Written by Allegra Johnson, Mindful Education in Schools Assistant Director + CYT 200 + CYT 95
“When we practice mindfulness together we truly see each other.” ~ Allegra Johnson
I heard a beautiful story from a teacher. She had been struggling with a student who pushed their buttons and tried their patience. After one lesson where students practiced a guided mindfulness visualization, the teacher shared that seeing this student in a relaxed, calm, and childlike state was so helpful. Her compassion and empathy increased.
This is not to put any shame or judgment about having negative feelings towards students. We are all human. It is to say that when we practice mindfulness together we truly see each other. It is so easy to be short, impatient, rushed, or cold in the whirl of the day's demands. I do it more often than I would like, and yet the paradox is when we take the time to slow down, we get more done. We get things done right the first time. We get things done the way we truly want to. We are who we truly want to be. We help students to be who they want to be. And here lies the power of why mindfulness is not only beneficial for you but also for your classroom.
In my last blog post, we reflected on mindful practices that can benefit you as educators and parents. In this post, I will discuss how mindful practices and practicing mindfulness with students can benefit the classroom.
A Mindful Education Instructor practicing a yoga nap with a student.
How to Practice Mindfulness in the Classroom
According to a study in Frontiers of Psychology (Herrnleben-Kurz et al., 2014), mindfulness practices in the classroom can improve students' attention, mood, and self-regulation.
The school day is filled with transitions, demands, focus, fun, and so much for students of any age to navigate. Children’s minds are constantly working to understand the environment and decide what that means for them in terms of their emotions and behaviors.
Guided Mindfulness Practices
Guided mindfulness practices can be a transformative way to ease into the next activity with your class. Your students aren’t the only ones constantly transitioning, you are too! By practicing mindfulness through a body scan, recording, or relaxing visualization, everyone, including you, can take in new information and fully interact with the moment.
Taking this mindful pause slows down our system and helps us to understand better what we are bringing to the moment, our thoughts and feelings. When teachers and students are aware of their thoughts and feelings something magic happens. We communicate with each other in ways that are mutually beneficial, and the whole classroom thrives.
Model Your Skills
Mindful communication is a powerful way to regulate emotions with students. For example, when a student comes up to you to tell you about their day, what are your thoughts, feelings, and actions on a good day?
Perhaps you feel delighted in their story and are thinking that you are happy they feel safe with you. Maybe you kneel down to them, show them your listening through body language, and ask follow-up questions. What might this communicate? What might this be modeling?
Now what about on days when you are preparing for a lesson, answering emails, and looking for the pair of scissors that are always being misplaced? What are your thoughts, feelings, and actions on this day? What might this communicate? What might this be modeling?
We all feel this way, but our classrooms and ourselves suffer when we stay in this heightened state. When we practice mindfulness, we are more able to communicate and model for students the way we wish to be treated. This takes a lot of humility but is an amazing practice to try.
Perhaps you reflect on the following questions not for criticism of yourself but an invitation to how you might grow in your practices of being mindfully with your students.
How do you model the behavior you want my students to participate in?
Do you listen without interrupting?
Do you focus on them specifically without being distracted by ringing phones, etc.?
Do you attempt to diagnose the problem and offer a solution before they have identified all of the factors?
Are you treating them in the same way you would want to be treated in return?
Mindful Changemaker Program
These questions and this growth is the work of a lifetime. No matter what you do, we all live in communities that beg us to bring our fullest self. At Challenge to Change, we are particularly invested in helping educators grow in their emotional intelligence and use the skills of mindfulness to transform the way they show up to their school communities. Our Mindful Changemaker Program cultivates a space for growth, so you can live and educate with more purpose. If you, or your school is interested in this work, please reach out. We would love to partner with you!
In my last blog post of this series, I will discuss the science behind self-regulation skills and share an exciting impact report for our Mindful Education in the Schools Program.
With peace,
Allegra
P.S. Get access to ALL of our best yoga and mindfulness resources - all in ONE place!
Full Kids Yoga + Mindfulness Lesson Plans
Digital versions of Challenge to Challenge's card decks (including the Kids Yoga Pose Deck!)
Breathing practice instructional videos and card decks for calming, focus and energy
Movement videos and yoga sequences
Guided mindfulness audio tracks
Mindful games + social-emotional learning worksheet Printables
Teacher self-care practices and in-services
It’s the one-stop shop for classrooms, yoga studios, daycares, and homeschoolers. Plus, there are plenty of free resources for you to try!
The focus on analytics and measurable outcomes is driving innovation in industrial marketing. WebUgol highlights the importance of leveraging data to understand customer behavior, refine campaigns, and improve ROI. Gain valuable insights into these metrics by visiting https://webugol.com/blog/top-industrial-marketing-trends.