ABSTRACT
This chapter presents information about mindfulness and contemplative practices, as well as applications for classroom settings and further professional development. Singer identifies the distinction between one person displaying an emotion and another individual sharing that emotion as the awareness of the difference between self and other. The efforts to increase self-awareness also have benefits in the form of healthy relationships with others. As children learn about and practice mindfulness, they experience the difference between simply knowing about feelings and knowing about their own feelings in the moment, as they are experienced. The activities at the end of the chapter reinforce the material and provide opportunities for teachers and children to open spaces for awareness, self-compassion, and respect for others. The development of social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum has followed a trajectory similar to the one that mindfulness curriculum has followed, and there are numerous agencies and organizations promoting an emphasis on critical skills for all school community members.
