132 Chapter 7 An important finding from the study by Zenner et al. (2014) is the direct relationship between the amount of mindfulness training pupils receive and its effects. The major advantage of an elementary school as a setting for mindfulness practice is that pupils spend a significant portion of their day in school with the same teacher. Implementing mindfulness techniques, known to have positive effects, can be seamlessly integrated into the daily school routines with relatively little effort. By incorporating mindfulness practices throughout the day, elementary school teachers could potentially provide a multiple of the training hours reported in the study (Zenner et al., 2014) over the course of a pupil’s entire school career. An interesting fact that emerged from the qualitative research is that participating teachers were often intrinsically motivated to integrate mindfulness practices into their classrooms. This finding aligns with the research of Todd et al. (2019), in which elementary and secondary school teachers commented that after participating MBSR they had used mindfulness-based approaches with children to some extent. This motivation becomes particularly evident when teachers seamlessly incorporate mindfulness into their daily routines without disrupting the curriculum. However, a drawback of this voluntary approach is that the knowledge and skills gained may be limited to certain teachers in the school. While advantageous in nurturing motivated teachers, this voluntary approach may pose limitations in reaching all teachers within a school. CONCLUSION This thesis explores the impact of standard MBSR on Dutch elementary school teachers, revealing significant reductions in perceived stress and improvements in well-being, mindfulness skills, emotion regulation, self-compassion, teacher self-efficacy, and classroom climate quality. The findings underscore the potential of integrating MBSR into teacher training to enhance both personal and professional functioning. However, further research is needed to fully understand its effectiveness, particularly focusing on components targeting self-compassion, self-efficacy, and emotion regulation. Given the predicted rise in stress-related diseases (WHO, 2011), integrating MBSR into the teacher and pupil curricula could be vital, especially in education. Whole-school approaches also emphasize the importance of integrating well-being initiatives into school policies, not only for pupils but also for teachers. By embracing these approaches, schools can create environments conducive to the flourishing of both teachers and pupils, ensuring a longer-lasting and more profound impact on overall wellbeing. Prioritizing teacher well-being is essential, challenging the prevailing acceptance of stress as normal. Introducing mindfulness practices, whether or not interwoven in a whole-school approach, can foster supportive environments where educators can thrive, benefiting both teachers and pupils.
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