Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Critical Consciousness Training Program for Teachers

Racial disparities in education have driven efforts to train teachers in culturally-sustaining pedagogies (CSPs); however, implementation is often hindered by bias, emotional reactivity, and avoidance. We present the development and pilot randomized controlled trial of Mindfulness-Based Critical Consciousness Training for Teachers (MBCC-T), which integrates mindfulness to address the cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal barriers to training in critical consciousness (CC) and CSPs.

Across two years, 108 K-5 teachers were randomized to MBCC-T or an active control: mindfulness training or CC training alone. Year 1 data from the two control groups guided the development of MBCC-T. In Year 2, we evaluated the feasibility (completion rate, practice compliance), acceptability (attitude, perceived effectiveness, self-efficacy, intervention coherence), and preliminary effectiveness (multicultural teaching competence, implicit bias, mindfulness in teaching, self-compassion) of MBCC-T relative to CC training alone.

Completion rates were higher in MBCC-T (80.76%) compared to controls (42.31%–60.86%). MBCC-T participants practiced mindfulness ~ 3 days/week (∼50 min), with 73.68% intending to continue meditation. Acceptability ratings were high, and the MBCC-T group showed greater improvements in multicultural teaching competence compared to CC training alone, with a significant effect for the Knowledge subscale (B = 0.44, p < 0.05) in particular. No other between-group differences were observed; however, teacher race and meditator status moderated the effects of MBCC-T on study outcomes.

Results provide promising evidence of the feasibility and acceptability of MBCC-T. Additional research is needed to fully evaluate its effects on teacher attitudes, skills, and behaviors.

The study was preregistered with Open Science Framework (OSF) https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/TJE2N