Mindful Meditation in the classroom
Simply put, mindfulness is attention to the present moment using a non-judgemental stance. The person engaging in mindfulness is aware of his/her thoughts, but is not defining them as "right" or "wrong" and is not thinking about the past or future. They are present and in touch with who they are in that moment. More information about mindfulness can be found here, at the Berkeley Greater Good website.
In recent years, there has been a push to incorporate mindfulness practices into the curriculum across all age levels. In the resource section below, you will find several studies and articles siting the benefits of mindfulness. Some of these include, reduced stress, fewer behaviour problems and increased attention.
Elementary School
One of the best ways to help younger students be in the present moment is by teaching them to pay attention to their bodies. This will help them focus on their breathing and be aware of themselves as a whole. One strategy is a body scan. This exercise involves asking students to focus on one part of their body at a time (fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, etc). Ask students to clench and then release this part of their body as you scan through from head to toe. Another exercise is a practicing basic yoga with younger students using animal names and poses instead of traditional yoga names. In both of these instances, students are focusing on their bodies and breathing in the present moment.
Middle & High School
The middle school student is experiencing change at a rapid pace. Their bodies, minds, friends, families and priorities fluctuate and evolve on a daily basis, and much of this, they have little control over. Mental health issues can start to arise and develop at this delicate stage in a young person's life. In fact, according to research conducted by the University of Washington, 40% of suicide attempts occur before high school. It is clear that educators must teach students strategies to help cope with this difficult stage of adolescence and help create greater resilience in our youth.
Mindfulness is the act of being in a non-judgemental state of attention to the present moment. In the fast-paced world of pre-teens and adolescents, taking a few minutes every day to slow down, enter into quiet, and connect with themselves in the present moment, they can learn to let go of stress and worries and think about who they are in that exact moment. Over time, mindful meditation can help student focus their attention during tasks and can also help them during stressful situations such as test-taking.
As high school students prepare for the next stage of life, they will inevitably come up against challenges and obstacles. Mindfulness training and meditation can build resiliency, which will help students deal with upsets and struggles with greater ease and strength.
Using Mindfulness in the Classroom
This 20 minute video is a TedTalk by Richard Burnett. He developed a nine-week mindfulness course to use with adolescents. This video will take you through some strategies to use in your middle or high school classroom to help your students learn the art of focusing their attention and being in the moment.
In recent years, there has been a push to incorporate mindfulness practices into the curriculum across all age levels. In the resource section below, you will find several studies and articles siting the benefits of mindfulness. Some of these include, reduced stress, fewer behaviour problems and increased attention.
Elementary School
One of the best ways to help younger students be in the present moment is by teaching them to pay attention to their bodies. This will help them focus on their breathing and be aware of themselves as a whole. One strategy is a body scan. This exercise involves asking students to focus on one part of their body at a time (fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, etc). Ask students to clench and then release this part of their body as you scan through from head to toe. Another exercise is a practicing basic yoga with younger students using animal names and poses instead of traditional yoga names. In both of these instances, students are focusing on their bodies and breathing in the present moment.
Middle & High School
The middle school student is experiencing change at a rapid pace. Their bodies, minds, friends, families and priorities fluctuate and evolve on a daily basis, and much of this, they have little control over. Mental health issues can start to arise and develop at this delicate stage in a young person's life. In fact, according to research conducted by the University of Washington, 40% of suicide attempts occur before high school. It is clear that educators must teach students strategies to help cope with this difficult stage of adolescence and help create greater resilience in our youth.
Mindfulness is the act of being in a non-judgemental state of attention to the present moment. In the fast-paced world of pre-teens and adolescents, taking a few minutes every day to slow down, enter into quiet, and connect with themselves in the present moment, they can learn to let go of stress and worries and think about who they are in that exact moment. Over time, mindful meditation can help student focus their attention during tasks and can also help them during stressful situations such as test-taking.
As high school students prepare for the next stage of life, they will inevitably come up against challenges and obstacles. Mindfulness training and meditation can build resiliency, which will help students deal with upsets and struggles with greater ease and strength.
Using Mindfulness in the Classroom
This 20 minute video is a TedTalk by Richard Burnett. He developed a nine-week mindfulness course to use with adolescents. This video will take you through some strategies to use in your middle or high school classroom to help your students learn the art of focusing their attention and being in the moment.
Mindfulness Resources:
Machado, Amanda. (2014). Should schools teach kids to meditate? The Atlantic. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/01/should-schools-teach-kids-to-meditate/283229/#
This article looks at the benefits that schools observed following the introduction of mindfulness and meditation programs. It examines some of the challenges and resistance that educators may face during the process.
Nobori, Mariko. (2012). How to start a meditation program in your school. Edutoipa Website. Retrieved from:
http://www.edutopia.org/stw-student-stress-meditation-school-tips
This brief, but informative, article discusses the role of training and routine required to set up a successful school-wide meditation program. It contains some useful resources on the topic of training.
Sowell, Shelly. (2011). Chaos to calm: Using mindfulness with middle school students. RedFlag Magazine. Retrieved from: http://www.redflagmagazine.org/2011/10/chaos-to-calm/
This blog-type article contains the reflections of a middle school teacher as she tries to incorporate meditation into her daily classroom routine. It is an honest look into the obstacles and benefits of undergoing the task of introducing meditation into a middle school classroom.
Room to Breathe Documentary
This documentary examines the outcomes of introducing meditation into school struggling with a high volume of disciplinary issues.
Machado, Amanda. (2014). Should schools teach kids to meditate? The Atlantic. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/01/should-schools-teach-kids-to-meditate/283229/#
This article looks at the benefits that schools observed following the introduction of mindfulness and meditation programs. It examines some of the challenges and resistance that educators may face during the process.
Nobori, Mariko. (2012). How to start a meditation program in your school. Edutoipa Website. Retrieved from:
http://www.edutopia.org/stw-student-stress-meditation-school-tips
This brief, but informative, article discusses the role of training and routine required to set up a successful school-wide meditation program. It contains some useful resources on the topic of training.
Sowell, Shelly. (2011). Chaos to calm: Using mindfulness with middle school students. RedFlag Magazine. Retrieved from: http://www.redflagmagazine.org/2011/10/chaos-to-calm/
This blog-type article contains the reflections of a middle school teacher as she tries to incorporate meditation into her daily classroom routine. It is an honest look into the obstacles and benefits of undergoing the task of introducing meditation into a middle school classroom.
Room to Breathe Documentary
This documentary examines the outcomes of introducing meditation into school struggling with a high volume of disciplinary issues.