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“I’ve learnt so much that I can use personally and in my own teaching, let alone in terms of teaching mindfulness. I have gained a huge amount of confidence due to the amount of practice we were able to do. Would recommend this course to anyone considering the training.”
“The facilitators were excellent – so knowledgeable and expert but very human and approachable. They were successful in creating a very mindful experience using technology which is no mean feat!”
Build a sustainable model in your school by training staff to lead colleagues in adult mindfulness ‘in-house’
The most affordable longer-term path to embed mindfulness in your school or chain of schools is to train up one or more of your staff as ‘mindfulness leads’.
The School Mindfulness Lead training is intended to help school staff to develop a more sustainable, in-house model for mindfulness training and development. The course prepares .b, Paws b and dots teachers to lead the .b Foundations taster session and 8-session curriculum, but also to become a ‘mindfulness lead’ within the school or educational organisation where they are employed.
The curriculum draws upon a number of influences:
- MBSR & MBCT
- The ‘Finding Peace in a Frantic World’ Course
- .b (age 11-18)
- Paws b (age 7-11)
- Original ideas from the development team
- Mindfulness in Schools Project’s experience as teachers and school leaders’.
PLEASE NOTE: This course does not train you to teach others to deliver the .b, Paws b or dotscurricula.
If you are already a qualified adult mindfulness teacher then this course is not appropriate for you. Please do take a look at our 3-day Teach .b Foundations instead.
The School Mindfulness Lead course therefore feels more like a mindfulness retreat than a traditional teacher training course: the course is residential, and days are full and long, with attendees taking part in extended periods of guided and non-guided mindfulness practices.
As with any mindfulness course or retreat, it may not therefore be for everyone. In particular, if you have recently experienced trauma or bereavement, or severe physical or mental illness, you should consult with your GP or other medical adviser before undertaking this, or any form of mindfulness training or practice.
If you wish to discuss any questions you might have about the School Mindfulness Lead course, please contact enquiries@mindfulnessinschools.org
Why train ‘in-house’?
Whilst you need outside expertise initially to kick start mindfulness, an in-house ‘mindfulness lead’ plays an important role in embedding it for the longer term by:
- Running 8 week-courses and drop-in sessions for staff on an on-going basis.
- Developing a depth of personal understanding to guide and orient your school’s mindful culture.
- Tailoring the teaching and practice of mindfulness to your school’s own unique needs. Every school is different.
- Doing the above in a way which is affordable and sustainable.
What does the School Mindfulness Lead training involve?
School Mindfulness Lead is a programme run over 6 days (spread across 12 days if Online) developing the skills needed to lead a sustainable approach to mindfulness in schools. The training involves:
- An extensive specialist training to teach .b Foundations, a schools-based adult mindfulness curriculum designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of staff, parents and other adults in your school community.
- A retreat-based programme to support you in deepening your own mindfulness practice.
- An opportunity to develop a sustainable model of mindfulness within you school, planning systems of support for students and adults practising mindfulness in your school community.
At the end of the course, participants will receive six-months free membership to The Hub where they can access all the materials needed to start teaching the lessons.
The School Mindfulness Lead Training forms part of a broader pathway of development. For an outline of this pathway, please click here.
What are the prerequisites?
If mindfulness is to become an established part of the education of children and young people, it is very important that the highest standards of professionalism and evidence-based integrity are maintained. We believe that this is in the interests of all those teaching mindfulness and the adults and young people learning it.
You will be eligible to attend the School Mindfulness Lead Training if you:
- Have trained to Teach .b, Paws b or dots
- Have delivered .b and/or Paws b at least twice in full to pupils in school. Or have delivered a full dots course once
- Are employed by, or in long term relationship with, the school community in which .b Foundations will be taught to adults.
- Have a commitment to regularly be ‘on the ground’ in and communicate with the school(s) as part of your lead role in helping develop a long-term, sustainable mindfulness model for the school(s).*
- In order to support yourself as a mindfulness lead, as well as the groups of staff you will be working with, we recommend that you commit to adherence to the UK Good Practice Guidelines for mindfulness teaching.
What does the School Mindfulness Lead training not cover?
Please note: This training course does not cover:
- Training to teach adults as part of public or other programmes outside your own school or workplace. .b Foundations is designed specifically for use in school communities. If you are interested in teaching adults outside of a school setting we recommend you visit https://bamba.org.uk for further information.
- Training to teach colleagues how to teach mindfulness to young people or adults.
- Training to teach mindfulness on a temporary ‘drop-in’ basis. i.e. you must work regularly and on an ongoing basis within the school where you intend to be the School Mindfulness Lead.
How much does School Mindfulness Lead cost?
The cost of the six day residential course is £1,245 and the equivalent live online course is £930.
This course meets the conditions of an exempt supply of education provided by an eligible body and therefore is exempt from VAT.
You will also receive 6-months complimentary membership to our Trained Teacher Hub.
We continue to offer supported places to state-funded schools meeting our criteria – click here to find out more.
