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Courses
EDU 530e
Emotional Roots of Development (3)
A study of emotional development from Western and Eastern sources as an access point to engaging one’s spirituality. Course material encourages teachers to cultivate an empathic appreciation of emotional challenges inherent in our humanity across the lifespan. The course covers three aspects: 1) emotion, 2) meaning making and 3) self-reflection. The approach is to explore these topics across development, appreciating how changes in the physical body and the cognitive mind influence core features of development and vice versa. Observation practices are used to expand our awareness and apply our understanding. Prerequisite: A teaching practice and experience with meditation.
This class is also available noncredit online. Click here for registration details.
EDU 600
Presence in Teaching (2)
An exploration of the building blocks of form and space as the basis of the art of teaching. Since teachers are improvisational artists, we examine the ingredients for performance: actor and audience. The study includes the topics of presence, projection, intention, ego territories, gesture, emotion, language, story and other forms of communication. We explore contemplative teaching within the laboratory of body, speech and mind. The goal is to learn how we as teachers can use space awareness and acting training to refine our presence in the classroom and to improvise more freely with our world.
ECE 604/404
Maitri and Learning Styles (3)
Students study and practice the traditional five Buddhist energy styles in relation to teaching and learning. Integrated into this approach is an exploration of multiple learning styles. Adapted for westerners from the tradition of Tibetan yoga, maitri training is a sophisticated method of cultivating awareness of the emotions and developing appreciation of discrete styles of statement in ourselves and others. Students learn how they might manifest these intrinsic wisdoms in their own educational journeys, in teaching, in curriculum development and in creating learning environments. Prerequisite: Established meditation practice and permission of instructor. Materials fee.
EDU 605
The Contemplative Teacher (4)
At the heart of contemplative education is the wakefulness of the teacher. This course explores contemplative concepts, skills and practices in preparation for the journey of mindful teaching. The basic approach comes from Tibetan meditative traditions, but other Buddhist and contemplative teachers are studied. Observations and perceptual exercises complement readings and discussions. Mindfulness-awareness develop-ment is experienced both personally and as a component of community learning.
EDU 615e
Perspectives in Sacred Learning (3)
Students study theories and approaches from a variety of traditions in holistic education, as well as current trends.The course focuses on “sacred learning” and how various traditions, educators and theorists have attempted to educate in sacred ways. Students learn about the historical roots and evolution of the holistic education movement, which is connected to sacred learning. The purpose of this course is to help students distinguish the main tenets of these different stances and to identify how they converge on the sacred.
This class is also available noncredit online. Click here for registration details.
EDU 625
Community Practice Seminar I (1)
This seminar integrates community life learning and meditation into the students’ summer retreat experience. The course includes small and whole group discussions on emergent and enduring community issues and their implications for classroom teaching. The other course component is mindfulness/awareness meditation, the foundation practice of contemplative education. The approach is drawn primarily from Shambhala Buddhism, supplemented by readings from other traditions. Students do sitting and walking group meditation two hours each day, meet with meditation instructors and participate in lectures and group discussions. Loving-kindness meditation is also introduced and practiced.
ECE 630/330
Holistic and Contemplative Teaching Traditions (3)
During this course, students encounter some of the most important contemporary holistic and contemplative approaches to teaching young children. The study focuses primarily on the contemplative traditions of Shambhala, Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia and others. On-site observations are done in preschools that use these approaches. Students explore and compare these traditions to enhance their development as teachers. In this process they begin to incorporate personally meaningful aspects of these traditions into their own emerging and unique teaching styles. Sitting meditation requirement.
EDU 635e
Contemplative Teaching (3)
This course presents an approach for integrating mindfulness/awareness meditation into nonsectarian classroom teaching at any level of instruction. Topics include mindfulness/awareness in teaching, liberating sense perceptions, observing natural rhythms, presence in teaching, working with emotions and transitions. The approach is tailored to each student’s teaching situation. Readings and discussion support the shift to experiencing teaching as nonsectarian spiritual journey. We read from leaders in the field of contemplative education and from relevant Buddhist and other spiritual teachers. The course requires meditation and online meditation instruction. Open to teachers with an established mindfulness meditation practice.
This class is also available noncredit online. Click here for registration details.
EDU 665e
Compassionate Teaching (3)
A continuation of EDU 635e, this course explores and applies compassionate teaching in the classroom. This nonsectarian approach sees education as a personal spiritual journey that brings the teacher’s inner life to the art of teaching. We investigate the qualities of generosity, patience, discipline, exertion and knowledge; the dynamics of contemplative learning communities; and compassionate teaching relationships. Readings come from leaders in the field, as well as from relevant Buddhist and other spiritual teachers. The course includes mindfulness/awareness meditation, loving-kindness practice and meditation instruction. Prerequisite: a teaching practice and an established mindfulness-awareness meditation practice.
