Abstract
This chapter describes the ongoing work of the author, Professor Maria Cristina Zaccarini, of Adelphi University, and Network Support Services, a reentry organization based in New York. Students in Professor Zaccarini's class learn the koru method of mindfulness, and alumni of Network Support Services learn mindfulness while in prison and during their time of reentry as returning citizens. Students examine the works of mindful historical figures who are significant for the understanding of the links among economic, social, and other disadvantages and incarceration. Students interview network alumni and write 500-word essays with the aim of explaining the experiences of the alumni and then reflect on how these exercises shaped their understanding of mindfulness. Student work makes public the firsthand accounts of the network alumni, as it is published on the web.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Students as Producers: Is a student-centered model that originated in Great Britain over a decade ago and aims to treat students as co-creators of knowledge who can create educational materials and teach others.
Emerging Adults (EA): Are college students who are focused on making decisions about career paths and adult life partnerships.
Metacognition: Refers to what one knows about knowledge, the learning process and understanding about one’s thoughts.
Mindfulness: Is a philosophy of living that is centered upon living in the present moment and being aware of thoughts, feelings and judgments.
Prison-Industrial Complex: Is a term that describes the profit-driven interest groups such as corporations and government that are the foundation for an unjust system that prioritizes financial gain over rehabilitation.