Supervision of MBSR/CT teaching
Supervision provides an opportunity to meet with a senior MBSR/CT instructor, in person or by telephone, to explore issues and questions that arise in teaching and presenting MBSR/CT. Our intention is to provide an opportunity for you to learn through self-reflection in the form of journaling and through support, guidance, exploratory dialogue and precise feedback with your supervisor.
Supervision fosters precision and comprehensiveness in the teaching of MBSR/CT, and encourages an authentic exploration of unexamined habits and patterns that hinder effectiveness in teaching and living. Supervision is about creating a space which is dedicated to investigating, understanding and honing instructional approaches and skills.
Supervision is an important part of standards for MBSR and MBCT practitioners.
Learning Objectives
• Teach an MBSR/CT course while participating in the supervision process.
• Create supporting instructional materials, including course curricula, audio tapes or CD’s, workbooks, and other teaching resources
• Explore the dynamics of the participant-practitioner relationship through the lens of mindfulness
• Integrate your personal mindfulness practice into your work
• Cultivate specific competencies necessary for teaching MBSR/CT, as follows
- present-centred awareness
- attentional flexibility
- ability to connect theoretical constructs of stress reactivity and enhanced coping with essential qualities of mindfulness meditation practice
• Sensitive and skillful use of:
- group process
- pacing and rhythm
- inquiry and investigation
- clear, direct, inviting language
Supervision may consist of all or some of the following:
• Pre-teaching preparation:
- Creating a learning contract that identifies issues personally relevant to your teaching
- Designing a course curriculum and course materials specific to your prospective population and program
- Submitting home practice CD’s, tapes and/or scripts to your supervisor for review.
• Supervision while teaching an MBSR/CT course:
- Developing and submitting class plans prior to each class
- Submitting questions, reflections and intentions that pertain directly to your current teaching experience
- Investigating the experience of being an MBSR/CT teacher and the issues and attitudes that emerge during teaching
- Exploring the interface between your inner life, meditation practice, and classroom teaching, and/or
- Demonstrating classroom teaching to your MBSR/CT supervisor by arranging site visits or by submitting classroom videotapes.
• Post-teaching inquiry:
- Assessing personal strengths and weaknesses as an MBSR/CT teacher
- Exploring strategies for improving effectiveness in the classroom
- Devising an action plan for enhancing competence as an MBSR/CT teacher, and submitting a final reflective paper that substantively documents your experience of supervision and consultation.
Practical arrangements for supervision.
Supervision is offered either in person or via Skype/conference call. We suggest doing supervision weekly for your first couple of courses. This works well in a peer context where two or more trainee teachers meet via Skype/phone with a senior teacher, and explore the unfolding of their groups over the eight weeks. This leads to rich discussions and the development of peer supervision networks for the future.
Various teachers are available for supervision. The Center for Mindfulness, UMass, also offers a supervision process for people beginning to teach MBSR/CT. See their website for application process. Do some research and find out what will best support you.
To contact Openground re: supervision contact Timothea Goddard at:
tim@openground.com.au
