Information for instructors
Please carefully read this information before using the SMS in your classroom.
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM USING THE SMS?
The SMS is designed to monitor the progress made by students of mindfulness practice toward achieving the benefits of intentional attention—conceptualized as a focused, kind, non-judgmental, curious mind. It is used by researchers and teachers. Because the statistical reliability of the SMS is high (.94 or higher), it can be used to monitor the progress of individual students as well as groups. The SMS has been tested primarily with students who are new to mindfulness practice. We are currently evaluating its performance in groups of more experienced practicioners. To learn more about the latest research on the SMS, click here.
INSTRUCTOR REGISTRATION
If you want to explore the SMS, simply register as a test taker. That will allow you to check out the SMS and the test-taker results pages.
If you decide to use the SMS in your classrooms and view your students' results, you must complete our teacher registration form (not the same as the regular registration form). Before you do this, however, you will have to contact us and ask for an entry code and instructions. Once you have the entry code, you can complete the teacher registration process. During the registration process, you will be asked to provide a special teacher user name (not to be confused with your personal user name).
When you submit your registration, you will be sent a welcome email with your user name and password. Keep this in a safe place.
STUDENT REGISTRATION
Students must create an account on the DTS site before taking the SMS. The simplest way to do so is to select the register link in the main menu (top of each page). (You may find it necessary to stress the importance of accurately entering names and emails into this form.) We strongly recommend that you make sure that all of the students in your class are properly registered well before they take the assessment.
If students cannot log in after registering, it is almost certainly because they have incorrectly entered their email addresses or forgotten their user names. Students should never register more than once. If they still cannot log in, they should contact us for help. It is best for students to contact us themselves.
Because students often forget their user names, which they need to log in and take an assessment, we allow teachers (see the results page) to view and download the user names of students in their classes who have taken the SMS. Again, individual students should never register more than once. If a student loses her password, she must enter her user name (as directed in the log-in form) to obtain a new password. If the new password does not make it to her inbox, she should check her junk/spam folder. Some email providers, particularly AOL, frequently block our emails. If all else fails, the student should contact us for help.
It is a good idea to let students know that you will be able to see their user_names.
PRIVACY & SECURITY
To protect all registrants on the site, registration information, including all identifying information, is kept separate from all other student data. To enhance security, the entire site is protected with SSL. We never share identifying information—including names and email addresses—with third parties without specific authorization. Before using the site, please read our policy statements.
CLASS ID'S
When students take the SMS, they will be asked for an optional Class ID. If you want students to enter a class ID, which can help you track students in classes, you will have to provide each class with a unique ID up to 11 characters in length. You can use the class numbers provided by your institution or make something up.
STUDENT RESULTS
Students can view their results by logging in and selecting "view your reports" under the "SMS" tab in the main menu.
JOURNAL ENTRIES
To ensure that students reflect upon their mindfulness practice, Dr. Solloway asks all of her students to make regular journal entries about their experiences. She also provides feedback to students by commenting on their journal entries, offering suggestions and encouragement. On the student journaling pages (accessible through the SMS menu and on the page students land on when they log in), students can make journal entries, view your comments, and review their journaling history. Learn more here.
Journal entries are stored on a secure server. We share them with no one without the authorization of the person making the entry. However, given that there is no 100% security solution, we recommend that, to protect your students and others, you instruct students not to use the real name of any person, and never to discuss private information of any kind.
VIEWING CLASS RESULTS
Every time you log in, you automatically will be directed to the results page. Click on the SMS tab to view class results.
INTERPRETING RESULTS
The SMS (2010 version) is currently reliable enough to classify individual student performances into one of five levels, as described in the panel below. However, when thinking about individual scores, it is more accurate to think of a score as the midpoint of a range spanning plus or minus .4 points. To learn more about the SMS 2010 scale, click here.
- Score
- Level 1
- Level 2
- Level 3
- Level 4
- Level 5
VERY EARLY INTENTIONAL ATTENTION EXPERIENCE
A score at this level indicates that you are probably new to mindfulness practice and have just begun to notice more about yourself and your experiences. As you begin to bring intentional attention to moments in your life, as a focused, kind, non-judgmental, curious mind, you are likely to:
- Discover a new sense of accomplishment when you complete tasks,
- Notice a new sense of gratitude for things usually taken for granted,
- Notice body sensations,
- Notice the causes of your emotions,
- Be more aware of insights into your life,
- Notice that you listen more intently to others,
- Notice that you can be a witness to your experiences as you participate in them, and
- Notice that you can control attention, moving it from thoughts of the past or future back to observing what is happening now.
ONE STUDENT PERFORMING AT THIS LEVEL WROTE:
“It got VERY cold this week. As I was standing outside waiting for someone, I took a deep breath, and noticed the slight wind blowing the leaves around the scent of rain in the air. I love the smell of rain, usually more so in the spring time with the scent of flowers also in the air, but I like it nonetheless. I noticed people walking briskly and shivering loudly, disgruntled over the rain and the cold. It was interesting, I never really noticed people that way before, probably because I am usually concentrating on my own desire to get warm.”
RECOMMENDATIONS
See www.mindfulness.com for a short description of mindfulness practice.
See this book to learn how to begin or increase your mindfulness practice: The Beginner’s Guide to Insight Meditation, by Arianna Weisman and Jean Smith.
BEGINNING INTENTIONAL ATTENTION
At this level, continuing to increase the intention of mindfulness practice—intentional attention as a focused, kind, non-judgmental, curious mind—people report experiencing a growing sense of awareness yourself as a person who understands more about him or herself and the ability to control the ability to respond instead of react to experiences. You are more likely than at lower levels, to:
- Discover things about yourself that you never noticed before,
- Experience joy in ordinary experiences,
- Experience a growing capacity for consciously examining your life,
- Experience a growing capacity to listen to others nonjudgmentally,
- Experience a growing satisfaction with your life, and
- Experience a growing ability to control attention so that you can respond instead of react to your experiences.
ONE STUDENT PERFORMING AT THIS LEVEL WROTE:
“Usually when I awake in the morning, my mind is racing with thoughts of everything I need to get done. Taking deep breaths and trying to clear my mind proved a bit difficult. Lying in bed, trying to be in the now, I could hear my heart beating, and my ears ringing. I could feel that my eyes were itchy, my teeth were throbbing (I grind them in my sleep), and my throat was sore. I thought that I must be doing this wrong, this wasn’t fun. ‘Relax more, take another breath, concentrate. Now I noticed that everything has a rhythm, and as I listened and felt that rhythm, I was soothed. Eating my bowl of Kashi, I had to slow down, put my spoon down between bites, and concentrate on each mouthful. I could feel and enjoy the coolness of the milk, the taste and texture of the cereal, the weight and smoothness of the spoon. This was challenging and unnatural for me as I am usually not that aware of eating breakfast. The day continued to be a challenge. Many times I had to stop, breathe, and pay attention to the rhythm to clear my mind. What stands out for me is how easily distracted I am from the moment. Interruptions from my son, my dogs, the phone, but mostly from my own mind, seem a huge obstacle. I need to incorporate all of these into “happenings of the now” instead of intrusions. Being in the moment seemed easier in the evening. Perhaps my mind was tired, or I was less distracted now that the day was near an end. Playing cards with my husband, it was simpler to enjoy just doing what I was doing, and not thinking about anything else. For some reason this day seemed longer than most.”
RECOMMENDATIONS
We suggest that you study the sections entitled Stage 1, in B. Alan Wallace’s, The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind. The suggestions in this section are particularly helpful for those who are beginning to develop intentional attention as a focused, kind, non-judgmental, curious mind.
Wallace, B. A. (2006). The attention revolution: Unlocking the power of the focused mind. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications
INCREASED INTENTIONAL ATTENTION
At this level, continuing to increase the intention of mindfulness practice—intentional attention, as a focused, kind, non-judgmental, curious mind—you experience a growing sense of awareness and greater understanding of yourself. You are likely to experience an increasing ability to control your attention in a way allows you to respond instead of reacting to experiences. With increasing frequency, you:
- observe your thoughts as an objective witness,
- observe your experiences nonjudgmentally,
- control attention to reduce feelings of stress,
- notice that ordinary experiences feel significant, and
- see things in fresh new ways.
ONE STUDENT PERFORMING AT THIS LEVEL WROTE:
“I have come such a long way since the first day of this project. On this day, I noticed the sun on my face as I was walking. It was an amazing feeling! It was amazing to feel amazing just doing something like walking and feeling the sun on your face. Something else happened. I went to a sandwich place to get lunch. Here you order your sandwich and you watch the person make it for you, similar to the way “Subway” is set up. When I was watching my sandwich being made, I noticed that the guy making my sandwich had a birth defect with his left hand. His left hand was significantly smaller than what the normal size should have been and he could not fully use that hand, it appeared as if he could not move all his fingers. I like to think that I do not discriminate against others, but I was ashamed at what I thought about. When I saw that he had a birth defect with his left hand and I saw him making my sandwich, I suddenly did not want to each the sandwich. I felt my stomach get sick. I did not want the sandwich because of his hand. Once I realized that these were the types of thoughts going through my head, I noticed that I wasn’t being mindful. I took a deep breath and bought myself back to the moment. Once I was here in the moment, I saw him. He was a person like me. I took my sandwich. I smiled. I have mixed feelings about this experience. On the one hand, I am happy that I was able to use the mindfulness in a positive way to notice my thinking and to do the right thing. However, I am also embarrassed to know that I am a person who would think this about someone else in the first place.”
