MindUP Program

As The Hawn Foundation’s signature educational initiative, MindUP™ is anchored in current research in cognitive neuroscience, evidence-based classroom pedagogy, best-practices mindful education, precepts of social and emotional learning (SEL), and guiding principles of positive psychology. MindUP™ is a family of social, emotional, and attentional self-regulatory strategies and skills developed for cultivating well-being and emotional balance. Among the various MindUP™ skills taught to students, focused attention and nonreactive monitoring of experience from moment to moment display the potential to have a long-term impact on brain function and social and emotional behavior.

The SEL framework guiding MindUP™ was developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), a research-focused organization whose mission is to "establish social and emotional learning as an essential part of education."

MindUP™ features lessons to improve behavior and learning for children. The lessons fit easily into any schedule and can be implemented with minimal preparation. Classroom management tips and content-based activities are also provided to assist educators in using MindUP™ throughout their classrooms. Our program provides children with emotional and cognitive tools to help them manage emotions and behaviors, reduce stress, sharpen concentration, and increase empathy and optimism.