23
Workshop #2: April 25
Week 2 (Week of April 28 – May 2)
Workshop #3: April 30
Workshop #4: May 2
Week 3 (Week of May 5 – May 9)
Workshop #5: May 5
Workshop #6: May 7
End of Phase One: May 7
To continue to my Phase One, please click here
To go back to my Action and Assessment Plan, please click here
To return to my Action Research Homepage, please click here