Teach The Present (3-12)

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The Present is a spiral programme for ages 3 to 12 which enables schools to introduce mindfulness and well-being in an incremental way; supporting learning across the curriculum and throughout the school years. The programme has been developed by Sarah Silverton (mindfulness teacher, trainer and author), Tabitha Sawyer (primary school teacher and assistant deputy head) and Dusana Dorjee (neuroscientist and researcher) and is available in English and Welsh.

The Present is designed for adults working with children in schools. It weaves learning about mindfulness, well-being and neuroscience into activities that typically take place throughout a school day, as well as at home.

The Present incorporates the latest evidence from neuroscience, including new understandings of brain development from, and the impact of mindfulness and attention on emotion regulation. In doing so, The Present programme recognises the evolving needs of children and young people as they progress through their education and is relevant to each particular age, as they encounter the joys and trials of everyday life.

The curriculum offers a clear programme to deliver (seven themes and four opportunities) at school with lots of “getting started” content in the materials, but there is encouragement for teachers and children to be creative and tailor the programme to suit the situation and context. The programme can easily be continued beyond the initial 14 weeks.

In recognition of the challenges and demands of the role of a teacher, the materials are also offered in a way that is accessible to busy teachers and offers support to them, as well as the children.

Please note: This course does not qualify those who take part to go on and train others to deliver The Present. Nor may they share the teaching resources with others. If your place on a the course is going to be funded by your school or other organisation, we recommend you make this clear to them before enrolling for this course. For further information, please see the Terms and Conditions.

At the end of the course, participants will receive six-months free membership to The Hub where you can access all the materials needed to start teaching The Present and opportunites to continue to develop your practice and your teaching.

What will The Present develop in Children & Young People

The materials aim to develop:

• metacognitive awareness
• attention regulation skills
• emotion regulation skills
• non-judgment and non-reactivity in relating to experience
• noticing and savouring positive experiences
• qualities of kindness and openness in relating to self and others.

What are the prerequisites?

Our training is open to school teachers and non-school teachers alike but as with all the main mindfulness programmes, it is expected to be taught only by those who regularly practise mindfulness themselves.

Research shows clearly that mindfulness is more effective when taught by those who embody the particular qualities it develops, such as open-minded curiosity, kindliness, acceptance, trust, patience, and non-striving, and who have skills of focusing, and paying and switching attention.*

Teachers of mindfulness need to be able to model what they are teaching, and to understand and relate directly and empathically to experiences their students may be having from a solid base in their own life. (Similarly, you would not expect a teacher who had never been in water to teach swimming effectively!)

View the full course prerequisites before applying.

* Crane, Rebecca S, Willem Kuyken, J Mark G Williams, Richard P Hastings, Lucinda Cooper, and Melanie J V Fennell. “Competence in Teaching Mindfulness-Based Courses: Concepts, Development and Assessment.” Mindfulness 3.1 (2012): 76-84. Web.

How is the training course delivered?

This course is available as a live online course over 4-days or 8 sessions of two hours each  – check our course schedule for upcoming courses.

How much does The Present training cost?

This live online course costs £620.

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.

Discounts for group bookings may be available. For more information, please contact enquiries@mindfulnessinschools.org

We continue to offer supported places to state-funded schools meeting our criteria – click here to find out more.

The Present Curriculum

To build understanding and skills for both adults and children, The Present materials offer a shared exploration of seven themes:

• Here and Now
• Focusing
• Choosing
• Connecting
• Human Body
• Human Mind
• Noticing Change.

Learning about neuroscience, well-being and mindfulness is developed through story-telling, suggested practices for each theme, enquiry, and everyday activities such as eating, walking, relating to other people and even queuing! The emphasis is on how we do things rather than what we do and on experiential learning rather than that which is primarily conceptual.

The Present Curriculum

To find out more about The Present curriculum:

View Curriculum