Connection of a different kind: Teachers teaching mindfulness with children

Abstract

Mindfulness programs are being used with increased frequency in schools, hospitals, clinics and community settings around the world. Research in school populations has predominately focused on assessing how the practice impacts students, using outcomes-based study designs. In the current study the author explored how experienced mindfulness instructors made sense of teaching children mindfulness, with a focus on exploring, understanding and interpreting the teacher's experiences. The methodology of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed to interview eight teachers teaching mindfulness with children from the United States and Australia. A number of themes emerged from the interviews; one being that spirituality plays an integral role in a teacher’s mindfulness practice. Implications for future research, practice and policy are discussed.