Gunawardena, Niluka (Griffith University, Queensland, Australia)
Mindful compassion and Buddhist education in state schools
Buddhist Education in Queensland State Schools is coordinated by Buddhist Education Services for Schools (BESS). The inculcation of mindfulness, loving kindness and Buddhist ethics among students is a prime imperative of BESS, which consists of a pool of volunteer teachers from a wide cross section of Buddhist traditions.
This paper will focus on how BESS teachers at the West End State School (WESS) in Brisbane adopt a mindfulness based reflexive pedagogy in the planning and delivery of short weekly lessons to foster mindful compassion. It will examine how meditation, prayer, drama and didactic lessons enable the creation of an environment conducive to mindful learning. Mindful compassion is also used as the basis for inter-personal relations and problem solving in the classroom, including the self-regulation of student conduct. It is a transformatory practice for both students and teachers. Time limitations on Buddhist education (half an hour per age group per week) is the biggest challenge in helping students practice mindful compassion outside the confines of the religious instruction lessons. The paper will explore some of the strategies adopted by the teachers to address these limitations. It will also explore students’ understanding of mindful compassion and its everyday relevance.
The paper is based on an ethnographic study of Buddhist Education lessons for grade 3 to 7 students at WESS. It will highlight strategies and best practices for mindful education, especially in a state school religious instruction setting.
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Mindful compassion and Buddhist education in state schools
Buddhist Education in Queensland State Schools is coordinated by Buddhist Education Services for Schools (BESS). The inculcation of mindfulness, loving kindness and Buddhist ethics among students is a prime imperative of BESS, which consists of a pool of volunteer teachers from a wide cross section of Buddhist traditions.
This paper will focus on how BESS teachers at the West End State School (WESS) in Brisbane adopt a mindfulness based reflexive pedagogy in the planning and delivery of short weekly lessons to foster mindful compassion. It will examine how meditation, prayer, drama and didactic lessons enable the creation of an environment conducive to mindful learning. Mindful compassion is also used as the basis for inter-personal relations and problem solving in the classroom, including the self-regulation of student conduct. It is a transformatory practice for both students and teachers. Time limitations on Buddhist education (half an hour per age group per week) is the biggest challenge in helping students practice mindful compassion outside the confines of the religious instruction lessons. The paper will explore some of the strategies adopted by the teachers to address these limitations. It will also explore students’ understanding of mindful compassion and its everyday relevance.
The paper is based on an ethnographic study of Buddhist Education lessons for grade 3 to 7 students at WESS. It will highlight strategies and best practices for mindful education, especially in a state school religious instruction setting.
Download Presentation