Examining the Usefulness of Mindfulness Practices in Managing School Leader Stress During COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

As part of a larger evaluation study on the impact of mindfulness practices on school leaders’ capacity to promote healing-centered engagement with students and teachers who have a history of trauma, toxic stress, and/or underperformance, mindfulness practices turned out to be critically important during COVID-19 when school leaders face unprecedented difficulties and challenges in transitioning the instructions online. The two mindfulness strategies found to have the highest scores are breathing practices and the concept of “being the thermostat, and not the thermometer.” The study shows that learning and practicing mindfulness is a long process that takes time and space. Future studies are recommended to focus on the sustainability and group difference issues. © 2020, Journal of School Administration Research and Development. All Rights Reserved.