This class is also available noncredit online. Click here for registration details.
ECE 693/393
Issues in Education: The Mary Culkin Series (3)
A public lecture series through which students can learn about a wide variety of issues in the field of education, including early education, higher education and contemplative education. Regional and national leaders address such topics as diversity and multicultural perspectives, public policy, current research, spirituality, leadership and other key issues of interest to educators. Through this broad survey of topics, we become connected to the larger education community. A companion discussion forum is available for students taking this for credit. Course work includes relevant readings and response papers relating to each topic.
EDU 700
Contemplative Curriculum (2)
This course studies principles and examples of curriculum derived from mindfulness/awareness–based educational traditions. This study prepares the student for the sacred transformation of learning environments within secular contexts. The study of the Ten Aspects of Knowledge, the curriculum of the ancient Indian Nalanda University, is featured along with other sacred systems. Prerequisite: Completion of Summer Session I.
EDU 705
Maitri in Education (4)
Adapted from the tradition of Tibetan yoga, maitri is a space awareness method for understanding emotions and developing appreciation of discrete styles of statement. The practice begins with a personal, experiential and traditional knowledge of the five energies of this approach. Attention is placed on the individual unfolding and understanding that leads to developing skills for authentic teaching relationships with students, parents, administrators and co-teachers. Arts and contemplative acting exercises are integrated into this course. Prerequisite: Completion of Summer Session I.
EDU 715
Community Practice Seminar II (1)
As in EDU 625, this seminar integrates community issues and meditation into the students’ comprehensive learning experience. Having experienced online learning community for two semesters, students re-establish their summer community with greater depth. Having explored the effects of meditation themselves as teachers for a year, students study and practice mindfulness/awareness with greater relationship and service dimensions. The more advanced nature of the practice is addressed in discussion groups and in one-to-one encounters with meditation instructors. Loving-kindness meditation continues to be practiced. Prerequisite: Completion of Summer Session I.
EDU 720e
Spiritual Roots of Development (3)
This course investigates theories of the spiritual roots of human development with a focus on the validity and implications of stage theories. It examines contemporary theories of development in light of current and historical theories of spiritual development, with particular attention to Wilbur, Washburn, Steiner, Aurobindo and Khan. Implications of these theories for educational theory and practice are drawn. Students have an opportunity to investigate a theorist of their choice.
This class is also available noncredit online. Click here for registration details.
EDU 735e
Buddhist Educational Heritage: The Five Qualities and the Ten Vidyas (3)
A study and application of traditional Buddhist approaches to curriculum and learning styles. We study the Ten Vidyas, also known as the Ten Aspects of Knowledge, from Nalanda, the renowned Buddhist medieval Indian university. The intention is to understand and apply their basic principles to contemporary curriculum, teaching and learning. The other subject is the Five Qualities, a Tibetan mandalic perspective on energy styles that has been applied to education at Naropa University. The course focuses on personal exploration and educational application and includes mindfulness/awareness meditation, loving-kindness practice and meditation discussion. Prerequisite: Classroom teaching experience and mindfulness/awareness meditation practice.
This class is also available noncredit online. Click here for registration details.
EDU 800W
Thesis Presentation (noncredit)
For graduating students the conference marks the end of the two-year program, a final graduation celebration and the presentation of theses to conference participants, program students and faculty. Prerequisite: Completion of EDU 880e.
EDU 850e
Thesis Seminar I (1)
Thesis I is the prerequisite for Thesis II, which is taken in the last semester (spring) of the master’s program for students in Contemplative Education. The purpose of this course is to provide guidance to students regarding the thesis format, and to provide adequate preparation time for students to investigate ideas and formulate a plan for the implementation of the thesis. This course covers the following areas of study: Professional Identity; Human Growth and Development; Career Development; and Research and Program Evaluation. Prerequisite: Completion of all course work in the Contemplative Education program, except for Spiritual Roots of Development (which may be taken simultaneously). In some cases, department chair approval may be required.
This class is also available noncredit online. Click here for registration details.
EDU 880e
Thesis Seminar II (3)
This course provides individualized support for students’
MA thesis work. Theses develop from three sources: 1.
A selected aspect of the students’ practical application of contemplative education in their own classroom; 2. Relevant areas of study within the broad field of spirituality in education; 3. The influence of the students’ personal spiritual journey in teaching. Thesis topics might include “Enhancing our Science Curriculum,” “Mindful Speech with Children,” “Empathy in Parent Conferences” or “Working with Aggression in the Classroom.” Thesis work is completed this semester for presentation in EDU 800W. Prerequisite: Completion of all prior MA ED course work.
This class is also available noncredit online. Click here for registration details.
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