Middlesex School Mindfulness Program:

A School Community Model

2015

 

Middlesex School Mindfulness Program:

A School Community Model © 2015

Table of Contents

I. Introduction 2

II. Context: The Middlesex Environment 2

III. Program Intentions & Design 2

IV. Impact of the Program 7

V. History of the Program 8

VI. The Future 11

VII. Implementation Advice 11

VIII. About the Author 14

Appendices

A. Mindfulness Research 15

B. Required Curriculum Overview 16

C. Teacher Training Resources 17

D. Suggested Reading & Resources 18

 

Introduction

Our intention with this document is to share the history, current structure, and future plans of one

school’s mindfulness program in the hope that it will be helpful to you. The more we all share about

our programs, the more effective we all will be in bringing these transformative practices to our

schools and the world. Whether you are interested in developing a mindfulness program for your

school or have been growing a program for years, we hope this document will support you.

- Doug Worthen, Director of Mindfulness Programs, Middlesex School

Context: The Middlesex Environment

Middlesex School is a coeducational, residential, independent secondary school. Founded in 1901 and

located in Concord, Massachusetts, the School enrolls approximately 375 students in grades 9-12,

70% of whom are boarding students and reside on campus in dormitories. The remaining 30%

commute to campus as day students. In most years, approximately 12% of the student body are

international students, 30% are students of color, and 30% are financial aid recipients. The boarding

population typically represents 25 states and 15 countries. The School is academically rigorous, and it

has a balanced curriculum that includes required arts and athletics.

Most faculty members live on campus, either in dorms or on-campus houses. They teach, coach,

advise, mentor, and support students around the clock. Students are similarly busy, with a daily

schedule that begins with class at 8:00 a.m. and includes a full day of academics as well as athletic

practices, theatre and/or chorus rehearsals, community service activities, club meetings, and

homework.

In 2009, the assistant head of school at Middlesex was interested in bringing mindfulness to the

attention of the community. Through the Middlesex alumni network, he found Doug Worthen ’96,

and he invited Doug to speak about mindfulness at an all-school assembly. Feedback from the

assembly was very positive; there was clear interest from the community in learning more. A few

months later, the first mindfulness class at Middlesex took place. Early support from administrators

was key in bringing mindfulness to Middlesex. Assistance in building support from administrators,

parents, or other constituents, can be found in Appendix A, which includes articles that outline the

many benefits of mindfulness.

Program Intentions and Design

The intentions of the Middlesex Mindfulness Program are to:

1) Introduce and integrate mindfulness-based practices into the Middlesex School community of students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni

2) Support other schools in developing and integrating mindfulness programs

 

To support these intentions, the mindfulness program at Middlesex currently has eight components:

1) A full-time faculty member: Director of Mindfulness Programs

2) Courses: Introductory and advanced levels for students, faculty, staff, and parents

3) Individual sessions available for students, faculty, and staff

4) Support of coaches, athletes, and teams

5) Weekly all-school mindfulness practice

6) Four-day adult mindfulness retreat

7) Alumni support

8) Support of other schools

Director of Mindfulness Programs

Having a faculty member who is both an experienced practitioner and dedicated to supporting the

entire community in mindfulness practice has proven to be a key component of the program. Doug is

an everyday reminder of mindfulness practice, and his full-time status allows him the time to

effectively support the community. Doug lives in a dorm and has many of the duties of a regular

faculty member, such as coaching teams, attending faculty meetings, and fulfilling dorm duty.

Doug offers courses during a variety of days and times. He can also accommodate students, faculty,

and staff who are interested in individual sessions, and can be available for coaches, teams, and

athletes in the afternoons. While Doug does not currently have a classroom specifically assigned to

him, he does have an office and utilizes a multi-purpose room in the School’s library for all of his

course meetings. There is a plan for a dedicated space in the near future.

In addition to teaching mindfulness at Middlesex, Doug supports the community in numerous ways.

He helps faculty use mindfulness in their classrooms and/or on their teams, assists parents in learning

more about mindfulness or deepening their practice, and supports students who wish to attend

retreats or see speakers off-campus. Doug advises the mindfulness club on campus, brings speakers

to the School, leads guided community practice, and assists with senior leadership training. He also

aids alumni in finding mindfulness resources in their area. The current responsibilities of - and

community members served by - the Middlesex Director of Mindfulness Programs are:

 

Student Courses

Introductory Student Course

The 10-week required course for new students has been essential in forming a common language for,

understanding of, and introduction to mindfulness. Each week, the students gain a better

understanding of what mindfulness is and are introduced to a variety of mindfulness practices. While

the course itself is required, participation in the meditations is not; it is always an invitation to

practice. As students become more familiar with mindfulness, almost all eventually choose to engage

in the practices.

The course meets once per week for 10 weeks. Freshmen take the class with the same students in

their freshman history course, meeting in the history “drop block” - the one block during the week

when history does not meet, but remains in the daily schedule (if there were no mindfulness classes,

it would be a free period for students). For new sophomores and juniors (approximately 30 students

per year), the introductory course meets in the evening for five one-hour sessions. Introduction to

Mindfulness is not a graded course, but it is listed in the curriculum guide under the Social Science

Division.

Doug opens each class with a welcome and invites each member of the class to “check in” - this is a

time to gauge how mindfulness practice and life are going for each individual. Doug then introduces a

topic or theme for the session, such as attention, body awareness, thoughts and emotions, stress,

befriending, or mindfulness in daily life. After some discussion, he leads a meditation practice related

to the class’s theme for about ten minutes. A general outline of an Introduction to Mindfulness

course, can be found in Appendix B. This outline can be adapted for students, faculty and staff, and

parents.

The curriculum at Middlesex have evolved over time as seen in Program: History. For teacher training

resources and curriculum ideas, see Appendix C. Since no single mindfulness curriculum will work for

every unique school culture, a mindfulness teacher will likely create their own curricula in response to

the needs of the community. Ultimately, a teacher’s commitment to practice and ability to

communicate and connect with others are the most important factors.

Upper-Level Courses

Once students have completed the Introduction to Mindfulness, they can further their practice in

optional, not-for-credit level 2 mindfulness courses, such as Improving Your Practice, Mindfulness in

Sports, Relational Mindfulness and, Learning to Guide and Facilitate. Because the second-level

courses are voluntary, they have a different feel than the required, introductory course for new

students. All the level 2 participants have already seen the benefits of mindfulness in their lives, and

they are committed to continuing their practice. The space typically feels safe and committed, which

allows for deeper, more open discussions. In level 2 courses, participants typically engage in longer

formal practice (twenty minutes per session, while the introductory course average ten minutes a

session). These upper-level courses encourage the further development of individual practice and

continue to build the foundation for lifelong practice.

 

Mindfulness Club

Although not officially part of the Middlesex Mindfulness Program, there is a student-run mindfulness

club at Middlesex that also supports students in their practice. Typically, the club meets every other

week and occasionally attends off-campus mindfulness events. Doug is the faculty advisor to the club

and supports the students in meetings and with transportation when needed.

Adult Courses

There are many benefits to offering mindfulness to adults in a school community. In addition to the

benefits of mindfulness to each individual - such as increased focus, improved emotion regulation,

and decreased stress, anxiety, and depression - engaging adults allows the community to develop a

shared language and understanding of mindfulness. For teachers specifically, mindfulness decreases

burnout and increases teachers’ ability to connect with students. After integrating mindfulness 1

practice into their own lives, faculty may feel comfortable bringing mindfulness practices into their

classrooms and to their teams, and parents may feel comfortable practicing at home with their

children.

Faculty & Staff

During each semester, Doug offers faculty and staff both the introductory course (Mindfulness 1) and

a course for experienced practitioners (Mindfulness 2), which Doug jokingly refers to as “JV and

varsity mindfulness” (a nice cultural fit for Middlesex). Faculty and staff choose a meeting time from a

variety of options offered by Doug, who sets aside two days each week exclusively for faculty and staff

classes. He also offers individual sessions both for those who prefer working one-on-one and those

whose schedules don’t align with the offered meeting time. The introductory course for adults follows

a similar trajectory as the required student course and currently utilizes the book Mindfulness: Finding

Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams. Since adults are capable of longer practices, there is more

practice (15-20 minutes on average) than with the introductory course for students. The “Mindfulness

2” course for experienced faculty and staff typically opens with a check-in about how life and practice

are going, followed by a very brief discussion of the “theme of the week,” and then launches right into

formal practice. Doug typically offers these participants the choice of sitting, lying down, or standing

while practicing with less guiding and more silence. Generally, the arc of the course begins with

concentration and awareness practices (breath meditations or noticing thoughts and emotions) and

moves toward more “heart practices” that cultivate a healthier mind (gratitude, compassion,

befriending/loving-kindness).

