MBWP Teacher Certification

The Mindfulness-Based Wellness and Pedagogy (MBWP) teacher certification program is designed for arts educators interested in deepening their knowledge and commitment to mindfulness-based education both in their personal and professional lives. The program aims to create a community of educators dedicated to transforming the culture of education through mindfulness. Participants in the MBWP Teacher Certification program may earn up to 150 professional development credits. 

MBWP Teacher Certification Requirements

  • Enroll in and complete an approved MBWP workshop.
  • Maintain a consistent personal mindfulness practice for a minimum of one year after completing the workshop.
  • Engage in remote monthly cohort meetings to discuss personal practice and teaching applications.
  • Engage in remote monthly meetings with an MBWP certified teacher to discuss personal practice along with pedagogical ideas, applications, and progress.
  • Submit three video artifacts, along with accompanying commentary, demonstrating applications of MBWP in an educational setting.
  • Submit a cumulative written project that includes, (a) a summary of MBWP principles and their applications in teaching, (b) sample lesson plans, and (c) an additional artifact demonstrating a current or potential application of MBWP.
  • Complete four in-person supervised teaching units in your role as apprentice faculty for an approved MBWP workshop. Enrollment in the workshop as a paid participant is required.
  • Complete an exit interview with a certified MBWP teacher.

Note: Videos and written material will be reviewed by an MBWP certified teacher and must be deemed acceptable before MBWP certification is approved. In cases where materials are not initially approved, opportunities for further guidance and resubmission may be discussed.

Completion Time and Costs

  • The average time for completion of this program is one year.
  • Tuition costs for the entire program are $1900, which covers enrollment fees for two workshops and the 10-month guided practicum. These costs do not include room, board, or travel expenses associated with attending the workshop. 
  • Payments for workshops are divided into twelve installments; (a) an initial $500 payment for the introductory workshop, (b) monthly payments of $90 for the 10-month guided practicum, and (c) a final $500 payment for the final practicum workshop. 

What will I be able to do with MBWP Certification?

  • Refer to yourself as a certified MBWP teacher and add this designation to your credentials.
  • Engage in your personal mindfulness practice with a deeper understanding of the philosophical, ethical, scientific, pedagogical, and creative foundations of mindfulness and its applications in contemporary educational contexts.
  • Design and facilitate introductory level classes and workshops on MBWP and advise and serve as a consultant to those interested in applying MBWP principles in their work as teachers and artists.
  • Incorporate MBWP practices and interventions into your work as an educator and artist.
  • In certain circumstances and as requested, serve as a monthly cohort or individual meeting facilitator for aspiring MBWP teachers.

Contact us for more information about MBWP Teacher Certification.

 

Testimonials

The MBWP teacher training program is well structured and I felt like I had a great system of support from Dr. Diaz, other certified MBWP instructors, and from my fellow participants. I learned many valuable skills to use with my students, and I developed a personal mindfulness practice that I have continued after completing the course. I would say my study and practice of mindfulness has helped me in many ways as a performer, educator, and in my everyday life.

Kevin Miescke
Professional Musician and Educator, Reno, NV

I highly recommend the workshop and MB-WP teacher training to music teachers interested in mindfulness. Learning how to use meditation and mindfulness helped me as a teacher to stay more centered during the school day and in my personal life. It also helped my students learn to be aware of their thoughts and helped them direct their attention to different aspects of listening and rehearsing.This creates an authentic experience that takes what music teachers are already doing and shifts the focus slightly to make rehearsals more mindful. The experience of sharing struggles and triumphs in one’s own classroom and getting feedback and support from other teachers in the program was very valuable.

Katie Burke
Choral and Voice Teacher, United Kingdom

The Mindfulness Based Wellness & Pedagogy certification process allowed me to deeper my understanding of how to apply mindfulness techniques in the classroom as well as personal practice. Frank Diaz does a great job of communicating the multiple dimensions of how mindfulness practices can be used as a pedagogical approach. Having a fellow cohort from which to learn was also beneficial and allowed me to view mindfulness pedagogy in multiple settings. I feel confident I can guide other teachers how to incorporate mindfulness in their educational environment in an informed, beneficial manner. Grateful!

Val Flamini
Choral Music Educator, State College, PA

The MBWP Teacher Certification program made a deep impact on me professionally and personally. Completing the training during my first year of teaching allowed me to develop personal practices that equipped me to handle the stress of my new profession much more successfully than I would have otherwise. I was also able to cultivate a positive classroom culture for my students built on the principles explored in MBWP. I would highly recommend it for newer teachers looking to build a foundation for their career, as well as more experienced teachers looking for new perspectives to inform their teaching.

 

Jenny Hoye
Choral Music Teacher, Harrisonburg, VA
Institute for Mindfulness-Based Wellness and Pedagogy

The initial stages of MBWP are focused on developing physiological regulation and embodied grounding as a means of aiding meditative practice and artistic expression. Working with our breath and bodies helps to calm our nervous system, facilitating our ability to anchor our awareness in the present moment.

During the middle stages of the curriculum, concentration and awareness are cultivated through mindful and deliberate exploration of our senses, emotions, and patterns of thought, leading to greater clarity, stability, and equanimity.

As we non-judgmentally examine our habitual ways of feeling, thinking, and acting, we gain insight into how our perceptions color reality, giving us the opportunity to let go of unfruitful ways of experiencing and responding to ourselves and others. We then work on reframing our experiences such that they are aligned with our personal values.

During the final stages of MBWP training, after reducing our reactivity through mindful awareness, we develop the capacity to act intentionally in the world, using our experiences, aspirations, values, and ethics as a compass for wise and compassionate action.

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