Chris Reck specializes in empowering educators to integrate mindfulness-based practices into teaching and learning. 

He has 22 years of experience as an educator in the UK and Canada. 

Chris trained with the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice at Bangor University and the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), both based in the UK. He recently completed postgraduate research with Cambridge University into how mindful attention can help frame agency and identity for a teacher. 

Chris can be contacted on LinkedIn, hello@alreadymindful.com, or 1 250 884 5462.

Testimonials

Chris Reck is an imaginative and dedicated teacher - but more than that, he is one of the people who understands most deeply how to teach in a way that builds young people's own capacity and confidence as real-life learners - which is surely the pivotal responsibility of 21st-century education - any young people who are lucky enough to have Chris as a teacher will be well prepared for life  Professor Guy Claxton, Emeritus Professor at Winchester University and Visiting Professor of Education at King's College London.

I have been privileged to see the creative fruits of Chris’ experimentation and growth as an educator. Chris has the rare skill of being able to take the germ of an idea or intellectual provocation and to run with and develop it, in the process of which he manifests many desirable qualities – intellectual risk-taking and curiosity, creativity, rigour, the skill of drawing astutely on his own reading, culture, and experience, and a genuine interest in engaging and extending the interests of learners of all abilities and backgrounds (which he does with great success). Dr. Barry Hymer, Emeritus Professor of Psychology in Education at the University of Cumbria in Lancaster.

Chris is a great communicator and he has an immense curiosity and interest in sharing how to use mindfulness in life to help others. He is not afraid to dig deep within his own experience and challenge himself. He uses what he finds in his blogs and astute observations to support, teach and help others to explore their own journeys through life. Helen Marsh, Mindfulness Teacher, Trainer, and Supervisor at SHROPSHIRE MINDFULNESS, UK.

I was looking to take a course that would expand my personal repertoire of mindfulness strategies, but would also give me tools I could use in my classroom. After being fortunate enough to attend one of Chris’s Pro D sessions, I knew I wanted to learn more from him. The Present has helped me immensely. I now have a whole toolkit of strategies to use with my students. I am seeing them benefit significantly from the incorporation of mindfulness practice into our classroom. Chris is an incredible resource and his delivery of the material is exceptional. I very much enjoyed the way he incorporated the practices themselves into our sessions and found myself leaving the sessions both relaxed and inspired. I cannot recommend Chris and The Present highly enough. Jacqueline Dunn. Grade 3/4 French Immersion Teacher. George Jay Elementary. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

I found Chris’s course fascinating because it was informative about many subjects not just mindfulness. Additional philosophies were added to further support students understanding of mindfulness and mindfulness training. His teachings were delivered with humility, humour, and real talk. He highlighted how you can meditate “now”, in this very moment. I love that. It can be a challenge to make time for consistent meditation when one feels they are at their max. Simply “Pausing”, taking in your surroundings, centering through the breath for just a couple of minutes. We can all do that. He has many insights to share, which he backs with a follow-up email that contains all information covered in the class. I highly recommend doing one of his courses. Tatanja De La Hoz, Administrative Assistant

My 6 week class with Chris Reck was just what I needed. He taught me many proven techniques of mindfulness and the science behind it. Mindfulness doesn't have to be a strict practice done in a dark room with your eyes closed. Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere at any time. I can teach these simple techniques to students I work with or my family. Thank you, Chris and The Present! Leona Marchand, Education Assistant, School District 61, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Courses offered by Chris

The Mindfulness In Schools Project program for Secondary Students
The Mindfulness In Schools Project program for Elementary Schools
The Mindfulness In Schools Project program for Educators
The Present – a mindfulness program for elementary school educators

Love and Gratitude

With love to Sam, Ben, James, and Cat, for being the source and inspiration for all I do.

 The symbol is borrowed. I read about it in a post by the meditation teacher, Bodhipaksa (Bodhipaksa writing about mindfulness symbol) in which he writes: a graphic designer called Giedrius recently wrote to me from Lithuania, telling me that he had created the symbol above to represent “being here and now – the idea of mindfulness.” He said: This is an open source symbol that can universally represent mindfulness. It can also work as a reminder that can help people to be aware of the present moment. His website gives more background information on the symbol: https://radicalcourse.org/

When you see this symbol, anywhere – in public, personal or virtual spaces – it will work as a reminder for you to become aware of this present moment. 

Firstly, this symbol is presented as a physical representation of the present moment. 

Vertical forms represent time – past and future. 

Horizontal forms represent space – 360 degrees. 

And the one is always in the center – being here and now.

Thank you Giedrius. I hope this blog is worthy of the beauty of your design.