Mindful learning: Why attention matters in education

Abstract

Mindfulness is a generic skill with a wide range of applications relevant to education. These include fostering mental health; improving communication, empathy, and emotional development, improving physical health; and enhancing learning and performance. This article will give a brief overview of the science, practice, and philosophy of mindfulness, enlarge on the application of mindfulness meditation and related practices, and explore how these can be applied to the education, development, and well-being of children.

Keywords::

• mindfulness
• meditation
• education
• children
• learning
• communication
• empathy
• performance
• emotional intelligence

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Craig Hassed

Associate Professor Craig Hassed works at the Department of General Practice and is coordinator of mindfulness programs at Monash University. His teaching, research and clinical interests include mindfulness-based stress management, mind-body medicine, meditation, health promotion, integrative medicine and medical ethics. Craig is regularly invited to speak and run courses in Australia and overseas in health, professional and educational contexts. He was the founding president of the Australian Teachers of Meditation Association and is a regular media commentator. He writes regularly for medical journals and has published ten books, including Mindful Learning, on the role of mindfulness in education.