Resilience and Self-Compassion in the Classroom

The aftermath of the pandemic has taken a toll on students’ mental and emotional well-being, and the surgeon general has issued a warning about the mental health crisis for children and teens. Our kiddos need help!!  Children need to learn to deal effectively with emotional distress, and self-compassion can help. Teachers like you are a primary vehicle for sharing self-compassion with children in schools.  

In order to share self-compassion with children, your first step is to grow your own self-compassion. That’s why taking the adult Mindful Self-Compassion training is a prerequisite to becoming a self-compassion for kids teacher. If you’ve already taken an adult Mindful Self-Compassion training, then you are ready to learn a framework and strategies for sharing self-compassion with children. 

Resilience and Self-Compassion in the Classroom and the corresponding Self-Compassion for Kids Mini-Lessons were developed by certified Mindful Self-Compassion teacher and former elementary school educator, Jamie Lynn Tatera. The Self-Compassion for Kids Mini-Lessons are designed to be taught to children ages 7-10, and they can also be taught to slightly younger and older students (K5-5th grade). This training will equip you with the skills and curriculum to share foundational self-compassion mini-lessons with children in your classroom.

Resilience and Self-Compassion in the Classroom program components: 

  • Tips for teaching self-compassion to children in the classroom
  • Asynchronous training in the Path to Resilience course, which contains metaphors and concepts that are incorporated in the Self-Compassion for Kids Mini-Lessons
  • 30+ Self-Compassion for Kids Mini-Lessons designed for teachers to use with students in the classroom
  • 3 LIVE Q&A sessions with program creator, Jamie Lynn Tatera

The Self-Compassion for Kids Mini-Lessons contain an engaging blend of metaphors and content from the Path to Resilience as well adapted content from the adult Mindful Self-Compassion training. Your training in Mindful Self-Compassion (a prerequisite for this training) has provided you with a foundation in self-compassion. Self-Compassion in the Classroom includes a 14-week training in the Path to Resilience, which will further enable you to effectively understand and share the Self-Compassion for Kids Mini-Lessons.  

The Self-Compassion for Kids mini-lessons are designed to help children to become aware of their emotions and respond with mindfulness and self-compassion when they are struggling. The mini-lessons were created by Jamie Lynn Tatera – a certified Mindful Self-Compassion instructor as well as the developer of the Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers (SCCC) program. These mini-lessons contain a number of the foundational concepts from the SCCC program (not the whole program). The thirty plus mini-lessons each last between 5-15 minutes depending upon the individual lesson and how much time teachers allocate for group sharing.

The overarching goal of these lessons is to help children to:

  1. Identify when they are struggling
  2. Know that they are not alone in their struggles
  3. Cultivate self-acceptance
  4. Relate skillfully to challenging emotions (self-soothing)
  5. Cultivate curiosity and mindfulness
  6. Be kind to themselves when they are having a difficult time
  7. Be able to choose a helpful response when they are struggling
  8. Identify and soak in positive experiences

Self-Compassion for Kids Mini-lessons include the following components: informal mindfulness practice, relevant brain science, engaging stories/examples, practices and/or exercises, and group sharing.

Who is the target audience for this training?

This training is designed for classroom educators who would like to receive training that will enable them to teach foundational self-compassion for kids mini-lessons to their students.  Individuals who teach children in a non-classroom setting, such as clinicians, yoga teachers or social workers are welcome to take this course, but may want to consider the full Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers Teacher Training.

Are there any prerequisites for this training?

Yes. This training is designed for individuals who have previously taken Mindful Self-Compassion training.   

I can’t attend the live-online Q&A sessions.  Can I still take this training?

Yes, this training is offered asynchronously with live-online Q&A sessions. The live-online Q&A sessions are enjoyable and beneficial, but they are not a required component of the training.

Can I take this class for graduate-level continuing education credits?

Educators can take this course for graduate-level continuing education credits for an additional fee. Email [email protected] for details.

I teach preschool-aged children. Are these lessons applicable?

These lessons are designed to be taught to children aged 7-10, but they can be adapted for slightly older or younger children.  Preschool aged children would require the instructor to be adept at adapting lessons for a younger age group.  

I am a parent who would like my children to learn self-compassion.  Should I take this training?

This training is designed for educators aspiring to teach Self-Compassion for Kids Mini-Lessons to children. If you are a parent who would like to help your child grow self-compassion, Compassionate Parenting or a Parent-Child Self-Compassion class might be a better fit.

Upcoming Trainings

Resilience and Self-Compassion in the Classroom

14-Week Online course and curriculum training for educators with three LIVE Q & A/Practice sessions with Jamie Lynn (live-online sessions are optional and highly encouraged):

Our next course has not yet been scheduled.

Related Testimonials

​”This training has gone beyond just content for me; it is a true spiritual preparation for the teacher. I think it would be helpful for any educator or professional working with children and families — not only to serve students and clients, but also to fortify personal relationships.  It has changed the way I view the world!”  -Caroline Robbins, Montessori Educator

“This curriculum is extremely user friendly for the teacher and is wonderfully designed for kids to understand and connect with the content.” -Linette Bixby, Educator and Certified Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher