The Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC) (Crane et al. 2012) is a tool designed to assess competency in the delivery of mindfulness-based approaches. The MBI:TAC assesses both adherence to a particular mindfulness-based programme method and the skill of the teacher. Beyond assessment, the MBI:TAC has become an important support both to trainees as they reflect on their personal development, and also to supervisors and trainers as they support the development of skilful teaching in their trainees and supervisees.
“We really wanted to develop a framework to embrace the subtleties of the teaching process – the importance that the teacher does have expertise but actually that they embody a sense of ‘not knowing’ and a sense of willingness to allow experience to unfold. Being attentive to agenda and adhering to curriculum, but also having this sense that in this moment there is no agenda at all. These are the really paradoxical tensions that a skilled mindfulness teacher creatively inhabits.”
– Rebecca Crane PhD
In association with mindfulness centres at Bangor, Brown and Oxford Universities, the Mindfulness Network delivers a three layer training process which enables practitioners to progressively deepen their learning, and develop specific skills in areas of application of the tool. The training is anchored in the curriculums of MBSR and MBCT but is relevant and open to those teaching other curriculums.
Watch a excerpt from a presentation by Rebecca Crane about the development of the MBI:TAC, which gives an overview of training to use the tool:
For those wishing to use the MBI:TAC as a formal assessment tool, the MBI:TAC Training Pathway consists of:
MBI:TAC Training: Level 1 – Introduction to the tool
Supporting the Inner Teacher with the MBI:TAC: Cultivating Reflection, Embodiment and Competence – a course of 5 x 3 hour online sessions supported by home practice, aiming to develop participants’ familiarity with the domains and key features of teaching competency and the way these represent when watching the teaching of others.
MBI:TAC Training: Level 2 – Deepening for trainers and supervisors
Supporting Others with the MBI:TAC: Cultivating Competence in Supervision and Training – a course of 9 x 3 hour online sessions, alternating between peer groups and taught sessions, including a home practice requirement of 2.5 hours per fortnight. This training for MBP supervisors and trainers is designed to build skills in using the MBI:TAC as a framework and structure for discerning competence level and giving skilful tailored feedback.
Visit our CALENDAR for more detailed information, training dates and to apply for Levels 1 & 2.
The Mindfulness Network is committed to ensuring that our services are as accessible and inclusive as possible. Bursary places are available for all our training courses. To find out more, please visit Our Bursaries page.
Further details on supportive SiTT groups for mindfulness teachers, supervisors and assessors can be found here.
MBI:TAC Training: Level 3 – Assessor reliability testing
Supporting Integrity with the MBI:TAC: Cultivating Reliability in the Assessment Process – a self-directed e-learning course which involves a check of inter-rater reliability (i.e., how close/far away an assessment is to internationally agreed benchmarks). Successful completion of the Level 3 MBI:TAC training is evidence of the highest standard of MBI:TAC assessment reliability.
Please apply for the MBI:TAC Level 3 Training in the curriculum you wish to assess. Over time, our aim is to offer assessor reliability testing in more MBPs as part of the Level 3:
Apply here for Level 3 MBSR
Apply here for Level 3 MBCT
To discuss further, please contact training@mindfulness-network.org.
