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| photo courtesy Dr. Susie Wolbe |
Dr. Susie Wolbe, EdD, provides
individual and group mindfulness training for students, parents, and educators
in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Wolbe has
extensive experience as a teacher and administrator in public and private
schools, and has trained with both Challenge Success and Mindful Schools.
The term
“mindfulness” recently started appearing all over the media, not only in the
context of education, but for everything from sports performance to corporate
finance. In your opinion, what are the
benefits and drawbacks of this popularization?
The benefit is that more
people are looking at mindfulness to see what it’s all about. Mindfulness is a beautiful experience; if practiced with regularity, it allows the burdens of stress, anxiety, constant worrying, and depression to lessen.
The drawback is having anyone think mindfulness is a “cure-all” for whatever ails you. And it
is certainly not a quick-fix.
It’s as though what was once fuzzy becomes more clear, and we can find a sense of relief from what had been plaguing us.
Why is it important for teachers to
participate in a training workshop before introducing mindfulness to their
students?
Teachers should be trained before being expected to teach mindfulness. Without even discussing the personal benefits of mindfulness for educators, I would still hope they have a practice themselves before teaching it to their students.
There's a very big
difference between simply following a teaching guide, and guiding students
through something with which you have experience yourself.
In a way, it's no
different than teaching algebra. If you don't understand algebra, you won't
be very successful teaching it in the classroom. If you don't understand or
have an experience with mindfulness, your success in teaching it will be compromised.
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| photo courtesy Dr. Susie Wolbe |
In a recent interview, Debra Mazda gave some recommendations for integrating mindful eating and
exercise into a busy school day. What
are some other ways teachers can take care of themselves in order to be more
present and available for their students?
Having been a classroom
teacher, a principal, and an individual teacher/therapist, I've found that it's
essential to develop a balanced lifestyle in order to be able to provide my
students or anyone else, including myself, the best I have to offer.
Developing
a personal mission statement that reflects who you are and how you want to live
your life is a wonderful first step. It's also important to prioritize the areas of your life,
listing them in order of importance, and determining what you are willing to
release so you have enough time for what really matters to you.
Many educators have that “I can fix this” attitude, and get so carried
away with the minutiae of their days that they often lose sight of the big
picture. Yet, if you lose sight of the big picture, you end up losing sight of
your own personal needs.
To be more present and available for others, you need
to take the best care of yourself first. As they say at the beginning of every
airplane flight, “Put the oxygen mask on yourself before anyone traveling with
you.”
What can parents do to help their kids manage
stress and be more successful in school?
Children watch and learn from the adults in their lives; parents can set the tone for
their children so upsets become opportunities for growth, learning, problem
solving, and building resilience.
Parents should be
supportive of their children’s progress and growth, without crossing the line
into micro-managing assignments and relationships. Children need to see their parents partnering with the school and speaking respectfully of the institution and staff. Children will always
experience more growth if the child, parents, and school are working as a team
toward the same goals.
As far as being successful,
it’s important to understand whose definition of success is being discussed. If
parents help children develop personal responsibility, a solid work ethic, respect
for self and others, and a commitment to social service, the children will have
more than enough academic and career opportunities from which to choose.
What does “mindful teaching” mean to
you?
Mindful teaching provides an
opportunity to share strategies that help us slow down, get in touch with our
feelings and emotions, appreciate each moment as we live it, and become more
aware and in touch with our sensory experiences.
It's sharing a practice that
literally lifts burdens from our shoulders, and helps us realize and appreciate
what is most important in our lives, even though it neither solves problems nor
removes any sources of pain.
Mindful teaching is teaching how to really see and
appreciate the wonders in our world, be in touch with our feelings and
emotions, and be open to others teaching us the same.
Truly, a gift for us all.
What do you do in your own personal
mindfulness practice, and how does it help you with your work?
Mindfulness comes to me in a
combination of many types of practices. I sit for varying lengths of time and
focus on my breathing or heartbeat. I have bursts of mindful moments while
driving, eating, or doing something as simple as brushing my teeth. I practice
mindfulness when I walk outside and listen to sounds or notice how each part of
my body feels as I move from one step to the next.
Mindfulness has helped me release anger, hurt feelings,
and insecurities held over many years, feelings that I hadn’t even realized
existed; I can now accept those and other feelings and emotions as they pass
through my life, and am better equipped to do the same for others.
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| drsusiewolbe.com |
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related posts:
The Importance of Mindful Teachers (interview)
Mindful Discipline (recommended book)
Teaching For-Credit Mindfulness Classes (interview)
Teaching Mindfulness with Integrity (interview)
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