101: Mindfulness Foundations & 101R: Mindfulness Foundations + Retreat

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The Basics:

  • 101 Price: $195
  • 101R Price: $225
  • Course Duration: 4 Weeks
  • Location: Online
  • Content Availability: New content is provided weekly
  • Suggested Allocated Time: 2 to 4 hours per week
  • Educator Graduate Level Credits Availability: Yes
  • Prerequisite: None

In this article, learn more about:

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for educators, mentors, parents, caregivers, and adults supporting school communities. We recommend this course for both beginners and those with significant mindfulness experience.

101: Mindfulness Foundations is the first course in the Mindful Schools training path toward building a “mindful school” and fulfills the prerequisite for 201: Mindfulness in the Classroom.

How can I receive professional credits for this course?

Educators may apply for and receive Educator Graduate Level Credits after completing their course. Educator GLCs are offered through our partner organization, Courses4Teachers, an affiliate of University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. For more information, please see our article on professional credits.

For participants of our courses who cannot benefit from Educator GLCs, we recommend discussing our courses with your governing board to see if you can receive professional development credit for completing our trainings.

Often graduates will submit their Certificate of Completion to their governing board. Participants who complete any Mindful Schools course before the official end date will be eligible for a Certificate of Completion. The Certificate of Completion is generated during the Closing Activities of the course and will reflect the session of the course, the name of the Online Course Guide, and the number of hours allotted to the course.

How much time will I need to devote to the course each week?

For most participants, our 101: Mindfulness Foundations course takes between 2 to 4 hours per week.

When can I access the course material?

Once the course begins, you can login and access the course any time, according to your own schedule. We release new content each week. This means that you won't be able to access week two of your course unless you've completed week one AND one week has passed since the course began.

Is the course self-paced? Can I go through it on my own schedule?

Unlike some online courses, Mindful Schools courses are designed with a set start date and a set end date. This allows us to more fully support your practice and your learning as you progress through the course with others, and with support from your Online Course Guide. 

You're not required to be online at any specific time, and can work through the weekly course content at your own pace. That said, we highly recommend you keep up with the course from one week to the next to ensure you can interact with classmates and your Online Course Guide while learning the new material.

Please note, in order to be eligible for a Certificate of Completion, participants must complete the course before the set end date.

Transfers and Extensions of 101: Mindfulness Foundations are not available.

What if I am unable to complete the course within the four weeks?

While we highly recommend participants keep up with the course from week to week, we understand that interruptions can occur. To assist with these interruptions, we do provide a two-week Grace Period after the four weeks of course content. During this Grace Period, the course will remain open and participants are able to complete course material. 

However, the Online Course Guide will not be available to answer questions during the Grace Period. To ensure you will be able to take advantage of the Online Course Guide’s support, it is important to remain current during the four weeks of course content.

There are no transfers or extensions available for 101: Mindfulness Foundations. If you are unable to complete the course by the end of the Grace Period you will still be given access to a view-only version of the course material, but will not be eligible for a Certificate of Completion.

Will I receive verification of course completion?

Participants of 101: Mindfulness Foundations who complete the course before the official end date will be eligible for a Certificate of Completion. The Certificate of Completion is generated at the end of Week 4 of the course and will reflect the session of the course, the name of the Online Course Guide, and the number of hours allotted to the course.

What does this course cover? What will I learn?

101: Mindfulness Foundations is the first course in the Mindful Schools training path toward building a "mindful school". During the four weeks of content, participants will be guided through the following:

  • Week 1: Mindfulness Concepts and Practices
    • What is Mindfulness?
    • Origins, Myths, Secularity
    • Introduction to the Mindful Schools Approach to Mindfulness in Education
    • Practice: Anchors, Breath, Sound, Body
  • Week 2: Mindfulness of the Body
    • Neuroscience and Architecture of the Nervous System
    • What Is Embodiment?
    • Trauma-Sensitive Approaches for Mindfulness Practice
    • Practice: Body Scan, Mindful Walking
  • Week 3: Mindfulness of Emotions
    • Models of Emotional Regulation
    • Working with Intense Emotions and Emotional States
    • Practice: Self-Compassion, Heartfulness
  • Week 4: Mindfulness of Thoughts and Practice in Daily Life
    • Thought Patterns, Blindspots, and Biases
    • Strategies for Compassionate Responses to Implicit Bias and Negativity Bias
    • Weaving Mindfulness Into Daily Life
    • Practice: Labeling, Noting

What does the coursework entail?

