THE UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES OF APPLYING MINDFULNESS TO CRITICAL THINKING

Authors

  • David Sable Saint Mary's University

Keywords:

Mindfulness, Contemplative Practice, Critical Thinking

Abstract

Successful innovative strategies for teaching outside the box are often prompted by what instructors have learned from their experiences in the classroom. Initially, we may try something that works for us or was suggested by respected experts, but whatever we start with gets modified through direct experience with our students. We see what helps them engage the content and each other, and we see what is meaningful to them. We look for evidence in their thinking, their writing, and their interaction.

Author Biography

David Sable, Saint Mary's University

David Sable, PhD, began teaching at Saint Mary‘s University in Canada in 2000, bringing with him fifteen years of professional experience in the non-profit sector as a training and education consultant. In 2012, David held a sessional appointment as Assistant Professor in the Religious Studies Department, with an equal focus on teaching and research. In the same year, David completed the Interdisciplinary PhD program at Dalhousie University in Halifax. His thesis, “The Impact of Reflective Practices on the Dispositions for Critical Thinking in Undergraduate Courses,” was nominated for Best Thesis in the Social Sciences and his work noted in The National Teaching and Learning Forum 2012 21(4). He continues to teach part-time at Saint Mary‘s University and Mount Saint Vincent University and is working on a book for educators documenting the diverse impacts of reflective practices on learning. David has been studying and practicing meditation and Buddhism in the Shambhala tradition since 1971. He was trained and authorized as a meditation teacher by the renowned Tibetan Buddhist teacher, Chögyam Trungpa, and his son, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. He also works as an applied mindfulness consultant to educators and training organizations throughout North America. David is a founding member of the Authentic Leadership in Action Institute (ALIA) and a faculty member of the Atlantic Contemplative Centre.

References

Barbezat, D.l & Pingree, A. (2012). Contemplative pedagogy: The special role of teaching and learning centers. In J. E. Groccia & L. Cruz (Eds.), To improve the Academy (pp. 177-191). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Langer, E. J. (1989). Mindfulness. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

Paul, R. W. (1990). Critical thinking: What every person needs to survive in a rapidly changing world. Santa Rosa, CA: The Foundation for Critical Thinking.

Sable, D. (2014). Reason in service of the heart: The impacts of contemplative practices on critical thinking. Journal of Contemplative Inquiry, 1(1), pp. 1-22.

Sable, D. (2012). The impacts of reflective practices on the dispositions for critical thinking in undergraduate courses (Doctoral dissertation, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada).

Retrievable at dalspace.library.dal.ca//handle/10222/15464

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Published

2015-09-01

Issue

Vol. 18 (2014)

Section

Articles

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