“I’m better able to handle negative
people and memories.”
The Garrison Institute explores the
intersection of contemplation and engaged
action in the world. Founded in 2003,
our mission is to apply the transformative
power of contemplation to today’s pressing
social and environmental concerns,
helping build a more compassionate,
resilient future.
“I learned to deal with my emotions and
feelings in a more positive way. I believe
that the caring meditation will change
my life completely in the long run.”
“I am able to meditate, not get upset
easily, and calm myself down, and I sleep
better when I am calm.”
“I am amazed how the exploration of
caring has changed my relationship with
students. After focusing on the most
challenging students in my ‘bad’ class,
things have started to change. I used
the caring technique in private, and I
think the students noticed the subtle
change. I have been in a much better
mood when this class arrives, instead
of immediately being on the defensive
and anticipating a problem.”
Our Initiative on Contemplation and
Education (ICE) has played a central role
in developing the field of evidencebased contemplative techniques for K-12
educators and classrooms. Through
research, training, curriculum development,
pilot programs, professional symposia
and advocacy, ICE works to introduce
relevant contemplative techniques to
educators, helping create healthy school
environments that support children
to become responsible, productive, caring
adults, as well as perform better academically.
Garrison Institute is a non-sectarian,
not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
Your support makes our work possible.
All contributions are tax-deductible to the
fullest extent of the law.
The Garrison Institute
14 Mary’s Way, Route 9D, Garrison, NY 10524
845.424.4800 www.garrisoninstitute.org
GAR R IS O N INST I T U T E
About the
Garrison Institute
Inspired Thinking • Thoughtful Action
How CARE Has
Benefited Teachers
CARE
What Teachers Have
Learned From CARE
Cultivating
Awareness
and Resilience
in Education
“How to stay calm, reflective, appreciative, joyful and grateful every day, which
will help me interact positively with my
students and colleagues”
TM
“How to control my emotional
demeanor with students, [enabling me]
to impart positive emotions to students”
“How to recognize my emotion profile
and emotional triggers”
Teaching is one of the most
rewarding professions; it
can also be one of the most
stressful. CARE training
imparts skills that help teachers
reduce stress and improve
teaching effectiveness, helping
them support their students
to overcome difficulties and
flourish, socially, emotionally
and academically.
How They Apply It
“Being present with students, staff
and self”
“Being more grounded and focused –
able to deal better with situations that
arise that are uncomfortable”
“Feeling calmer about circumstances I
cannot control”
“Learning to slow down – WAIT –
respond rather than react…taking better
care of myself”
The CARE
Approach
Program
Components
CARE is unique in that it focuses on
how the teacher teaches rather than on
what s/he teaches. Instead of adding
to teachers’ responsibilities or students’
work, the CARE approach strengthens
teachers’ awareness and resilience,
enhancing his/her effectiveness and
maximizing the benefits of existing
curricula.
CARE trainings develop three primary
components across the two sessions
of training:
Cutting-edge neuroscience confirms
that mindfulness practice facilitates
awareness, self-regulation and a calm,
focused mind. These help make
teachers influential models of healthy
social and emotional behavior and
establish a supportive classroom
climate vital to academic learning.
CARE trainings typically consist of
two sessions separated by a month,
with ongoing mentoring between the
sessions and ongoing support after
completion.
(1) Emotion skills to help teachers
understand, recognize and regulate
emotional responses in themselves
and others
(2) Mindfulness/stress reduction
practices to help teachers be more fully
aware, present and engaged
(3) Empathy and compassion skills,
such as mindfulness-based “caring
practice” and “deep listening” exercises,
to help teachers be more emotionally
beneficial
All trainees surveyed rated the CARE
training as beneficial to their professional
lives. One called it “the most valuable,
personally rewarding and important
class that I have ever taken.”
CARE Faculty
Patricia (Tish) Jennings,
Ph.D is the Director
of the Initiative on
Contemplation and
Education at the Garrison
Institute and is a Research
Associate with the Prevention
Research Center at Penn State University.
She has extensive research and
teaching experience in education
including supervision of student teachers.
Richard C. Brown is the
founder and chair of the
Contemplative Education
department at Naropa
University. He spent many
years as an elementary
teacher and has written widely on
child and adolescent development, as
well as on various aspects of teacher
education including emotion, awareness
and observation.
Christa Turksma has over
thirty years of experience
as a practitioner in
education and mental
health. She has served
as a clinical supervisor in
the Fast Track Prevention program
and as a certified trainer of the
Promoting Alternative Thinking
Strategies (PATHS) Curriculum, and
co-authored the revised PATHS
Curriculum.
Mark Greenberg, Ph.D.,
Senior Advisor to CARE,
is the Director of the
Prevention Research
Center for the Promotion
of Human Development
at Penn State University. Dr. Greenberg
is the author of more than 200 journal
articles and book chapters on
developmental psychopathology,
well-being, and the effects of prevention
efforts on children and families.
CARE facilitators also offer in-service
programs upon request.
For more information please
contact Dr. Patricia Jennings,
tish@garrisoninstitute.org
or 845.424.4800.
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