Parents

In 2013, Doug began offering Introduction to Mindfulness courses to local Middlesex parents. These

courses are similar to the introductory courses offered to faculty and staff. They give parents the

opportunity to practice mindfulness themselves, to better understand what their children are

learning, and to connect with other parents. These engaged parents are not only gaining the benefits

of mindfulness themselves and sharing in the experiences of their children, but they could also be a

1 See article “Can Mindfulness Make Us Better Teachers?” http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/can_mindfulness_make_us_better_teachers 

 

resource if a growing mindfulness program is in need of financial support. Parents have found these

courses very helpful, and Doug continues to offer monthly 90-minute drop-in sessions for parents

from the 2013 and 2014 parent groups.

Individual Sessions

If students, faculty, or staff are interested in learning about mindfulness or deepening their practice,

Doug is available to meet for one-on-one sessions. The individual sessions lack the support of a group,

but they allow Doug to offer specific practices and readings designed to most support the individual.

Athletics

Doug is available most afternoons in the fall and winter seasons to support the Middlesex athletic

program. In the spring, Doug is the defensive coach for the boys’ lacrosse team and, since 2011 has

made mindfulness practice a part of the defensive culture. In 2014, he began working with the girls’

volleyball team and currently works with the girls’ volleyball and soccer teams on a weekly basis.

Community Practice

On a weekly basis, all faculty and students meet in the School’s non-denominational Chapel for 40

minutes for a senior “chapel talk.” Seniors at Middlesex have the option to give a chapel talk, during

which they can share their thoughts and reflections with the community. Before this address, Doug

leads the community in a short mindfulness practice (3-7 minutes). Following the practice,

Middlesex’s Director of Spiritual and Ethical Education says a few words, usually in response to

current news or events around the world, and then the senior speaks.

Of course, participants are always invited, not required, to engage in the mindfulness practice.

Though brief, the Chapel practice is an important opportunity to reinforce mindfulness practice

outside of the classroom and to allow the entire community to practice together.

Adult On-Campus Retreat

In June 2015, Middlesex held an on-campus, four-day retreat for adults in the community (faculty,

staff, parents, alumni, trustees, and partners). The first retreat featured two external teachers:

Jessica Morey, executive director of the Inward Bound Mindfulness Education, and Will Kabat-Zinn

’93, a leading mindfulness educator on the West Coast. Two dozen adults (approximately 12

faculty/staff, six parents, and six alumni) participated in the 2015 retreat, which utilized campus

facilities for meditation space, dining, and accommodations. Retreat participants were incredibly

positive about their experience, using adjectives like “transformative,” “insightful,” “powerful,”

“amazing,” and “a gift” to describe the retreat. The retreat will be an annual event moving forward.

Alumni Support

Alumni education and outreach are also components of the community model, although alumni are

more dispersed and, therefore, more difficult to reach. Through Middlesex’s website, social media,

alumni magazine, and workshops during the on-campus Alumni Weekend, the School seeks to

educate alumni about mindfulness. Doug serves as a resource for alumni who would like to learn

about mindfulness, and the summer retreat is open to all alumni and their partners.

 

Supporting Other Schools

The Middlesex Mindfulness Program supports other schools in integrating mindfulness programs into

their school communities by publishing research on programs, giving occasional presentations at

schools, hosting conferences, and making documents like this one freely available.

Impact of the Program

The vast majority of the Middlesex community is overwhelmingly positive about the Mindfulness

Program. At least 80 faculty and staff have taken the introductory course, and several faculty are

using mindfulness practices in class. Doug has worked with teams on how to use mindfulness in

athletics, and parents are very engaged in the program. Since 2012, more than 96% of students have

reported that the required introductory course was a positive experience. Students have said the

following about the Mindfulness Program:

