In The Teaching Self: Contemplative Practices, Pedagogy, and Research in Education, a rich collection of voices from diverse settings illustrates the ways in which first-person experiences with contemplative practices lay a foundation for contemplative pedagogy and research in teacher education. Contemplative practice depends on cultivating an understanding of oneself, as well as one's relationship and interdependence of others and the world, and it is this precept that guides the focus of these portraits of practice. The teaching self of the scholar benefits from reflective and authentic engagement and a commitment to equity and ethical action. Several authors examine the direct and indirect influence contemplative practices have on their students as future educators. All of the authors in this book share first-hand experiences with contemplative practices that honor, support, and deepen awareness of the teaching self by exploring the journey of identifying as a contemplative educator.
About the Author: Jane E. Dalton, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Art Education at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, teaching art education and studio art. Her research interests include, contemplative pedagogy, and social-emotional learning in classrooms using the arts. A textile artist, Jane's work has been exhibited throughout the United States. She is the co-author of The Compassionate Classroom: Lessons that Nurture Empathy and Wisdom. Elizabeth Hope Dorman, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Teacher Education at Fort Lewis College, a public liberal arts college in Durango, Colorado, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate students in secondary, K-12, and elementary education programs. Her scholarship focuses on the integration and effects of mindfulness and contemplative pedagogies on teacher development of social-emotional competence, particularly in diverse contexts and courses that address multicultural perspectives and equity issues. Kathryn Byrnes, Ph.D. is the Baldwin Program Director in the Center for Learning and Teaching at Bowdoin College, and faculty at the Teachings in Mindful Education (TiME) Institute in Maine. She served as Board President of the Mindfulness in Education Network (MiEN), and taught in-person and online courses on Mindful Education at Lesley University and Bowdoin College. Her scholarship and professional development work focuses on the integration of contemplative pedagogy in educational contexts.