Mindfulness in Multicultural Education

Grounded in critical race feminism, this book explores mindfulness as an empowering approach in multicultural education. The author explores how learners of multicultural education-by (re)centering the body through mindfulness with concrete strategies and scaffolded practice-can be empowered to handle the activated emotions and deep self-inquiry that come with the work of social justice, liberation, and anti-racism. This book includes counter stories of students of colors and offers both an epistemological and a curricular approach to mindfulness in multicultural education, including discussion of theory and key principles in addition to ten modules with practices to engage learners. These modules can be directly applied as the basis for curricular changes in teacher education and university-wide social justice courses, or they can be independently read by learners interested in enhancing their wellbeing and social justice. Written for teacher preparation and university social justice courses, this book encourages educators to contextualize their mindfulness practice within a critique of systems of oppression and ask questions about how mindfulness can empower action towards a more just society.

Kathryn Esther McIntosh is Associate Professor in the College of Education, Oregon State University. Her work focuses on teacher preparation, critical multilingual and multicultural, and language equity education. She is the daughter of a Peruvian immigrant and has taught Spanish/English bilingual elementary school in California before moving to higher education. Her research is grounded in critical race feminisms, pedagogies in critical multicultural education, and Latinx communities in education. She has published about culturally responsive practices in teacher education, focusing on the difficult emotional work of preservice teachers in raising consciousness. She has completed more than 340 hours of yoga philosophy/meditation immersion training, has 200-hour Yoga Alliance teacher certification, and has been a practitioner of yoga and meditation for fourteen years.

Part I: Overview; 1. An overview of Mindfulness in Multicultural Education and Critical Race Feminism; Part II: Theoretical and Epistemological Foundations; 2. Mindfulness in Contexts; 3. Critical Race Feminisms; 4. Critical Multicultural Education, Spirituality, and Liberating Pedagogy; 5. Students' Voices: Empirical Research Findings (co-authored by Raisa Blazquez); Part III: Modules for Instructing Mindfulness in Multicultural Education; 6. Module One: Introduction to Mindfulness: Tapping into the breath with inhales and exhales; 7. Module Two: Sitting with Discomfort: Scanning the body and noticing; 8. Module Three: Integration and Trauma/Racial Trauma: Grounding in the Body; 9. Module Four: Strength and Resilience: Centering Practices; 10. Module Five: Belonging and Connecting to Spirit: Offering to Self and Ancestors; 11. Module Six: Interconnectedness: Connecting to Nature and the Body; 12. Module Seven: Stabilizing Attention and Directing Energy; 13. Module Eight: Teaching from the Heart: Self-Compassion Practices; 14. Module Nine: Empowerment and Agency: Mindful joy and freedom; 15. Module Ten: Liberatory Practices: Mindful resilience and creativity