“Mindfulness has had a tremendous impact on my life. I've learned to focus on the task at hand and in doing so I have found more enjoyment in those tasks than I could have ever imagined.” - MX ‘16 “To me, mindfulness is an intellectual gift and a spiritual gift.” - MX '18 “Mindfulness and meditation have helped me become a better friend, a better student, and a better person overall. The skills I learned in the Middlesex Mindfulness class have helped me transform into a more present and positive person.” - MX ‘19 “Mindfulness has been by far the most valuable class I’ve ever taken. I feel as though I’m more

equipped to deal with life.” MX ‘15

Administrators, faculty, and parents are similarly positive: “Chronic to any high-performing organization is the sense that there is not enough time to get done what people want to get done. Mindfulness seems to provide ways to establish senses of well-being for our students while they are trying to stretch and do a lot. For kids, helping them to recognize an emotion or feeling – the stimulus and how they are going to react to it – makes a huge difference.” - Head of School Kathleen Carroll Giles “Our Mindfulness program has proven to be a gift to our students. It helps them practice being truly present and realizing that all lives are filled with positive as well as challenging experiences. Recognizing and accepting those experiences, without judgment, helps them live happier, more productive lives.” - Dean of Students Carmen Beaton "The course for parents gave me a range of tools to help me to stay present, especially during stressful times. Because the parent course closely followed the student mindfulness course, my son and I now have a common language around mindfulness which allows me to better support him in building a solid and committed mindfulness practice." - Parent MX‘17 & MX‘19

 

“I believe mindfulness practice is the most valuable tool there is to help our teens navigate this busy, demanding, fast-paced world of stress and high anxiety.” - Parent MX’18 A 2015 study of the required introductory course for students done by James Luiselli, a Middlesex 2

parent and chief clinical officer at Clinical Solutions, a multi-service clinical provider agency, found

that:

Nearly all of the participants rated the Mindfulness Program as being a positive and

valuable experience. They also favorably endorsed that the Mindfulness Program

helped them become more aware of their emotions, thoughts, and feelings, as well as

being more present in life and coping with stress and negative thinking. Furthermore,

the majority of participants rated the presentation and clarity of the Mindfulness

Program highly, believed other students can benefit from learning mindfulness, and

expected to practice mindfulness in the future.

History of the Program

We have outlined the program in its current state, but it may be useful to learn the path Middlesex

took to arrive at the present model. In the fall of 2009, Doug first introduced the Middlesex

community to mindfulness in an all-school assembly. In the spring of that school year, Doug offered a

voluntary session on Sunday afternoons for interested students.

It is important to note the greater context in which Doug operated in 2009. At that time, mindfulness

was not as well known and accepted as it has become since “The Mindful Revolution” graced the

cover of TIME magazine in February 2014. Doug took “baby steps” in introducing a mindfulness

program, both because he was simultaneously training as a teacher and because mindfulness was less

well known and appreciated by the culture in 2009. Similarly, fewer teacher resources and curricula

were available. In today’s climate, with the resources that have been made available, an experienced

or well-trained teacher could likely develop a school mindfulness program in much less time.

In 2009 and 2010, Doug was drawing from a variety of different curricula, including

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Jon Kabat-Zinn books, and Mindfulness for Schools by Carol

Cattley and Jini Lavelle. The following year, he was fortunate to receive some mentoring from

Florence Meleo-Meyer, a senior teacher at the UMass Center for Mindfulness, who had recently

written a mindfulness curriculum for teenagers called Cool Minds. In the spring of 2011, Doug began

using the Learning to Breathe curriculum by Trish Broderick, and in the late summer, he attended a

“.b” mindfulness teacher training in the UK, led by the founders of the Mindfulness in School Project,

Chris Cullen and Richard Burnett.

2 Luiselli, Worthen, & Carbonell, Social Validity Assessment of Mindfulness Education and Practices Among High School Students, submitted for publication   

 

At the same time, Doug also felt that he needed to deepen his practice so he attended a three-month

retreat at the Insight Meditation Society in the fall of 2011. To keep the momentum going with the

program that had begun at Middlesex, two of Doug’s friends, who were experienced practitioners, led

the volunteer student groups while he was away.

In the spring of 2012, Doug committed to offering mindfulness sessions to students during their free

blocks during the week which made the sessions even more accessible. This resulted in the number of

students participating in voluntary mindfulness courses growing from 40 to 65 (and 15 more were in a

“Mindfulness” senior elective course). At that point, the school was ready to start a required course

for all freshmen in the fall of 2012.

The first required course, which met once a week for nine weeks, was based on the “.b” curriculum.

