Book Review on "The Power of Mindful Learning" by Ellen Langer (Professor of Psychology at Harvard University)
Professor Langer insightfully and highly reflectively describes how learning/assessment can become mindless:
“Schools generally pay little attention to how, when, and by whom the criteria for grading were chosen. If the criteria were questioned and varied, students’ position on the continuum might change. But they are rarely varied. To make matters worse, once we are placed on the tail end of the distribution, social forces work to keep on us there, setting us up for a lifetime of success or failure. Our fate as winners, losers or just average is sealed.”
Further, after forty years of research, she has become courageous and was persuaded to summarise:
“Our schools are the problem. They unintentionally teach us to be mindless. Schools do this in at least two ways. They teach us to evaluate each other and ourselves, and they teach us to see or accept information as if it were absolute and independent of human creation”
https://www.amazon.com/review/R2MOUPFFAXXCHD/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv
Studies find that youth benefit from learning mindfulness in terms of improved cognitive outcomes, social-emotional skills, and well being. In turn, such benefits may lead to long-term improvements in life.
For example, social skills in kindergarten predict improved education, employment, crime, substance abuse and mental health outcomes in adulthood.
See this presentation for more details about the Mindful Schools study.
https://www.mindfulschools.org/about-mindfulness/research/
Article Mindful Learning: A Case Study of Langerian Mindfulness in Schools
Dear Mr Chandana Watagodakumbura ,
I am writing to inform you that I read an interesting book about you topic.
It is Ellen J. Langer (2016) The Power of Mindful Learning, Boston: Da Capo Lifelong Books.
My personal view is that book gives to you right answers.
I hope I have been of some help.
Best,
Andrija
Studies find that youth benefit from learning mindfulness in terms of improved cognitive outcomes, social-emotional skills, and well being. In turn, such benefits may lead to long-term improvements in life.
For example, social skills in kindergarten predict improved education, employment, crime, substance abuse and mental health outcomes in adulthood.
See this presentation for more details about the Mindful Schools study.
https://www.mindfulschools.org/about-mindfulness/research/
Article Mindful Learning: A Case Study of Langerian Mindfulness in Schools
Mindfulness is always rated higher in terms of maximizing learning outcomes of students in comparison to mindlessness. Yet, the latter can equally be tailored to increase the cognitive skill development of learners unintentionally. The following attached resources delve much into the two concepts, illustrate with case studies from various areas and outlines pragmatic measures that can be undertaken by teachers in implementing these concepts in the teaching and learning processes.
Dear Andrija
In fact, we both are referring to the same book (which I completed reading a few days back).
Regards
Chandana
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