RECOMMENDATIONS
We suggest that you study the section entitled Stage 2, in B. Alan Wallace’s, The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind. The suggestions in this section are particularly helpful for those who wish to continue developing intentional attention as a focused, kind, non-judgmental, curious mind.
Wallace, B. A. (2006). The attention revolution: Unlocking the power of the focused mind. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications.
MAKING INTENTIONAL ATTENTION MORE CONTINUOUS
At this level, people report experiencing increasingly frequent periods of intentional attention—as a focused, kind, non-judgmental, curious mind—facilitating a deeper awareness of interconnections between all things. You are more likely than at lower levels, to:
- Increasingly notice that interdependence is a more relevant interpretation of the way things work than an interpretation of independence, and
- More frequently step back from personal experiences to observe them as an objective witness.
ONE STUDENT PERFORMING AT THIS LEVEL WROTE:
“With the holidays approaching, I was afraid I might backslide, start to panic about what needs to be done before family arrives. My need for approval, my old mental habit, might rear its ugly head. But that hasn’t happened. This mindfulness is like a natural tranquilizer. It’s not that I’am numb or blasé. I’m excited and looking forward to sharing the holidays. It’s more like I’m at ease, aware of my own mental connections with what’s around me. Life is touching me, and I’m allowing it. With the “approval monster” banished, I am free to be sensitive to a whole new realm, and enjoy each experience and mindful moment as it comes. From past experience, I had connected family gatherings with a certain amount of stress; trying to make sure everything was perfect. I’ve just been doing each thing and enjoying the doing without thinking about what needs to be done next. You don’t have to analyze it, manage it, or improve upon it—just be part of it. I’m amazed at the peace I feel and the joy. This holiday season is going to be the best one since childhood.”
RECOMMENDATIONS
We suggest that you study the section entitled Stage 3, in B. Alan Wallace’s, The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind. The suggestions in this section are particularly helpful as you continue to increase the intention of mindfulness practice.
Also:
The Miracle of Mindfulness, by Thich Nhat Hahn
Wherever You Go There You Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Coming to Our Senses: Healing the World Through Mindfulness, by Jon Kabat-Zinn
DEEPENING CONTINUOUS INTENTIONAL ATTENTION
At this level, people report experiencing increasingly frequent periods of intentional attention—as a focused, kind, non-judgmental, curious mind as the catalyst for an increasing awareness of compassion opening the heart. You are more likely than at lower levels, to notice:
- An ever growing capacity to transform your hurt into compassion, and
- An ever growing capacity to transform anger into compassion.
ONE STUDENT PERFORMING AT THIS LEVEL WROTE:
“Today was a very peaceful day. For one thing I took the chance to step back and look at the situation I have made for myself. Where I am emotionally right now, I am extremely content. Each day is getting easier and easier for me to get through without thinking about how much I messed something up for myself or looking back and regretting things that I have done. Today, specifically, I concentrated on not being judgmental of myself. I am my worst critic. No matter what it is, I always find something that is wrong with something I have done. It can be good or not; I will still find a reason to say to myself, “Well, I could have done it better.” Not criticizing myself and being aware that I am NOT doing so makes me feel better. It helps me to look into my inner self and feel compassion for myself and compromise and admit that it may not be the best that I could have done, but at the time I gave it my all and right now is what matters the most. I wasn’t so angry today. I like when we do the meditation in class because it helps set the tone for the day. And I’m finding my own Breath Meditation time is a good way for me to just relax and clear my mind of anything that may be bothering me or haunting my spirit.”
RECOMMENDATIONS
We suggest that you study the section entitled Stage 4 in B. Alan Wallace’s, The attention revolution: Unlocking the power of the focused mind. The suggestions in this section are particularly helpful for those who are ready to deepen intentional attention as a focused, kind, non-judgmental, curious mind.
Wallace, B. A. (2006). The attention revolution: Unlocking the power of the focused mind. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications.