The Mindful English Teacher: A Toolkit for Learning & Well-Being - Paperback

by Francis Gilbert (Author)

Mindfulness isn't mystical-and it isn't just for monks. Like regular exercise, it's a simple, powerful practice that helps us work with calm, clarity, and compassion-even in the busy, demanding life of a teacher.
The Mindful English Teacher offers a fresh, practical approach to English teaching that centres presence, purpose and play. Whether you're deep in Shakespeare, tackling pre-1900 literature, guiding students through exam stress, or trying to make grammar meaningful, this book will support you to teach with greater confidence and less anxiety.
Drawing on classroom stories, educational research, and years of lived experience, the book is packed with usable ideas, mindful prompts, and rich case studies. At its heart is a compelling contrast between the Mindful English Teacher and the Unmindful one-two vivid teaching personas that show how small shifts in awareness can radically change the learning experience.
This is not a book about sitting silently on cushions. It's a toolkit for making the teaching of English more human, inclusive, and joyful. With strategies for decolonising the curriculum, supporting neurodiverse learners, and reigniting your passion for literature, The Mindful English Teacher is an essential companion for early-career and experienced teachers alike.
Because mindful teaching isn't about being perfect. It's about being present-and building a classroom culture where everyone can thrive.

Author Biography

Francis Gilbert is a Lecturer in Education at Goldsmiths, University of London, teaching on the PGCE Secondary English programme and the MA in Children's Literature with Professor Michael Rosen. Previously, he worked for a quarter of a century in various English state schools teaching English and Media Studies to 11-18-year olds. He has also moonlighted as a journalist, novelist and social commentator both in the UK and international media. He is the author of Teacher on the Run, Yob Nation, Parent Power, Working The System -- How To Get The Very Best State Education for Your Child, and a novel about school, The Last Day Of Term. His first book, I'm A Teacher, Get Me Out Of Here was a big hit, becoming a bestseller and being serialised on Radio 4. In his role as an English teacher, he has taught many classic texts over the years and has developed a great many resources to assist readers with understanding, appreciating and responding to them both analytically and creatively. This led him to set up his own small publishing company FGI Publishing (fgipublishing.com) which has published his study guides as well as a number of books by other authors, including Roger Titcombe's Learning Matters and Tim Cadman's The Changes. He has appeared numerous times on radio and TV, including Newsnight, the Today Programme, Woman's Hour and the Russell Brand Show. In June 2015, he was awarded a PhD in Creative Writing and Education by the University of London. He has practised mindfulness for some time now and has found this has helped him in his personal life and with his work.