The Future of Education

This paper is focused on practical strategies utilized in a New York City teacher preparation program to empower educators to support children’s social and emotional learning through use of mindfulness methods, meditation, and growth mindset language. Techniques presented are intended to foster calmness in the face of adversity, as well as increased levels of emotional wellness to help support educators and young learners in coping with multi-faceted challenges of attaining deeper levels of learning inherent in striving toward mastery of 21st century competencies. A primary goal is to share wellness techniques integrated in undergraduate and graduate level teacher education course curricula and diverse childhood education settings to support social and emotional learning. Additionally, use of mindfulness and mediation techniques implemented in a summer pilot program designed to support young struggling readers are highlighted. Many strategies are geared toward teaching young learners new ways to cope with the frustration of ongoing learning challenges and methods for facing obstacles to learning, such as multiple academic struggles and life stressors are discussed. However, techniques can be adapted for use with a wide range of audiences and age groups. Lessons learned and reflection on successful implementation of wellness strategies for supporting social and emotional learning will be shared.

Keywords: Social and Emotional Learning, Mindfulness, Meditation, Wellness, Growth Mindset, Self-empowerment, 21st Century Competencies;