Doug found that the .b training was the best out-of-the-box program designed for a required course

that he could find. It was a well-thought-out curriculum, with an effective lesson arc and a variety of

exercises and PowerPoints. With the curriculum comes a “mock“ script that can give teachers ideas

about what to say. This can be especially helpful for newer teachers, who may want to have the

PowerPoint and script to support them.

In 2012-13 Doug also attended the one-year Mindful Education Institute (MEI) teacher training led by

a team of experienced facilitators, including Daniel Rechtschaffen, Megan Cowan, and Chris McKenna.

This program consisted of monthly online meetings, required reading, and three retreats (which is

similar to Mindful Schools current year long certification). Doug found the combination of attending

teacher trainings and undertaking extensive retreat practice to be ideal for a beginning teacher.

After Doug gained more experience and confidence in the classroom, he felt the need to start to shift

from the structured, lecture style of .b towards a more flexible, discussion-based class that could

respond to the interests and chemistry of each class. Also helping to fuel the shift was the class size;

Doug’s class sizes are typically 12-14 students, while .b is generally used with larger classes.

In the fall of 2014, Doug wanted students to have access to a more traditional mindfulness “textbook”

for several reasons: 1) If a practice/topic was unclear in class, a student could reference the book to

help clarify; 2) Those interested could follow the course’s progression, chapter-by-chapter, over the

semester; 3) The book came with a set of eight clear, simple guided meditations, accessible online;

and 4) For students not interested in mindfulness at the time, the book might be on their shelves in

case a particularly challenging time sparked their interest later. Doug adapted the required course to

a 10-week class based loosely on the book Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a

Frantic World (Williams & Penman, 2011). He chose this because it was the best secular mindfulness

book he had found; it included the science behind mindfulness, was structured as an eight-week

course, had a variety of guided meditations, and was written by a professor of clinical psychology at

the University of Oxford.

Almost all of the freshmen in 2014 reported that the course was a positive experience, but many

admitted not using the book or the book’s guided meditations out of class. Currently, in the fall of

 

2015 courses, Doug is combining the “Headspace” app with Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan to

Finding Peace In a Frantic World with the hopes that an app will make the meditations more

convenient and accessible. The Headspace app is simple to use and has engaging animations. Surveys

at the end of the semester will be given to see how supportive the combination has been for the

students.

The following timeline outlines how the program moved forward in its offerings and community

reach/penetration.

 

The Future

Mindfulness is a lifelong practice. Similarly, weaving mindfulness into the culture of a school is an

ongoing endeavor. We have made important first steps, but in most ways, it feels like we are just

beginning.

Currently, there is no requirement that faculty and staff take an introductory course; however, we

would like to see all members of the community have an introduction to mindfulness over a

multi-week course, so that they have a solid understanding of mindfulness language and familiarity

with the practices. Perhaps over time, more faculty will start classes with mindfulness practice, more

coaches will bring mindfulness into their programs, more parents and students will start practicing

together at home, and the practice will become more integrated into our advisor, diversity, and

leadership programs.

In the future, we would like to see more opportunities for community practice as well, such as

practice before every all-school gathering (assemblies, speakers, advisor/advisee meetings,

performances, meals). Doug also plans to offer elective, for-credit mindfulness courses for seniors,

such as Meditation and the Brain (similar to a course offered at Brown University) and The Science and

History of Mindfulness.

Within the next five years or so, Middlesex plans a renovation of its arts facilities, which will include a

dedicated space for the Mindfulness Program that is similar in design to a yoga studio or meditation

hall. In addition to offering a quiet and centrally located haven for practice, we hope that a dedicated

space will provide a visual reminder as students pass by. Other additional spaces on campus, such as

the newly constructed Music and Campus Center, which will features a 150-seat recital hall, could also

be used to host future conferences and retreats at Middlesex.

We would like to continue to support mindfulness programs developing at other schools. Over the

next few decades, many more schools will begin to implement similar mindfulness programs to

support students in becoming healthy, educated, effective, and ethical citizens of the world. Because

each school has a unique culture, each one will need to integrate mindfulness in a unique way.

Hopefully, all schools can learn from and support each other as they explore how to bring mindfulness

into their programs effectively in the coming decades.

