Dates:  4 Zoom sessions on Mondays from 3:55 -5:00 p.m.   (October 25th, November 1st, 8th, and 15th, 2021) Mountain time

Prerequisite:  We recommend taking the "Teacher Self Care through Mindfulness" course prior to taking this course.  It is not required though.  


“How we spend our days, is, of course, how we spend our lives.”  Annie Dillard

Mindfulness, at its core, is the art of being present.  When we are present, we notice just this flow of time - just this moment. The mind can relax as it gets to only focus on this current experience.   All of our senses are tuned in to the scents, sights, smells, sounds and sensations of the physical earth around us.  We are purposefully paying attention and enjoying the act of being alive.  In this state the nervous system calms down, our brow may unfurrow, our jaws unclench and we relax.  

We can retrain our attention through Mindfulness to be in this state more frequently, and thus begin to feel a little more alive and a little more joy at simply existing.  It takes a bit of practice, a lot of awareness, and a good dose of humor.  

Kids are actually much better at this than grown-ups.  One of the main ways we teach them Mindfulness then is by getting out of the way and letting them enjoy their present moment a little bit more!  In this course we will dive into mindfulness practices that we can do while we teach so that we demonstrate them in real time with kids, as they learn best this way, and we will also explore very simple, enjoyable practices that can be used in 20 second segments during the school day, all the way up to longer, more focused lessons.  


During this 4 week course (designed to span 4 weeks so that you can process and practice the skills) we will dive into the following topics:

Getting out the way:  We will explore ways that we unconsciously teach kids out of their natural ability to be mindful.  We will practice saying less, pausing before reacting, and letting kids “chew on” their problems for a bit longer than we might normally do.

Classroom management:  We will play with fun breaths and mindful moments that significantly shift the “crazy” classroom energy.  We will explore slowing down and “holding the space” of the classroom in a more “grounded” way, and we will dive into some mindful approaches to guide children through conflicts.

Teaching through the 5 senses:  I’ll share a few ideas on how to let kids feel, sense and explore (body based) a topic rather than only teaching through the mind.  

Fun mindfulness practices for kids:  We will try out a few practices such as mindful eating, mindful walking and coloring mandalas!

Instructor:  Jess Matthiae, Peaceful Heart Yoga

Registration fee:  $49/per person
4 OPI renewal units available
Event #22560001
If you have any questions, please contact director@wmplc.org