Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE RSE5021

 
TITLE Mind and Body Practices in Schools

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Centre for Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit has two main parts:

Part 1: encompasses the following contents:

I. Concept and Foundations of Mindfulness;
- The origin of mindfulness based on meditation practices;
- Mindfulness from a philosophical and epistemological approach;
- Mindfulness from a scientific approach.

II. The Foundations of mindfulness practice;
- Attitudinal foundations of Mindfulness practice;
- Principles and values of the mindfulness approach;
- Different models and techniques of mindfulness practice.

III. Mindfulness promoting health and well-being
- Theoretical models;
- Intervention programs.

IV. Mindfulness in education
- The role of mindfulness in education;
- Intervention programs in educational context.

V. Mindfulness practice
- Breath;
- Body Scan;
- Mindful movement;
- Self awareness.

Part 2: encompasses the following contents:

- Criativity, artistic expressions in the comunity;
- Arts integration for socioemotional and resilience skills;
- Programs promoting resilience involving arts expression (Rescur in Action Project, Boing Boing Watercolor Project);
- Evidence of artistic practice and integration of the arts in promoting socio-emotional skills and resilience;
- Artistic expressions in promoting resilience in the classroom context (dance, drama, music, visual arts, others).

Study-Unit Aims:

This study-unit aims to:

Part 1:
- Describe and analyse mindfulness approaches, programs and experiences to promote resilience;
- Stimulate an active participation of mindfulness and the benefits of its application in concrete educational contexts;
- Describe the concept and foundations of mindfulness, models and techniques of mindfulness practice and its relation to health, well-being and resilience.

Part 2:
- Assist students with understanding the role of creativity in the processes of community, social and individual resilience;
- Assist students with understanding the role of the arts in child learning and development, in particular supporting socioemotional learning and resilience.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

Part 1:
-Understand the concept and principles underpinning mindfulness approaches;
- Recognise the relationship between education and mindfulness;
- Identify how mindfulness plays a role in health, well-being and socioemotional competences;
-Understand, and discuss programs that support mindfulness approaches in education.

Part 2:
- Understand the role of creativity in the processes of community, social and individual change;
- Identify the role of the arts in child learning and development and in particular in supporting socioemotional learning and resilience;
- Recognise the values, theories and models underlying the approaches to the arts in socio-emotional skills and resilience promotion programs;
-Grasp evidence related to the effectiveness of artistic practices in promoting socio-emotional skills and resilience for ethical and scientifically based decision making.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

Part 1:
- Develop basic mindfulness attitudes such as non-judgment acceptance, gratitude;
- Identify and reflect (using a personal practice) upon the benefits of regular mindfulness practices;
- Develop practices and programs using mindfulness to promote resilience competences.

Part 2:
- Explore and identify artistic practices and resources for the promotion of social and emotional skills and resilience (dance, drama, music, visual arts);
- Develop activities and materials involving the arts in a curriculum focused on the development of socioemotional and resilience competences.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Part 1:
- Ivtzan, I.(2019). Handbook of Mindfulness-Based Programmes. London: Routledge
- Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Full catastrophe living. New York: Delta Books.
- Kabat-Zinn, J. (2016). Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment and Your Life. Louiseville: Sound True.
- Krstovic,B. (2019). Using Mindfulness to Improve Learning: 40 Meditation Exercises for School and Home. London: Routledge.
- Schonert-Reichl, A. & Roeser, R. (Eds) (2016). Handbook of Mindfulness in Education: Integrating Theory and Research Into Practice. New York: Springer.
- Willard, C., & Saltzman, A. (2015). Teaching Mindfulness Skills to Kids and Teens. New York: the Guildford Press.
- Williams, J. M., & Kabat-Zinn, J., (Eds.).(2013). Mindfulness: Diverse perspectives on its meaning, origins and applications. London: Routledge.
- Williams, M., & Penman, D. (2011). Mindfulness: An eigth-week plan for finding peace in a frantic world. New York: Rodale.

Part 2:
- Clift,S. & Camic, P.M. (2016). Oxford textbook of creative arts, health, and wellbeing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Coholic, D. (2010). Arts activities for children and young people in need: Helping children develop mindfulness, spiritual awareness and self-esteem. London: Jessica Kingsley.
- Goldberg, Meryl. (2017) Arts Integration: Teaching Subject Matter through the Arts in Multicultural Settings. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
- Macpherson, H., Hart, A., & Heaver, B. (2015) Building resilience through group visual arts activities’: findings from a scoping study with young people who experience mental health complexities and/or learning difficulties. Journal of Social Work, 0 (0) 1-20.
- Zarobe, L. & Bungay,H. (2018). The role of arts activities in developing resilience and mental wellbeing in children and young people a rapid review of the literature. Perspectives in Public Health, 20 (10), 1-11.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture and Practical

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment 25%
Reflective Diary 25%
Oral and Written Exercises 50%

 
LECTURER/S

 

 
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The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

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