Increasing Student Success Through Self Awareness

1. Increasing Student Success Through Self Awareness Denise Y. Rodak Montclair State University NACADA NJ Drive-In Conference 2014

2. Think about……

3. Think about:

4. Think about:

5. “Doing” Mode = Your Brain on Autopilot

6. The Science Behind “Doing” Mode

7. Fight or Flight?

8. The Human Mind and “Doing” Mode Source: Mindfulness (M. Williams and D. Penman)

9. Emotional Quicksand • State of mind is connected to memory. • In an instant, the mind will scan through memories to find a similar emotional state. • This is a basic survival skill. • A few sad thoughts or a little anxiety can spiral into a flood of negative emotions. Source: Mindfulness (M. Williams and D. Penman)

10. Until Eventually …

11. And then ….. • Negative and self critical thoughts arise quicker. • These thoughts can be triggered by the smallest set-back or mood change. • They tend to stick around longer. Source: Mindfulness (M. Williams and D. Penman)

12. Our Students

13. “Pulls an All Nighter” and Sleeps Through the Exam

14. Leads to: • Embarrassment • Frustration • Avoiding the Professor • Skipping Class • Feelings of Helplessness

15. Students in “Doing” Mode: • May find it difficult to stay focused. • Tend to walk quickly without noticing what is around them. • Rush through activities without attention. • Are so focused on goals they forget about the present. • Driven by daily routines “autopilot.” Source: Mindfulness (M. Williams and D. Penman)

16. The Alternative:“Being” Mode

17. “Being” Mode

18. Students In “Being” Mode: • Have the ability to “step outside” the cycle of overthinking and over judging. • Recognize thoughts as simply thoughts; they do not define a person. • Make intentional choices (as opposed to autopilot). • “Pay attention, on purpose, in the present moment, without judgment, to think as they actually are.” Source: Mindfulness (M. Williams and D. Penman)

19. What is Mindfulness?

20. Definition of Mindfulness • mind·ful·ness • 1:  the quality or state of being mindful • 2:  the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis; also:  such a state of awareness Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary

21. Chinese Word for Mindfulness The character for “now” is drawn above the character for “heart/mind.”

22. Mindfulness is Not: • Clearing your mind • A religion • Sitting in full lotus position with hands in a mudra • Time consuming • Although patience and persistence is required • About success or failure

23. Benefits of Mindfulness • Increased Happiness • Mindfulness activates the left prefrontal cortex • Increased Empathy • The insula becomes energized through meditation • Increased Autonomy • Mindful people do things they value • Increased Resilience • Challenges are seen as opportunities Source: Mindfulness (M. Williams and D. Penman)

24. Benefits of Mindfulness • Changes the physical structure of the brain in the “regions important to learning, memory, emotion regulation, and cognitive processing.” • Attention and focus are important elements of emotional regulation • Increased self-compassion • Less self-criticism • Feelings of connectedness • Less identification with negative thoughts Source: Contemplative Practices in Higher Education (D. Barbezatand M. Bush)

25. Self-Awareness/Mindfulness Advising Exercises • Improving Focus and Attention • Using one or more of your senses, take note of something you have never before noticed. • Sit for Five (Source: M. Lees, Professor of Philosophy and Religion, Montclair State Univ.) • Mindfulness of Breath • Your breath is always with you ….. use it! • The Chocolate Meditation • http://franticworld.com/free-meditations-from-mindfulness/

26. Self-Awareness/Mindfulness Advising Exercises • Test Anxiety • Mindfulness of Breath • While Studying • During the Test • Progressive Relaxation • We are often unaware of stress. • Progressively tense and relax all parts of the body.

27. Self-Awareness/Mindfulness Advising Exercises • Questioning of Self Through Writing • Major/Career Exploration • Write a letter to a future employer outlining the skills you would bring to the job. • Spend some time in a potential place of employment and reflect, in writing, upon the work environment. • Freewriting using certain words.

28. Technology and Self Awareness Can Coexist • The Mindfulness App • iPhone– 4.5 stars with 336 ratings – $1.99 • Android – 4.2 stars with 124 ratings – $1.99 • Simply Being • iPhone – 4.5 stars with 1,069 ratings – $0.99 • Android – 4.3 stars with 323 ratings – $0.99 • Get Some Headspace • iPhone – 4 stars with 240 ratings – Free • Android – 4.4 stars with 4,288 ratings – Free • Mindfulness Meditation • iPhone– 3.5 stars with 202 ratings – $1.99 • Android – 3.6 stars with 80 ratings – Free Source: www.healthline.com

29. “A Curriculum for the Selfie Generation” The Chronicle of Higher Education (June 2, 2014) • “Me-Centric Courses” • Development of courses centered on “enduring questions that have long held interest for young people.” • Florida State University - “What Is The Good Life?” • Roanoke College – “Freedom, Ethics, and the Good Life: Do We Decide?”

30. Questions? Comments?Observations?

31. Sources Barbezat, D. P., & Bush, M. (2014). Contemplative practices in higher education: powerful methods to transform teaching and learning. San Francisco, Ca.: Jossey-Bass. Williams, J. M., & Penman, D. (2012). Mindfulness: an eight-week plan for finding peace in a frantic world. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Books.