Degree Name
EdD (Doctor of Education)
Program
Educational Leadership
Date of Award
12-2025
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Pamela Scott
Committee Members
Ginger Christian, William Flora, Richard T. Griffin
Abstract
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine educator perceptions of mindfulness instruction and the alignment of school policies in rural elementary schools in Tennessee. Despite growing interest in mindfulness in education, few studies have investigated how these practices are experienced and implemented within under-resourced, rural contexts.
Guided by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (SLT) and framed conceptually by the Whole-School Mindfulness (WSM) model, the study explored how social, organizational, and policy factors influence the adoption of mindfulness practices. SLT provided a theoretical lens for understanding how educator behaviors are shaped through observation, modeling, and reinforcement, while the WSM framework supported the analysis of systemic implementation across domains, including instruction, leadership, school culture, and structural supports.
Fifteen educators, including teachers, a counselor, and an administrator, from six rural Tennessee school districts participated in semi-structured interviews. School board policy documents from the same districts were also reviewed. Data were analyzed thematically through open and axial coding to identify key patterns and points of alignment or divergence between policy and practice. Triangulation of interview and document data, along with analytic memos and member checking, supported the credibility and trustworthiness of the findings.
Results revealed that mindfulness practices were present in every district but were inconsistently applied and rarely guided by formal policy. Educators viewed mindfulness as beneficial for student emotional regulation and classroom climate, but noted a lack of professional development, administrative modeling, and policy clarity. The study also identified key barriers (e.g., time constraints, limited training, and parental misunderstanding) and supports (e.g., leadership buy-in, SEL infrastructure, and trauma-informed cultures) affecting implementation. The findings suggest that while mindfulness is gaining traction at the classroom level, systemic structures, including policy, have not kept pace.
This study contributes to the literature on mindfulness in education by illuminating the lived experiences of rural educators and offering implications for policy development, leadership practice, and future research.
Document Type
Dissertation - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Shepherd-McGown, Mary C., "Educator Perceptions of Mindfulness Education in Rural Elementary Schools in Tennessee" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4608. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4608
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons
