Introduction & Projects
Deborah’s research interests include exploring how prospective teachers acquire the necessary dispositions to meet the needs of all learners. Specifically, Deborah has examined the epistemological nature of dispositions and how teacher education fosters awareness of dispositions to enhance prospective teachers' knowledge, skills, and moral sensibilities. Teachers who are reflective and mindful about their intended aims and how they achieve those aims in their practice, are better prepared to nurture the academic and social-emotional development of their learners. Therefore, Deborah's recent work has strategically focused on mindfulness-based programs designed to enhance teachers’ social-emotional competencies and communication skills.
For more information about Dr. Schussler, click here.
Prevention-related Projects
Recent Publications
Mischenko, P. P., Nicholas-Hoff, P., Schussler, D.L., Iwu, J., & Jennings, P. (2022). Implementation barriers and facilitators of a mindfulness-based social emotional learning program and the role of relational trust: A qualitative study. Psychology in the Schools (59)8, 1643-1671. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22724
Respecting communication skills: The missing link for the wellbeing of educators and their schools
Schussler, D. L. & Frank, J. L. (forthcoming). Respecting communication skills: The missing link for the wellbeing of educators and their schools. In Carpenter, B. W., Mahfouz, J., & Robinson, K. Supporting Leaders for School Improvement through Self-Care and Wellbeing. Information Age Publishing.
Schussler, D. L., Oh, Y., Mahfouz, J., Levitan, J., Frank, J. L., Broderick, P. A., Mitra, J. L., Berrena, E., Kohler, K., Greenberg, M. T. (2021). Stress and well-being: A systematic case-study of adolescents’ experiences in a mindfulness-based intervention. Journal of Child and Family Studies 30, 431-446. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01864-5
Embodied teacher mindfulness in the classroom: The Calm, Clear, Kind framework
Taylor, C., Jennings, P.A., Harris, A., Schussler, D.L. & Roeser, R.W. (2019). Embodied teacher mindfulness in the classroom: The Calm, Clear, Kind framework. In P.A. Jennings, A. Demauro, & P. Mischenko (Eds.), Mindfulness in Schools: Transforming School Cultures through Mindful Awareness and Compassion. NY: Norton.
Stress and release: Case studies of teacher resilience following a mindfulness-based intervention
Schussler, D. L., Deweese, A., Rasheed, D., Demauro, A. Brown, J., Greenberg, M., & Jennings, P. A. (2018). American Journal of Education, 125(1). https://doi.org/10.1086/699808
Broderick, P. C., Frank, J. L., Berrena, E., Schussler, D. L., Kohler, K., Mitra, J., Khan, L., Levitan, J., Mahfouz, J., Shields, L., & Greenberg, M. T. (2018). Evaluating the quality of mindfulness instruction delivered in school settings: Development and validation of a teacher quality observational rating scale. Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-0944-x
Using virtual role-play to enhance teacher candidates’ skills in responding to bullying.
Schussler, D. L., Frank, J. L., Lee, T. K. & Mahfouz, J. (2017). Using virtual role-play to enhance teacher candidates’ skills in responding to bullying. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 25(1), 91–120.
Related News
August 25, 2021
Teacher candidates build self-awareness through case study exercise
Schussler’s research interests include exploring how a prospective teacher acquires the necessary disposition – a person’s inherent qualities of mind and character — to meet the needs of all learners. Specifically, she has examined the epistemological nature of dispositions and how teacher education fosters awareness of dispositions to enhance prospective teachers' knowledge, skills and moral sensibilities. Schussler’s recent work has strategically focused on mindfulness-based programs designed to enhance teachers’ social-emotional competencies and communication skills.
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August 18, 2021
Helping special education teachers under stress
Special education teachers are at heightened risk for stress and burnout, which negatively impacts their effectiveness and well-being. With a new five-year, $4 million grant from the Institute of Educational Sciences, Penn State and Georgia State University (GSU) researchers are teaming up with school districts in Georgia to develop and test an adaptation of the Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE) professional development program to support special education teachers.
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January 08, 2021
Schussler named associate editor of Mindfulness journal
Deborah Schussler, Associate Professor of Education at Penn State and PRC affiliate faculty member, assumed the role of associate editor of the journal Mindfulness on Jan. 3.
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December 10, 2020
Mindfulness practices shown to help teenagers deal with stress
Learning to BREATHE, which was developed by Broderick, is a school-based mindfulness-based program (MBP) developed for adolescents that has been implemented in a variety of contexts. The program comprises a six-theme module delivered in six, 12 or 18 lessons, with the module themes stemming from the BREATHE acronym: Body awareness, Reflections, Emotions, Attention, Take it as it is, Healthy Habits of mind, and Empowerment.
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