Recent research indicates that social emotional learning interventions for children may have positive unintended benefits on the wellbeing of teachers. In spring 2024, Temple University's College of Education and Human Development collaborated with a mindfulness expert and classroom teacher Elizabeth Zack to host a two-part workshop series to support the wellbeing of the college's pre-service teachers and their social emotional learning work with students. The workshops were intentionally conducted when the School District of Philadelphia was closed, so pre-service teachers could return to campus for the concentrated three hours of training and professional development.

Part one was entitled "Fundamentals of mindfulness: What is it? How does it work?" This workshop presented pre-service teachers with a basic understanding of mindfulness and provided practical, easy-to-implement tools to increase self-regulation, self-awareness and empathy, as well as decrease anxiety. The workshop defined mindfulness and its benefits, discussed the history of mindfulness and the neuroscience behind it, and supported pre-service teachers as they experienced formal and informal mindfulness exercises, including breath work, mindful eating, mindful movement and finding delights.

The second part, "How to use mindfulness in the classroom," provided opportunities for pre-service teachers to learn ways to bring mindfulness to their classrooms, allowing their students to relate to what's happening within and around them with more wisdom and compassion. Pre-service teachers experienced and learned about mindfulness exercises, games, literature and activities that teach students how their brains work, how to self-regulate, how to connect with others, and how to find calm and focus.

Elizabeth Zack currently teaches Kindergarten at The Philadelphia School, and has taught students from preschool through college for over 30 years in public and private K-12 schools and at the university level. She has been practicing yoga and mindfulness for 20 years, earning her yoga teaching certification and children's yoga teaching certification in 2020, mindfulness teaching certification in 2023, and restorative  yoga teaching certificate in 2023. She has led workshops in mindfulness for children, families, and adults in schools and in office settings. She also founded and is the executive director of 100 Women Philadelphia.