Towards multicultural schools: Exploring the potential of mindfulness

Abstract

In today's multicultural societies, schools play a vital role in nurturing multicultural values and fostering students' positive interethnic relations. This paper contributes to discussions about the ways of building positive school climate, interethnic relations and multicultural practices by exploring the potential of practicing mindfulness in schools. Mindfulness is defined as the process of paying attention in the present moment and non-judgmentally that can, when practiced regularly, become a state and finally, an individual's trait. In the last two decades the effects of the mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on students' cognitive and socioemotional outcomes, as well as on school climate and interethnic relationships have been studied. Although the results are not unambiguous and depend on the research design, duration and comprehensiveness of the intervention and characteristics of students, one can conclude that MBIs can have a positive impact on students' cognitive and socioemotional functioning. Studies indicate positive effects of the MBIs on school climate, prejudice reduction, and willingness to engage in social contact with the youth of other ethnic backgrounds. Despite the potential of mindfulness, one should not overlook that we need to adopt a whole-school approach and to advocate for structural system changes to ensure positive interethnic relations in society.