What is Contemplative Pedagogy?

“How we know is as important as what we know. ”
— (Hart, 2004)

Contemplative pedagogy explores how contemplative practices (such as mindfulness, movement or deep listening) might support and transform learning and teaching. It is a rapidly growing field of research and study among educators internationally.

Key characteristics of contemplative pedagogy include turning one’s attention inward towards one’s first-person, lived experience, as opposed to only reciting what we have learned from others. Contemplative pedagogy might foster an intention to slow down and attend to experience in a different way, cultivating attitudes such as non-judgement, discernment, kindness, curiosity. In contrast to this, our educational institutions often emphasise the need to be doing, producing and performing with speed and efficiency. (Ergas, 2019)

A growing body of research is showing that the benefits of contemplative pedagogy include:

  • Increased focus and attention (for teachers and learners)

  • Supports reflection for deeper more meaningful learning

  • Increased self-understanding and compassion

  • Deepened connection with others and our environment

  • Supports health, wellbeing and flourishing (Barbezat & Bush, 2014)

Educators are beginning to ask: How might contemplative pedagogy enable us to bring more of ourselves and greater meaning to the work we do? How might contemplative practices and processes build greater resilience and courage in ourselves and our students as we challenge the growing pressure for speed and productivity in our institutions. Contemplative pedagogy has significance for self, other, community and social justice.

For further infomation, or to connect with other educators interested in this area please visit The Contemplative Pedagogy Network website or watch the video recording on this page of a discussion between some of the network’s steering group members: Chiara Cirillo, Mike Wride, Tony Reeves (JUICE Journal) and myself.

References

Barbezat, D. P., and Bush, M. (2014). Contemplative Practices in Higher Education: Powerful Methods to Transform Teaching and Learning. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons.

Ergas, O. (2019) ‘A contemplative turn in education: charting a curricular-pedagogical countermovement’. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 27:2, 251-270

Hart, T. (2004) ‘Opening the Contemplative Mind in the Classroom’ in Journal of Transformative Education, 2 (1): pp 28-46