The teaching profession can be very fulfilling and satisfying, but it also takes a lot of energy in the face of increasing change and growing challenges (e.g. dealing with heterogeneity in the classroom) and demands personal commitment.

In hardly any other field do people feel as exhausted and drained after a few years in the profession as they do in teaching.

It is therefore important to sensitise prospective teachers at an early stage to a responsible use of their own resources and to strengthen their personality. It is precisely because the personality of the teacher is so decisive for the learning success of the pupil and for self-satisfaction that it needs to be promoted.

In my seminars, practical exercises and theoretical input will be used to develop three pillars that make it possible to recognise stressful situations at an early stage and counter them with suitable methods:

Exercises from Qi Gong, mindfulness theory and breathing therapy are learnt in practice over 14 weeks and can be incorporated into everyday life. Short theoretical inputs underpin the knowledge of the seminar participants a) on the significance of stress for the human organism and b) on the effect of the selected mindfulness methods. All exercises will be carried out outdoors in the Botanical Garden in good weather and in the Green School in bad weather.

The seminar follows the approach of research-based learning according to Huber (2009, 2014) and asks students to conduct small studies of empirical social research to determine their own everyday stress factors, the integration of daily exercises and their effects. Keeping a happiness or gratitude diary is also offered. Alternatively, open field studies can be conducted on questions of mindfulness.

The seminar is primarily aimed at prospective teachers who are serious about practising mindfulness and can attend the seminar regularly.

If the seminar takes place in the summer semester, the focus will be on mindful awareness of nature. The students have designed an exhibition and a video that impressively show the nature-related phenomena they encountered during the seminar and how these can be put into words using eleven-letter words.

Corinna Hößle is a member of the "Mindful Universities" association, where she represents the University of Oldenburg. You can find more information at: achtsamehochschulen.de

On 28 November 2019, the Day of Teaching and Learning was held under the motto "Mindful University". Graphic designer Diana Soriat has summarised the panel discussion very vividly.