The Vision
Kinder Neighborhood is a project committed to imagining and creating a kinder world where every child, every adult can thrive. A world where everyone shares and everyone has enough. A world where everyone is seen as a neighbor and every neighbor is treated as a friend, where the health and happiness of each individual is understood as being dependent on the health and happiness of the whole community. A world full of kindness, compassion, empathy, joy, creativity, curiosity- all that is good and beautiful. Everything that is possible first emerges from something small. And for this dream of a kinder world to grow and flourish, we must first plant and tend good seeds- compassion, curiosity, kindness- in our own minds and hearts. By learning and practicing mindfulness, we can cultivate kindness for ourselves and then share those seeds of kindness with our neighbors. And seed by seed, thought by thought, deed by deed, together we can grow a kinder world, a Kinder Neighborhood.
Why Mindfulness?
Every culture on Earth has developed its own practices of mindfulness. The practices may be religious, musical, athletic, artistic, communal or personal, but they share at least one thing in common—they all invite us to focus our attention on one thing for an extended period of time. Noticing when our mind wanders, we are encouraged to return our attention to the object of our focus. This act “exercises” our ability to pay attention. It also increases activity in the parts of our brain that foster creativity, compassion, emotional regulation, and decision making, while at the same time decreasing activity in our amygdala—the part of our brain that detects threats and triggers our body’s stress response.
Mindfulness is a framework and a practice that can benefit everyone, in any setting. Studies show that mindfulness can:
Boost mood and self-esteem
Encourage positive behavior
Reduce anxiety and improve overall mental health
Encourage healthy conflict resolution
Improve attention and focus
Facilitate better cognitive development
Create changes in the brain that allow for better emotional regulation
Increase compassion for self and others
Meet Mr. Williams
Mark Williams (he/him) is a father, an elementary educator, mindfulness student-practitioner-teacher, musician, and community gardener. He uses classroom teaching, storytelling, music making, food growing as his way to work towards his goal of being a kinder neighbor.
He has spent his career learning from and teaching children—in classrooms, on playgrounds, in afterschool programs, at summer camps, on wilderness trips, in urban gardens, in a Haitian orphanage. He finds the greatest joy in creating and protecting equitable and empathetic spaces for children to have the safety and freedom and joy to explore and learn from the world in the fullest expression of who they are. And he knows that sometimes the safest space a child needs help creating and protecting is the landscape of their mind.
He holds an M.Ed. in Mindfulness Education from Antioch University New England and a B.A. in Elementary Education from Wheaton College.
“Mr. Williams lets our children know that they’re not alone in their big feelings; that big feelings are important and we can honor them.”
- Sarah Hooper
Testimonials
-
Bonnie Culbertson
My family has been following Mark's weekly videos and joining in his mindfulness classes for several months. Mark's down-to-earth personality and sincere good-heartedness shine through in his videos. He has an ability to connect with his students that really pulls viewers in and keeps them involved. Mark's mindfulness videos are a bright spot in my daughter's week, helping her learn how to unwind and be present in the moment.
-
Sarah Hooper
Life can be complicated and hard, and growing up brings special challenges at each developmental level as children become more aware of issues in their communities and in the world. As a parent, my greatest aspiration is to help my kids explore, grow and learn from all their experiences, both wonderful and painful. Through his videos, Mr. Williams supports kids experiencing challenging emotions and going through hard things: the pain of loss, of unfairness in the world, of difficulties with their friends and in their families. The physician Gabor Maté who does a lot of work with trauma has written that “children don’t get traumatized because they get hurt; they get traumatized because they’re alone with the hurt.” Through his videos, Mr. Williams lets our children know that they’re not alone in their big feelings; that big feelings are important and we can honor them. Children feel that their experiences and feelings are valid, and they hear that no matter what, they are amazing human beings. Mr. Williams has also helped support me as a parent, teaching me how I can be with our kids and honor all their emotions and experiences as they grow.
-
Joshua Raulerson
Mark has a refreshingly practical and accessible approach to mindfulness that will appeal to learners of all ages. He knows how to engage kids and adults at the same time through simple games and fun activities, and how to relate those experiences to concepts that participants can easily understand and apply in daily life. Our family has enjoyed attending classes together, and each of us has taken something valuable away from it. Highly recommend!
-
Michelle Boehm
You would think after a year of Zoom classes the last thing my 9-year-old would want to do is a Zoom class on a Saturday morning, but my daughter loves mindfulness class so much! By exploring different ways of exercising mindfulness, she has found a unique one - drawing labyrinths - that really works for her. I also see how joyful she is to connect with Mr. Williams; he has such a compassionate way of connecting with kids.
-
Harper Boehm (student)
I like doing the labyrinth mindfulness exercise because it's fun and it's hard. I feel happy when I complete it. I like doing the mindfulness classes because I get to share what I did during the week with Mr. Williams. I also like sharing jokes!
-
Laura Hudson Early - Elementary Teacher
As a teacher of young students, I've noticed that regularly practicing awareness of emotions, sensations, and thoughts has proven so beneficial for my students' social and emotional growth. Mr. Mark Williams, through his mindfulness classes, and his way of discussing complex topics with humans of all ages, has been an incredible resource for me, not just professionally-- with storytelling techniques, songs, and guided meditations that I can share in my classroom-- but also personally, deepening my own understanding of the topic of mindfulness, and giving me the tools needed to grow into the best version of myself in every environment!
-
Stephanie Lange
My family only has wonderful things to say about what we are all learning from our time with Mr.Williams. When my son gets upset, I can see him using the mindfulness techniques he has learned during classes and private sessions with Mark. He is now able to interrupt his own behavior patterns and uses breathing exercises or embodied practices. He has even come home from school to tell us about a challenging situation that happened and how he practiced a new technique he had learned over the weekend with Mr.Williams. My husband and I are learning and growing as well from our time sitting in on these mindfulness sessions. Thank you Mr.Williams... you are AWESOME!
-
Beth Beres
Remembering to take a second to breathe, even just a brief solitary moment, is an almost supernatural ability. It can pause, isolate, and entirely reshape an experience. While this seems intuitive, developing the ability to be present, to reflect, to take stock, is not easy. Mr. Williams brilliantly explores this discipline with a creative touch and a refreshingly lighthearted artistic playfulness. His mindfulness videos and classes are not only meaningful, raw, and honest, but also uplifting. Mr. Williams cultivates a growing capacity to step back, to be kind to ourselves, to appreciate others, and to find peace, gratitude, and perspective. With deep insights and a great depth of understanding, Mr. Williams consistently captures our imagination and inspires not only our children, but us as well.
-
Jake Seltman
Mark has an incredible ability to connect with and inspire young people through all of his educational endeavors. Both virtually and in-person, Mark makes each child feel seen, heard and appreciated. He leads by examples and inspires all of us to be authentic, courageous, caring and inquisitive learners and citizens. We cherish our time with him and are ever so grateful for his presence in our lives and in the educational journey of our children.