Abstract

Formal mindfulness-based wellness education (MBWE) and related practices are being increasingly used in a variety of human services as interventions for individuals and groups susceptible to stress related problems and burnout. A growing body of research literature supports the use of MBWE training programs and practices in the field of education. This qualitative study focuses on the value of MBWE in pre-service education programs as a tool for emotional regulation, stress management and achievement of educational goals. Data is drawn from narratives provided by eight University of Toronto teacher trainees, four of whom had received formal mindfulness- based wellness education. Journal entries and interview-generated narratives document teacher perceptions about the potential of mindfulness training and practice in facilitating professional and personal goals. Interview responses and journals provide narratives which give voice to pre-service teachers’ concerns about stress management related to teaching, and professional roles, as well as interpersonal skills with colleagues, students, parents, and administrators. This paper suggests that for teachers who are seeking strategies for coping with stress, mindfulness may have a role to play in increasing teachers’ resilience by promoting internal resources to buffer the emotional aspects of their work. These narratives provide evidence that mindfulness training can be used as a
coping mechanism. Participants who had enrolled in “Stress and Burnout: Teacher and Student Applications” expressed a readiness and openness to learn more about stress, as well as strategies to reduce it. Insights are provided for curriculum planning for teacher education programs. Narratives and teacher journaling are recommended for further inquiries into factors for support of introduction and implementation of mindfulness- based wellness education programs for teachers, as well as for offering similar strategies for use by students in the classroom.

Key words: Self-efficacy, Wellness, Stress, Resilience, Interpersonal Skills