CURRICULUM

NOTE: THIS IS AN EXAMPLE. 

THIS SYLLABUS MAY CHANGE AND BE ADAPTED TO EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CIRCUMSTANCE. 

THIS SYLLABUS IS COPYRIGHTED. 

Credit will be given to authors whose work has been adapted for this course. Some authors whose work and research have inspired some of this training are cited below. 

There are many others in the Buddhist tradition, clinical psychology research, and neuroscience research, which will be mentioned during class. 

A list of resources and publications will be available to participants who want to continue exploring the topics.

Week 1: Putting up the tent poles

• Understanding the neurobiology of stress, learning, perception, attention, and creativity (Credit: Dr. Robert Sapolsky, Dr. Richard Davidson, Dr. Daniel Goleman, Dr. Daniel Siegel, and many others)

• Rhythms in the body (Credit: Dr. Rae Silver)

• Discovering the latest neuroscience research on the Mind (Credit: Dr. Daniel Siegel, Dr. David Bohm)

• What is mindfulness, and what is not mindfulness?

• Put down the weapons... This is not about passive resilience or getting more work done in less time

• Learn to leave survival mode and become empowered

Week 2: What is empathy and compassion? How does the mind work?

• Compassion and Empathy. The ABIDE Model (Credit: Roshi Dr. Joan Halifax)

• Mind-body relationships (Credit: Dr. Francisco Varela, Dr. Evan Thompson, Dr. Daniel Siegel)

• Categorization

• Enaction (Credit: Dr. Francisco Varela)

• Resonance

Week 3: Interconnectedness

• The relationships of the body with the environment

• Stress and the student environment

• Letting go of the Outcome

• Preparing your classroom environment

• the 3 Es (Equality, Equity, Equanimity)

• The 5 Cs (Contemplation, concentration, connection, compassion, completion)

Week 4: You are the Role Model

• Importance of kindness and respect

• Classroom discipline based on compassion, not fear

• Emotions awareness: How we react... 

• Self-compassion and Reactivity (Credit: Sharon Salzberg)

Week 5: The Importance of 'Not Knowing'

• Negativity, Toxic Positivity

• Impermanence and Uncertainty, "Not Knowing." (Credit: Dr. Bernie Glassman Roshi)

• The Rule of 7 counts. (Credit: Marie Amelie Worms)

• Productive Listening.

• Interaction circles. (Credit: Gloria Steinem and Indigenous Traditions)

• The stories we tell ourselves.

• Synchronicity.

Week 6: Perceptions and Sensory Interactions

• The Classroom environment

• Body posture and the Body in the Environment (Credit: Anne Bogart)

• Ice-breaking exercises

• Empathy exercises

• The Fear of Silence 

• How to foster creativity (Cats in the Car Method)

Week 7: The Classroom and the School Culture

• Interaction with Colleagues

• Conflict resolution

• Implicit Bias and non-judgment (Credit: Dr. Mahzarin Banaji)

• Multi-language and Multi-cultural classrooms

• GRACE (Roshi Dr. Joan Halifax)

Week 8: A Practice of Compassionate Discipline

• This is not about weakness

• How to work with Fear

• Confidence and Intuition

Bonus Session:

• Questions and Feedback on homework and home practice

• Recalling the exercises and practices learned.