Developed by Lazaara Ilieva
Sample Task ♦ Sample Questions
A. Outcomes:
Process-oriented thinking and mindfulness are closely related practices/approaches in education because they:
1. Promote focus on the present moment:
- Process-oriented thinking emphasizes the importance of the steps and actions taken in the present rather than being solely focused on the end result. It values the journey and the experiences gained during learning.
- Mindfulness is about being fully present and engaged in the current moment, paying attention to what is happening here and now without judgment. It encourages awareness of thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.
2. Reduce stress and anxiety:
- Process-oriented thinking: By focusing on the process rather than the outcome, learners can reduce the pressure and anxiety associated with achieving a specific goal. This helps in managing expectations and reducing stress.
- Mindfulness practices are known to reduce stress and anxiety by encouraging learners to accept the present moment as it is, without worrying about the future or dwelling on the past.
3. Increase engagement and fun:
- Through process-oriented thinking the focus on the process helps learners to engage deeply with their tasks and find enjoyment in the activity itself, rather than just in the outcome.
- Mindfulness encourages a similar kind of engagement, where learners fully immerse themselves in their activities, leading to greater satisfaction and enjoyment.
4. Improve learning and growth:
- Process-oriented thinking values continuous learning and growth. By concentrating on the process, learners can better reflect on their experiences, learn from mistakes, and make improvements.
- Mindfulness fosters a non-judgmental awareness that can enhance learning and personal growth. It helps learners observe their thoughts and behaviors more clearly, facilitating better self-understanding and development.
5. Enhance creativity and innovation:
- Process-oriented thinking focuses on the journey rather than the destination, learners can experiment, take risks, and explore new ideas without the fear of failure. This openness can lead to greater creativity and innovation.
- Mindfulness practices enhance creativity by promoting a state of open, non-judgmental awareness, allowing for the free flow of ideas and reducing cognitive rigidity.
6. Balance perspective on success and failure:
- In process-oriented thinking success and failure are viewed as part of the learning process rather than as final judgments. This balanced perspective helps learners stay motivated and resilient.
- Mindfulness encourages acceptance of all experiences, whether perceived as good or bad. This acceptance fosters a balanced perspective, where success and failure are seen as natural parts of learning.
7. Building resilience and patience:
- Through process-oriented thinking, specifically through valuing the process, learners develop patience and resilience, understanding that meaningful progress takes time and effort.
- Mindfulness cultivates resilience by teaching learners to respond to challenges with a calm and measured approach, and to view setbacks as temporary and surmountable.
B. Instructional Strategies:
The purpose of training process-oriented thinking in the classroom is to create an environment that values learning and growth over merely achieving the correct answers or highest grades. Teachers:
1. Emphasize the learning journey by:
- celebrating effort and improvement by recognizing and rewarding students’ efforts, progress, and improvements rather than just their final grades or correct answers. They do this through verbal praise, certificates, or a classroom bulletin board showcasing progress.
- promoting reflective practices by encouraging students to keep learning journals where they reflect on what they did, what they learned, and how they felt about the learning process.
2. Incorporate mindfulness practices by:
- integrating short mindfulness exercises, such as deep breathing, body scans, or mindful listening, to help students focus on the present moment and become more aware of their learning processes.
- having students reflect mindfully, after completing tasks, on what they experienced and learned, rather than just the outcome.
3. Provide process-focused feedback by:
- providing details that highlight specific aspects of students’ work, including strengths and areas for improvement with focus on the steps the learners took and strategies they used rather than just the final result.
- offering constructive criticism that encourages a growth mindset, helping students understand that their abilities can be developed through consistency and hard work.
4. Encourage collaboration and peer learning by creating:
- tasks and activities based on group work where the emphasis is on the process of working together, sharing ideas, and learning from each other.
- rubrics for peer review where students provide each other with feedback on their process, fostering a community of learners who support each other’s growth.
5. Implement project-based learning by:
- assigning long-term projects that require planning, research, and iterative development.
- tasking students to document their process and reflect on their learning at various stages in process journals or portfolios that include their initial ideas, plans, drafts, feedback, revisions, and final products.
6. Use formative assessments by:
- employing formative assessments to monitor students’ progress throughout the learning process.
- providing timely feedback and guiding further instruction based on the formative assessment.
- designing rubrics and checklists for self-assessment of their own work and learning processes that focus on the steps taken and strategies used.
7. Model process-oriented thinking by:
- demonstrating how to thinking aloud during problem-solving or creative tasks.
- showing students how to break down tasks, reflect on choices, and make adjustments.
- sharing personal experiences and stories about times when focusing on the process led to meaningful learning and growth.
8. Create a safe learning environment and encourage risk-taking by:
- creating a classroom culture where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities.
- encouraging students to try new approaches without fear of failure.
- fostering a supportive atmosphere where students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, asking questions, and expressing uncertainties.
9. Design process-oriented iterative assignments based on:
- open-ended tasks that allow for multiple approaches and solutions.
- creativity and the exploration of different methods.
- multiple drafts and revisions, in order to allow students to see the value of refining and improving their work over time.
10. Facilitate goal setting and reflection involving :
- SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound – SMART) goals to focus on the learning process.
- regular reflections sessions where students review their goals, discuss their progress, and plan next steps.