The Mindfulness for Teachers Certificate program is designed specifically for the needs of educational professionals. Whether brand new to the concept of mindfulness or a veteran practitioner, this certificate provides a solid foundation for program design, implementation and evaluation. Take your classroom from drab to dynamic while future-proofing your institution by aligning with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG4) initiatives via step-by-step instructions for age appropriate interventions, readiness assessments, problem-solving and a wide variety of innovative mindfulness approaches with an emphasis on real-life solutions. Learn how to engage both students and staff with meaningful activities that result in measurable outcomes, better behavior, reduced anxiety and other benefits. Mindfulness is increasingly viewed as a cornerstone of social-emotional learning as well as a way to increase creativity and problem solving in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging educational models. Additionally, mindfulness is an often cited methodology to assure SDG4 target goals toward sustainable, equitable education for all.
According to Mindful, “Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Mindfulness is a quality that every human being already possesses, it’s not something you have to conjure up, you just have to learn how to access it.”
According to Psychology Today, there are nine essential qualities of mindfulness. Both educators and their students can benefit from these mindfulness outcomes:
To earn the USD professional development certificate in mindfulness teaching, students are required to successfully complete three individual courses, which can be accomplished in as few as two semesters or 6 months. Complete the requirements below to earn a professional certificate in Mindfulness for Teachers Certificate. Read Certificate Benefits and Policy.
Learn how to enhance learning, foster a positive learning environment and reduce stress with our mindfulness training for teachers course.
Once you have enrolled in your course, log in to your account to access the course Welcome Letter, which includes directions on how to access the Online Orientation and your online course.
This course provides you with how to intentionally create a makerspace that combines learning with mindfulness, creativity, and well-being.
Be ready to implement and assess mindfulness programs in your classroom, school and/or district that support mission statements and student learning.
Once you have enrolled in your course, log in to your account to access the course Welcome Letter, which includes directions on how to access the New Student Orientation and your online course.
This course focuses on developing mindfulness activities with movement for the classroom or outside.
Once you have enrolled in this course, you may access Course Instructions upon logging into your account.
This course provides classroom activities that integrate Mindfulness with Social Emotional Learning to support your teaching.
Courses offer a convenient, yet rigorous style of learning that allows you to structure your education to suit your schedule while keeping you on pace toward achieving your educational.
Our online self-paced courses are similar to online fixed-date courses, but are designed to give you a six-month period from time of enrollment to complete all assignments. Your instructor will provide feedback via written responses on your assignments and exams. Grades are based on completed projects, assignments and exams.
How is the self-paced course structured? Like fixed-date courses, online self-paced courses are asynchronous meaning that you can work on your assignments anytime; the difference being there are no assigned due dates in self-paced courses. The content is divided into learning modules. Each module will cover one or more topics. Within each of the learning modules, you can expect the following components:
Independent Study Self-Paced: Independent study courses offer you flexibility and the ability to complete a course faster or slower than you would a traditional live course. In this online format, you may register at any time and you will have a set time period (typically 9 months) from the time of registration to complete your course. This convenient format is often helpful for:
The three courses that comprise the University of San Diego’s Mindfulness for Teachers Certificate are:
Enroll in individual courses of your choice or start the certificate program with any course to earn graduate level extension credits. Online self-paced courses are available anytime and allow for six months from enrollment date for completion. Key points about your online learning experience include the following:
*For listed courses Outside of the Certificate Track, these are presented in Independent Study self-paced format, allowing for completion within nine months of enrollment. Work individually on your assignments and submit all assignments at once for instructor evaluation/feedback. This only applies to these courses.
Educators who complete the online Mindfulness for Teachers Certificate program will greatly enhance their ability to:
The University of San Diego’s online Mindfulness for Teachers Certificate program is designed to engage and inspire PK-12 teachers and administrators, counselors and any other educator interested in the design, implementation and evaluation of school mindfulness programs.
I have learned so much throughout this certificate and am energized to take it to the school at a school wide level. Thank you!
The vast majority of what I learned and the resources I used, I still use in my personal and professional life.
I really enjoyed the class! Reading materials and videos were informative. Thank you
I really enjoyed the class. The instructor gave great feedback and food for thought. I am able to take what I have learned and Immediately apply it to my personal and professional life
I thought the course was excellent. I learned a lot and have a lot of tools to use in my instruction. The instructor was positive and affirming. I would definitely recommend the course to my colleagues.
Professional development courses offered by the University of San Diego’s Division of Professional & Continuing Education are taught by faculty that possess a depth and breadth of academic and real-world professional experience.
Employment opportunities in the education field — including adult education — are expected to grow by almost 1 million new jobs by 2030 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). With so many new and emerging opportunities, adult learning institutions and programs are going to have to compete heavily to attract and retain the most talented educators.
This makes furthering your education and diversifying your teaching skill set all the more important. By growing your expertise in a wide variety of educational concepts, you will broaden your career prospects and become a valuable asset in any learning environment.
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Requirements for completing a certificate can be found on the certificate page.
Professional and Continuing Education courses that are transferrable to a USD master degree will be stated on the course or certificate page. If you wish to transfer credit, it is your responsibility to confer with the receiving institution before enrolling, as each individual academic institution decides whether or not to accept USD Professional and Continuing Education credit.
You have five years to complete the certificate.
Click here for complete details regarding our refund, drop and transfer policies
Prospective students can request to be placed on a waitlist. Should a space open up in a course, those on the waitlist will be notified. We encourage you to register early for courses.
The Professional and Continuing Education program nurtures key partnerships on the local, national, and international level. The goal is to better serve working professionals who seek to enhance or build their careers and help achieve their highest value and potential. Contact us today to learn more.
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