Development of a multidimensional, multi-informant measure of teacher mindfulness as experienced and expressed in the middle school classroom

Abstract

In response to growing interest in mindfulness as a support for educators, the current study sought to create and test a new multidimensional and multi-informant measure of teacher mindfulness in the classroom. To counter some of the limitations of context-general self-reports, we designed two theoretically based classroom-specific measures that capture the experience and expression of mindful teacher behavior from the perspective of teachers and students. Drawing on emerging consensus from experts on mindfulness in education, the measures incorporated three dimensions of mindfulness, namely, Calm, Clear, and Kind teacher behavior in the classroom, as well as their antitheses, namely, Reactive, Distracted, and Critical teacher behavior. Utilizing data from 78 sixth- to eighth-grade teachers and 550 of their students, teacher- and student-report item sets tapping these dimensions were tested for reliability and validity across three time points. Based on confirmatory factor, reliability, structural invariance, and correlational analyses, subscales generally demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties, cross-year stabilities, convergent and criterion validity with multiple established measures, and some overlap across reporters. In terms of connections to observer ratings from the CLASS-S, teacher subscales showed consistent but modest connections, whereas student subscales showed higher correlations (especially at time 2), suggesting that students and observers converged in their perceptions of teachers’ expressions of mindfulness. Possible improvements to both measures as well as implications for future research on teacher mindfulness are discussed.

Perceptions of mindful teaching are associated with longitudinal change in adolescents’ mindfulness and compassion

“…Student perceptions of mindful teaching was measured using an 18-item measure developed by Rickert et al (2020). Items assessed the three perceived teacher qualities of calm, clear, and kind (three items each), as well as their theoretical antitheses, reactive, distracted, critical (three items each).…”

“…The three subscales were positively correlated with each other at Time 1, r s = .68–.70. All 18 items were averaged to create a single omnibus perceived “Mindful Teaching” scale (Rickert et al, 2020; see Online Supplementary material for list of items). The Cronbach’s α coefficient at Time 1 was α = .89.…”

“…Recent research on teachers and mindfulness in education has begun to investigate the factors that affect how well teachers address adolescents’ needs and, thereby, foster their academic, identity, and social–emotional development in school settings. Specifically, mindfulness and compassion have been identified as key aspects of one’s ability to attend to and be attuned to the needs of others (e.g., Siegel, 2009) and have been hypothesized to support teachers’ ability to create environments that meet students’ needs (see Rickert, Skinner, & Roeser, 2020; Roeser, Skinner, Beers, & Jennings, 2012).…”

“…In an interdisciplinary dialogue sponsored by the Mind and Life Educational Research Network (MLERN; see Mind and Life Institute, 2009), Daniel Goleman described a mindful person as one who is “calm in body, clear in mind, and kind in heart.” Rickert et al (2020) expanded on this idea to demonstrate that classroom teachers who exhibit these qualities of calm, clear, and kind are in a more effective position to influence the needs of their students. These authors hypothesized that mindful teachers are calm, stable, resilient, and able to regulate their emotions in the classroom; are clear insofar as they are present and focused, aware of their surroundings, and able to effectively communicate with their students; and are kind to the extent that they show care, empathy, compassion, and forgiveness toward their students, colleagues, and themselves at school.…”

“…To measure high school students’ perceptions of their teachers and the nature of their school experience, we use student perception data rather than more “objective” measures of mindful teachers (e.g., Rickert et al, 2020) and school environments (e.g., Pianta & Hamre, 2009) in this study. A significant body of research has supported the idea that student perceptions, which reflect their personal meaning-making of their experiences in school, mediate between many so-called “objective” features of school and student outcomes (e.g., Roeser & Galloway, 2002; Wang & Eccles, 2013; Wang & Holcombe, 2010; Wentzel, 1997).…”