Thursday, April 6, 2017

A Trophic Cascade: A Top to Bottom Overhaul in the Classroom: Mindful Resilience

A tropic cascade in nature is a powerful indirect interaction that can control entire ecosystems. Trophic cascades occur when predators limit the density and/or behavior of their prey and thereby enhance survival of the next lower trophic level. In other words, distractions, events, consequences of an organism, at the top of the food web, usually a predator, that reshapes, alters or destroys an ecosystem. They can be slow or sudden but the aftermath can be felt by every species within the ecosystem. A classroom is much like an ecosystem. The teacher and student leaders the predators, those shifting the class dynamic. While the prey, other students, the reluctant learners, and quiet students, have their learning hindered, modified or transformed by the behaviors of the predators or leaders.

A classroom should not just be a setting in which students learn. It needs to be a habitat and thus should be organized and operated as such. Each having varying relationships: symbiotic, altruistic even parasitic.The atmosphere, communal and interactive, needs to be focused on social, psychological and academic growth. A place where ideas are flowing, teachers and students are interacting and desks are not in rows but individual, flexible learning spaces. The room filled with soft, comfortable, seating leading to engagement and independence. Hence a micro-habitat where the fauna shifts and changes on a daily basis. Each individual in its niche: the leader, follower, or collaborator. In order for a classroom to transform into an ecosystem many rules or constraints need to be lifted. An overhaul in the mundane into the spontaneous and unexpected. All the while each niche coming together to unionize the flow of energy.


Mindfulness techniques help students and teachers focus inwardly on reducing stress, developing clear attention, and interacting more positively with others. Thus, behaviors necessary to thrive in the "jungle" like atmosphere of the classroom. Mindfulness practices can help students (and their teachers) learn to relax, to develop focused attention, and to suffer from fewer distractions. If the classroom is energetic and engaging then it may often be noisy like the tropical rain forest, full of chattering birds, howling monkeys and creeping predators lying in wait for any chance to distract and pounce on unknowing prey. How do we overhaul our practices to accommodate the biodiversity, to create an ambiance of individuality while also creating sustainability? Mindful resilience. If resilience “… is the force that drives a person to grow through adversity and disruption” (Richardson, 2002, p. 307) then mindfulness can be defined as its counterpart; the practice of harnessing our full attention through focused intention and practice. 


By fostering mindfulness practices that promote resilience in teachers and students, such as controlled deep breathing, intention setting and yoga, socio-emotional core competencies including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness are all deepened. By reinforcing listening skills, relationship skills and responsible decision-making we foster in our students "survival" skills needed to thrive in the ecosystem that is our classroom. The main overhaul needed to bring about cohesion and sustainability is to design a space where students have choice and flexibility. In an ecosystem, animals tend to stay near their resting place, stay close to home, so most students will find a place they feel comfortable learning in and it will become their localized habitat. But if we put our teacher desk in a position that separates us from the flow of energy, students will feel this. Causing an isolation. So we need to ditch our desk and make our seating mobile and fluid so we ourselves and our students can move about freely interacting with each other. This should be student-driven they should be able to move the desks in any arrangement they want. Every day should be a different configuration depending on purpose and need. This freedom cultivates resiliency and rigor. Choice and voice. Collaboration and cooperation.


"These days it is not uncommon for students to come to school feeling stressed for a variety of reasons. Some experience complex trauma resulting from poverty, disability, neglect or abuse. Among other difficulties, their behavioral, cognitive, and emotional response abilities are impaired. They tend to become easily frustrated and overwhelmed by seemingly small stressors" (NCTSN, 2013). Resilience is essential to navigating the increasingly complex and stressful world we live in. Being mindful allows individuals to focus clearly on the reality of a situation. Resilience stems from self-awareness and a focus on our surroundings. When we understand the implications of our situation and set goals, we make healthy decisions, thus we are resilient. Having students breathe deeply and use other mindful relaxation and focusing techniques helps students find their resilience. Empowering them with independent and flexible seating, collaborative groups and mindful strategies allows them to take risks, bounce back from adversity, and overcome setbacks. In other words, it sharpens instincts and adaptations that allow our students to be successful in any classroom ecosystem. Behaviors they can implement to side step and tropic cascade that may occur. To help them become sustainable in any situation.





National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2013). Effects of Complex Trauma. Retrieved from http://www.nctsn.org/ trauma-types/complex-trauma/effects-ofcomplex-trauma#q5


Richardson, G.E., (2002) The metatheory of resilience and resiliency. Journal of Clinical Psychology, (58)3, pages 307–321.

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