For this #BetterTogetherCA Twitter Chat, we’ll be partnering with our friends at Mindful Schools to address bringing mindfulness to your school, classrooms, and teachers. Join this chat hosted by Mindful Schools Program Director Matthew Brensilver and Educator Betsy Hanger.

To participate just log into your Twitter account and follow us at @CATeacherSummit. Once you “follow” us you will be able to participate and weigh in on the conversation. You can also follow the chat by watching the hashtag #BetterTogetherCA. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and share your opinions and thoughts!

Q1: Welcome to our chat about Mindfulness in Education. Please introduce yourself, grade, student population #BetterTogetherCA #MindfulSchools

Q2: What is mindfulness to you? Have you intro’d with kids, have a personal practice? Or just new and curious? #BetterTogetherCA #MindfulSchools

Q3: We often ask kids to “calm down,” but don’t teach them how. What skills/programs do you use for #SEL in your class? #BetterTogetherCA

Q4: Let’s talk about mindfulness lessons/activities? What lessons have been impactful in your classroom? #BetterTogetherCA #MindfulSchools

Q5: As students settle into the class, how often do you notice your students’ energy mirroring your own? #BetterTogetherCA #MindfulSchools

Q6: What challenges might you have or anticipate re: introducing mindfulness to our classroom or school? #BetterTogetherCA #MindfulSchools

Q7: What are the top challenges you face as teachers, personally/professionally, each day entering the classroom? #BetterTogetherCA

Q8: How do you manage your stress? How do you take time for yourself? 1 minute, 5 minutes? #BetterTogetherCA #MindfulSchools

Q9: For many, it’s the first week back to school. What is one new thing you may try – for yourself, or with students? #BetterTogetherCA

Learn about this month’s Twitter Chat Hosts:

As a Community Mentor in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Betsy Hanger has taught over 1400 children and teachers. Her chapter on working skillfully with diverse youth is featured in Teaching Mindfulness Skills to Kids and Teens (Guilford Press, October, 2015). She has presented nationally on mindfulness practices for youth, as well as to groups of parents, teachers, and graduate students in clinical psychology and social work. Betsy works as the principal writer across Mindful Schools’ social media channels, providing resources, research, and inspiration to practice for educators, parents, and new mindfulness practitioners. Long interested in collaboration with classroom teachers to create mindful classrooms, Betsy completed the Year-Long Certification Program at Mindful Schools in 2014.

Matthew Brensilver, PhD, holds a master’s degree in clinical social work and has done psychotherapy with adolescents, adults and groups. He received a PhD from USC, where his research investigated explanations of psychiatric comorbidity. Currently, Matthew conducts research on addiction treatment at the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine. He also teaches at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center on the intersection of mindfulness and psychotherapy.