It’s not unusual to find communication professor 卡拉詹森 leading a yoga class on a campus lawn. 这学期, the activity has provided a much-needed and safe refuge to students dealing with the uncertainties of a pandemic.
除了在草坪上放松, Jensen has continued to infuse the importance of yoga and mindfulness into her courses including her Archways Seminar, “Be. 在这里. 现在，念力理论与实践.”
去年2月，詹森正在考虑开设这门课程, 摩根·唐林格找到了她, 林肯大学传播学专业大三学生, 打算成为詹森学生教练的人. 在一起, they applied for a 学生 Faculty Collaborative 研究 Grant, which supports collaborative research and creative projects between students and their professors.
The grant would send them both to Oregon for a five-day mindfulness pedagogy training to better prepare them for their Archway Seminar. 不幸的是，COVID-19阻止了他们的旅行. 而不是, they spent six weeks attending a virtual training with well-known mindfulness scholar and author Oren Jay Sofer. The training included 1,000 other mindfulness practitioners from across the world.
“Although I was disappointed that we could not experience the retreat in Oregon,唐林格说, 当卡拉带着这个新, 虚拟的想法, 我真是太兴奋了.”
Dondlinger说 combining their interest in mindfulness and nonviolent communication into a virtual course, would allow them to adapt their upcoming Archway Seminar for first-year students.
“The reason mindfulness is vital to nonviolent communication is because when we can cultivate awareness of ourselves and thoughts, 情绪表现在我们的身体里, 我们能更好地回应，而不是被动反应,唐林格说. “This awareness allows us to better connect with our conversational partner.”
在线课程强调在场的基础, 意图, 注意, 听, 和反映. 这种谈话方式创造了一种安全感, dialogic environment where participants may get to the root of a belief rather than relying solely on the initial words on their position. Finding a balance between communication and mindfulness is more vital now than ever, Dondlinger说, 尤其是在危机时期和国家话语中.
“Our [communication studies] department is rooted in the social interactionism theory that we create relationships in community, 我们说话，好让别人听, 倾听，好让别人说话,唐林格说. “It’s not just choosing our words with care but 听 open-heartedly and with awareness to better know the other person rather than gathering ammunition to change someone’s mind.”
Customizing the course to address the unique challenges for this year’s first-year students, Jensen and Dondlinger focused on helping students navigate issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, national political unease and transitioning to college students.
“We want students to recognize — especially now — their own needs for connection, 自我保健, 并与教授或室友交流, 这个培训将会帮助他们,唐林格说. “A core component of this Archway Seminar revolves around giving students the tools they need to combat stress through contemplative practice.”
Jensen said her students have shared that they feel better equipped to persist and practice 耐心 when they encounter their new obstacles.
在过去的几年里, I have seen the compelling benefits of mindfulness in the lives of my students,詹森说. “正念培养洞察力, 耐心, and calm in all storms – even the sometimes choppy waters of college, 即使在流行病中.”
“I am honored to share the scholarship and practice of this lifelong skill with Morgan and our first-year students,她补充道。.
每年, Jensen wants each student instructor to be deeply involved in the planning and delivery of the course. She takes enormous care in choosing and mentoring every student instructor and together choosing the content for the course.
“在我看来, our summer training resulted in an even more fulfilling teaching-learning relationship for us, and it enhanced the classroom experience for our Archway Seminar students.”
Dondlinger, 谁打算在2022年5月毕业, said the experience has her considering a career as a professor.
“I couldn't be more grateful to Karla for the experience she has given me throughout the summer and this semester, and I look forward to her guidance as I begin this new exploratory journey,”她说。. “A relationship like the one I have with Karla is what excites me about the potential of becoming a professor myself.”
——学生作家丹妮尔·安德森的故事