Cultivating a Contemplative Approach to Teaching, Learning and Life: A non-residential mindfulness retreat

This 2 1/2 day non-residential retreat is for University of Calgary instructors, faculty and teaching assistants who want to cultivate a more intentional, present-moment approach to living, learning, and teaching. LIFE: Acknowledging the stresses and pressures of academic life, this 2.5 day non-residential retreat is a condensed version of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, the 8-week program designed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. You will learn how mindfulness cultivates emotional self-regulation and self-directed neuroplasticity through guided meditation, slow, gentle yoga, mindful inquiry, and group discussion. LEARNING: Discover how being more mindful has the potential to make us and our students more adaptable to difficult situations and conversations, more excepting of difference, better critical thinkers, more creative and willing to try new things. It can help us all be better learners, effective communicators, and compassionate community-builders. Current research on mindfulness-related neuroscience, interpersonal neurobiology, and positive psychology will be presented. TEACHING: Mindfulness and other contemplative approaches invite a teaching and learning relationship that is truly transformative and give us tangible skills like greater concentration, awareness, critical thinking, self compassion, and self-regulation that can be transferred directly to our students. Throughout the retreat we will explore the meaning of contemplative pedagogy and the literature citing its possible uses and benefits for our teaching practice. Schedule Friday September 9 6-9 pm (Incl. light dinner) Sat– Sun. Sept 10-11 9am – 4pm (Incl. Refreshments & lunches) Location Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning Gallery & Atrium. Dress comfortably – the workshop includes meditation and yoga practice, so bring your yoga mat if you have one; I have extras to share. Registration Your investment: $50 (to defray food costs) Cancellation policy: $25 refunded if cancelled before Sept. 2, 2016. No refunds thereafter. Please register at https://contemplativeteachingandlearning.eventbrite.ca
Location:
Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning
Speaker:
Rachael Crowder PhD RSW, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. Recipient of a Teaching Scholar Award from the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning for Presence in the Academy: A Community of Practice in Contemplative Pedagogy. Rachael is a mindfulness teacher and researcher, providing mindfulness-based programs to helping professionals, community groups, and her university students, in-person and online since her first training with Jon Kabat-Zinn in 2006. For more information contact Rachael at rcrowder@ucalgary.ca and see http://www.presentmoment.ca
More information at http://www.ucalgary.ca/events/calendar/cultivating-contemplative-approach-teaching-learning-and-life-non-residential-mindfulness