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Teach Breathe Learn

Educator and journalist Meena Srinivasan, has written a wonderful new book called, Teach, Breathe, Learn (Parallax  Press, 2014). Meena began her career in journalism, eventually switching over to education. Now she works for the Oakland Unified School district for their  SEL (social and emotional learning) and Leadership development initiative.

I've had the good fortune to sit in on several of Meena's workshops through the Mindfulness in Education conferences. Meena is a compassionate and skillful leader, and it is very clear that her mindfulness practice and teaching come from deep within.

Teach, Breathe, Learn is a comprehensive guide for teachers or anyone who works in an educational setting. It is organized in the style of a formal curriculum manual, including lesson plans and student handouts.

Although Meena has a wealth of experience to share, she writes with a humility and honesty which I appreciate. Personal stories are woven throughout the more formal lessons on mindfulness, loving-kindness practice and inquiry. She also shares many inspiring vignettes from colleagues and former students.

While movements in education come and go, mindfulness is likely to stay because of the way it can impact teachers' personal  resilience and attitudes.  As Srinivasan notes, "Mindfulness helped reawaken the light inside myself and I came to see how mindfulness,  this kind awareness of what's happening in the present moment inside of us and around us, can be a powerful tool to promote well-being in my entire school community."

We are fortunate to have Meena's  voice and writing in the growing secular mindfulness movement.




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