Our 101: Mindfulness Foundations course includes a combination of videos with trainer instruction, reading, guided practices, and course activities.

Does this course include Live Sessions?

101: Mindfulness Foundations includes two Live Session options. Live Sessions are guided by an Online Course Guide and typically include a guided practice, a review of course concepts, and an opportunity to connect with other course participants. We strongly encourage you to attend the Live Sessions -- we often receive feedback from participants that the Live Sessions were a highlight of their course experience.

You can find the dates of the Live Sessions for your course session here. (These dates are subject to change if necessary. Please confirm dates when you enter your course.)

What is 101R: Mindfulness Foundations + Retreat?

Three times a year, in July, January, and April, we offer 101R: Mindfulness Foundations + Retreat. In 101R, our virtual mindfulness retreat ($195 value) is integrated into your course experience. Retreat is a unique and powerful experience to put into practice the strategies and tools you learn in the course. 

101R and Retreat dates are listed on our Mindful Schools Program Dates page. 

Please explore our Mindful Schools Guide: How to Prepare for Virtual Retreat to learn more about the retreat experience. 

What is required to complete 101R: Mindfulness Foundations + Retreat? 

To complete the course and earn a Certificate of Completion, participants must complete activities in the 4 Modules in the online classroom by the deadline designated in the course.

While recommended and encouraged, attending the live session and retreat are not required to earn a Certificate of Completion for 101R. 

Can I receive a Certificate of Attendance for the Retreat included with 101R?

We are not able to provide Retreat Certificates of Attendance to 101R: Mindfulness Foundations + Retreat participants. However, when participants complete 101R by the deadline designated in the course, participants are able to generate a Certificate of Completion for the course.

Per our partnership agreement with Courses4Teachers, hours used in practice can not be applied to Educator Graduate Lever Credits hours. You can however apply the 15 hours listed on your Certificate of Completion for 101R to Educator GLCs. 

Will I receive ongoing access to the course materials?

All registered participants of 101: Mindfulness Foundations will receive ongoing access to a view-only version of the course materials after the course ends. 

However, only those who complete the course by end date will be eligible for a Certificate of Completion.

If I have previously taken a mindfulness course, do I need to take this course?

101: Mindfulness Foundations is an introduction to mindfulness, and more importantly, an introduction to the way Mindful Schools approaches mindfulness in education.

This course provides all educators who will continue in our programs with a common understanding of and vocabulary for secular mindfulness. It also addresses components of mindfulness that are particularly relevant for educational settings, including trauma-sensitive practices, neuroscience research, equity and inclusivity, and an exploration of implicit bias. With this foundation in the “Mindful Schools Way” of understanding and practicing mindfulness, participants will be fully prepared for our programs that explicitly address teaching mindfulness to youth.

101: Mindfulness Foundations is a required prerequisite for our 201: Mindfulness in the Classroom and cannot be fulfilled with any other mindfulness trainings. 

Does this course qualify me to share or teach what I learn?

101: Mindfulness Foundations is a personal practice course designed to support participants in cultivating their own mindfulness practice. This course is not designed to train or empower participants to teach or share the lessons and techniques with others. 

101: Mindfulness Foundations does not include classroom lessons or student materials. After completing 101, we encourage you to continue with 201: Mindfulness in the Classroom, which includes curriculum and classroom resources.

Financial Assistance

Our intention for the current registration cost of $195 is to make this course widely accessible. We are not able to provide additional financial assistance or scholarships for this course.

 

Click here to Register for 101: Mindfulness Foundations

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