Implementation Advice

To this point, we have presented the program at Middlesex and the way the School is building its

community model. We plan to update this paper each year, as this is an ongoing project. To those

who seek to build or grow a mindfulness program, we offer a few thoughts for consideration.

Mission Alignment

 

When introducing a program at a school, it is vital to articulate how mindfulness fits the school’s

mission. We cannot imagine a scenario in which mindfulness does not fit the mission of a school, but

it is still important to articulate the alignment in order to garner administrative support and funding.

Support from administration is critical to getting a program off the ground.

An increasing amount of research suggests that mindfulness practice has a positive impact on areas

such as attention, compassion, emotional regulation, immunity, sleep, empathy, decision-making,

working memory, self-awareness, and stress reduction. These benefits are deeply aligned with

Middlesex School’s mission of “encouraging each student’s growth, happiness, and well-being,” and

being “committed to excellence in intellectual, ethical, creative, and physical development,” and in

“inspiring in all students the desire to seek understanding of themselves and the larger world.”

Mindfulness practice clearly reflects the beliefs of Middlesex founder Frederick Winsor who once said,

“Human beings desire above all things to be happy, and no kind of living which results in unhappiness

could be rightly successful.” The core values of the Middlesex community are gratitude, honesty,

kindness, courage, and respect. Each of these values is reinforced and supported by mindfulness

practice.

Teacher Experience and Fit

Ideally, a mindfulness director/educator exists in a school community as an everyday, embodied

reminder of mindfulness practice. The consistency and support of a full-time experienced faculty

member are invaluable. A mindfulness educator should have significant practice experience, be

well-trained, and be the right fit for the school culturally. When Doug started at Middlesex in 2010, he

had been practicing for 11 years, had spent a combined three months on silent retreat, had a daily

practice of 30 minutes, and attended several teacher trainings. He continues to spend at least three

weeks every year on retreat and 30 minutes in daily practice. Since Doug is a Middlesex graduate, he

understands and loves the School, and he can connect with students through their shared experiences

at Middlesex. He also was a Division I college athlete, which gives him legitimacy in a school culture

that highly values athletics.

Because mindfulness is a new area in education, requirements to be a mindfulness instructor are not

well established. The person chosen as an instructor for a school may have much more or less

training, practice experience, and levels of fit, and having flexibility may be important as you choose

someone for this role. See Appendix C for a list of teacher training resources.

Thoughts for Consideration

1) People: If you are a school headmaster or leader, make sure the people you are choosing to

introduce mindfulness to your school are dedicated mindfulness practitioners, are effective

teachers, and are a good fit for your community. As with the hiring of any teacher, putting out

a job description and interviewing several different candidates can be a great way to start. The

right teacher is so important to how mindfulness is received in the school.

 

2) Do what you can, when you can: For most schools, a full-time mindfulness teacher or director

is not possible right away. See if you can hire someone part time to run your mindfulness

program first. After a few years, you can get a sense of how it’s going and then might be

ready to hire them full-time.

3) Buy-in: Keep key constituencies (parents, faculty, alumni, trustees, and students) in the loop

through regular communication.

4) Funding: The first few years of the mindfulness program at Middlesex were supported by gifts

from both a Middlesex trustee and by parents. If finances are an obstacle, reaching out to

those in your school community (alumni, parents, board members, advisors, etc.) about

supporting a program will likely uncover a few people who have been impacted by

mindfulness and would be willing to support your efforts.

5) Budget: A bare bones program only needs an instructor. Other items might include books,

curriculum materials, apps, meditation cushions, mats, and meditation bells.

6) Mission: Be clear about how exactly mindfulness aligns with your school mission and what

your intention is in creating a program. This can help stay the course.

7) “Just keep messing up” - Jon Kabat-Zinn gave this advice to Doug in 2012 as a reminder that

things don’t have to be perfect. We learn so much from just diving in.

 

About Doug Worthen

Director of Mindfulness Programs at Middlesex

A native of North Andover, Massachusetts, Doug Worthen graduated from Middlesex in 1996 and

attended the University of Virginia on a lacrosse scholarship. The competitive environment of Virginia

lacrosse is what first led Doug to mindfulness. Doug noticed that when he played, he was filled with

tension, worrying about things not relevant to the game, and his performance would suffer.

