Mindfulness is exactly what it sounds like: a state of being aware or conscious. Mindlessness, then, refers to a state of being unaware or distracted. I've noticed myself slipping more and more into the latter state as graduate school presses on. Thanks to multi-tasking and a to-do list that could choke an elephant, I am the person that mindlessly puts the car keys in the freezer or mixes up the concepts of mirrors and windows. While finding my car keys in the freezer can be somewhat humorous (depending on how late I am to class because of lost car keys), mental block, the state of being unaware of my present surroundings, can negatively affect my development as a teacher.
In order to approach teaching mindfully, I regularly maintain a teaching journal. When class is over for the day, I allow myself fifteen minutes to write down how I planned my lesson, what I had to change about my plan, what problems arose, how I fixed those problems, what unexpected things occurred, how the students reacted to certain examples/lectures/group activities/assignments, ways I could have handled something differently, and anything else that comes to mind.
I randomly read over these entries throughout the semester, but I make time to re-read the entire journal when I am constructing a new syllabus or reconfiguring an old one. Keeping a current teaching journal also makes me more aware of the quality and efficacy of my teaching strategies and my in-class persona. Essentially, because I'm constantly critically reflecting and analyzing my pedagogical approaches via written journal, I remain in this mindful mode and make a greater effort at improving my teaching methods.
Advice for teaching journals can be found at the following sources:
Linda Shalaway- Keep a Teaching Journal
Julie Platt- Keeping a Teaching Journal
Improving Your Teaching Practice Through Reflective Journal Writing
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