After a particularly disappointing game in 1999, Doug had an “ah-ha moment,” sensing that there was

a better way to play and live without the undue stress. A search led him to the book Wherever you Go,

There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn. A few pages in, Doug remembers wondering why, in 16 years of

schooling and sports, no one had introduced him to mindfulness.

As Doug began practicing mindfulness, he noticed an improvement in his play, his relationships,

business decisions, and others areas of life. However, Doug’s most notable experience from

mindfulness practice would come several years later. In 2007, as Doug was heading to Hong Kong for

business school, he was diagnosed with stage 4 peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Following the diagnosis

were several years of living in and out of hospitals and experiencing chemotherapy, radiation, and an

allogeneic stem cell transplant. Doug considers mindfulness practice as an essential piece to his

coping and survival. He came through the experience clear that he wanted to introduce mindfulness

to young people.

Doug now lives at the Middlesex School in a dorm with his wife, Jessica Morey. Jessica is the executive

director of Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme) which is an organization that holds

mindfulness retreats for teenagers and young adults across the country. They met staffing a teen

mindfulness retreat in 2009, and Doug has been a board member for iBme since 2011.

Over the last few years, Doug has presented at ISHA (Independent Schools Health Association), AISNE

(American Association of Independent Schools of New England), NYAIS (New York Association

Independent Schools), and NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) conferences. He is

dedicated to leading the Middlesex Mindfulness Program and supporting other schools interested in

starting mindfulness programs.

Doug can be contacted at dworthen@mxschool.edu.

 

APPENDIX A

MINDFULNESS RESEARCH  

Evidence for Mindfulness: Impacts on the Wellbeing and Performance of School Staff (2014)

Developing Mindfulness with Children and Young People: A Review of the Evidence and Policy Context

(2013)

Evidence for the Impact of Mindfulness on Children and Young People (2013)

Mindfulness at School Reduces (likelihood of) Depression-related Symptoms in Adolescents (2013)

Integrating Mindfulness Training into K-12 Education: Fostering the Resilience of Teachers and

Students (2013)

Mindfulness for Teachers: A Pilot Study to Assess Effects on Stress, Burnout, and Teaching Efficacy

(2013)

Mindfulness Training Improves Working Memory Capacity and GRE Performance While Reducing

Mind Wandering (2013)

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their

Parents (2012)

 

APPENDIX B

REQUIRED CURRICULUM (2014-15) OVERVIEW

Class #1: Introduction

Overview and Objectives of Mindfulness Program; Latest Research Findings; Why Mindfulness is

Relevant for Teenagers/Students; Short Concentration Practice; Set Voluntary Home Practice

Class #2: Waking Up to the Autopilot

Check-In; Review Class #1 and Voluntary Home Practice; Discuss Autopilot; When Are We “Here,”

When Are We Not; Mindful Eating Exercise; Set Voluntary Home Practice

Class #3: Concentration and the Body

Check-In; Review Class #2 and Voluntary Home Practice; Discuss Paying Attention and Building

Concentration; Importance of Tending to Breath and Body; Breath and Body Scan Practice; Set

Voluntary Home Practice

Class #4: Weaving Mindfulness into Daily Life

Check-In; Review Class #3 and Voluntary Home Practice; Mindfulness in Movement and Sports;

Outside Demonstration of Mindful Walking Practice; Set Voluntary Home Practice

Class #5: Relating Differently to Thoughts and Worries

Check-In; Review Class #4 and Voluntary Home Practice; Discussion about Thoughts; Thought/Feelings

Awareness Practice; Home Practice Review; Set Voluntary Home Practice

Class #6: Relating to Emotions and Stress

Check-In; Review Class #5 and Voluntary Home Practice; Discussion about Emotions and Stress;

Exercise to Explore Attitude and Relationship to Emotions and Stress; Set Voluntary Home Practice

Class #7: Gratitude and Befriending

Check-In; Review Class #6 and Voluntary Home Practice; Discussion about Gratitude and Befriending;

Gratitude and Befriending Meditation; Set Voluntary Home Practice

Class #8: Relational Practices

Check-In; Review Class #7 and Voluntary Home Practice; Discussion about Mindfulness in Relation to

Self, Others, and Environment; Choose Your Practice; Set Voluntary Home Practice

Class #9: Voluntary Extended Practice

15 Minutes Sitting Practice; 15 Minutes Lying Body Scan (Mostly Silent); 10 Minute Discussion

Class #10: What Have You Learned and Continued Practice

Check-In; Review Classes #1-9; Breath Meditation; Feedback; Ways to Continue Practice; Letter to

Yourself; Closing

 

APPENDIX C

TEACHER TRAINING RESOURCES

For Teaching Adults

UMass MBSR Teacher Training Practicum

8-week teacher training on how to share secular mindfulness with adults.

UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center - Certification in Facilitator Training

Year-long online mindfulness facilitator training; includes four 4-day on-site trainings.

For Teaching Students

.b - Mindfulness in Schools Project (MISP)

4-day trainings (with prerequisites) to learn the innovative “.b” adolescent curriculum. MISP

(UK-based) is now beginning to hold more trainings in the UK for other curricula, such as “Paws b” for

ages 7-11 and “.b Foundations” for teachers.

Mindful Schools

A variety of high-quality teacher trainings from a month to a year-long. Excellent teacher trainers.

Learning to Breathe

An adolescent mindfulness curriculum you can buy online and get good ideas for your classes.

MindUp

A series of K-8 curricula that can be purchased online focusing on mindfulness and brain science.

Still Quiet Place

8-week online mindfulness teacher training by experienced teacher Amy Saltzman. Training is geared

a little more towards grades K-8.

Koru Mindfulness

Well-respected teacher training and mindfulness curriculum designed for college students.

Brown University Contemplative Studies Pedagogy Program for Educators

A week-long summer program that gives educators a closer look at for-credit contemplative studies

courses for college students. Lead by an all-star team of mindfulness researchers and teachers.

 

APPENDIX D SUGGESTED READING AND MINDFULNESS RESOURCES

1. Books

Mindfulness - An Introduction

Mindfulness: An Eight Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams  Full Catastrophe Living and Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn

A Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Workbook by Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein

10% Happier by Dan Harris

Mindfulness - Parenting and Education

Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting by Jon and Myla Kabat-Zinn

Parenting from the Inside Out and The Whole Brain Child by Daniel Siegel

Mindfulness for Teachers by Patricia Jennings

The Way of Mindful Education by Daniel Rechtschaffen (Daniel holds his own teacher trainings too)

Mindfulness-Based Approach to Working with High-Risk Adolescents by Sam Himelstein

Mindfulness - Children and Teens

Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Dan Siegel

The Mindful Teen by Dzung X. Vo

Mindfulness - Brain Science

The Mindful Brain by Dan Siegel

Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson

2. Guided Meditations - Apps and Web

Insight Timer

Headspace

Sounds True

More Than Sound

Whil and Whil Grow

3. Podcasts and Magazines

Present Moment Mindfulness

Radio Headspace

Mindful Magazine

4. Retreats

Inward Bound Mindfulness Education

Umass Recommended Retreat Centers

Insight Meditation Society and Spirit Rock

 

A Very Special Thanks to Co-Author Erika Mills MX’99. Erika is an assistant director of admissions,

communications/marketing specialist, English teacher, and girls’ varsity crew coach at the Middlesex

School. She is a graduate of Connecticut College and Harvard Business School and has been practicing

mindfulness since the faculty courses began in 2012. She began working at Middlesex in 2008, and she

now lives on campus with her husband Will and three children: Carter, Benjamin, and James.

Special Thanks to Jessica Morey, the Middlesex School community, Kathy Giles, Dan Scheibe, Carmen

Beaton, Ned Herter, John Brooke, the Zimmerman family, Audrey Schuster, Maria Lindberg, Richard

Burnett, Chris Cullen, Claire Kelley, James Gibbs, Ted Demaisons, Florence Meleo-Meyer, Diana

Kamila, Trish Broderick, Jon, Myla, and Will Kabat-Zinn, Chris McKenna, Megan Cowan, Daniel

Rechtschaffen, Geoff Cohane, Kristyn Morrissey, Will Quayle, Roddy Gibbs, Adam Ortman, Cornelia

Holden, Todd Iarussi, Marv Belzer, George Haas, John Churchill, Matthew Daniell, Dan Siegel, Joseph

Goldstein, George Mumford, Rick Benner, Joe Klein, Jena Brooker, La Sarmiento, Jesse Torrence, Sara

Schedler, Khalila and Andrew Archer, and all those at Inward Bound Mindfulness Education.