School systems can boost student success by implementing a mindfulness curriculum. It has many benefits, including improving students’ attention and developing coping mechanisms for stress. It may be particularly helpful to students who have suffered trauma. In addition, schools can build school-wide buy-in by teaching students and staff the benefits of mindfulness. Using a guided meditation in the classroom can foster a culture of acceptance, empathy, and self-care. For example, a mindfulness program at a school might include a weekly guided meditation session.
Inner Explorer (IE)
The Inner Explorer program is an audio-based program that teaches students the Six Sustainable Happiness skills. The program has proven to improve academic performance, reduce behavioral problems, and decrease teacher stress. The program encourages students and educators to learn to cope with difficult situations and focus on the task at hand. Inner Explorer is a unique tool that can be accessed through a Learning Management System panel that teachers install on each classroom computer.
Students use the app to complete guided daily mindfulness practices and strengthen their self-regulation skills. This app allows students to practice anytime, anywhere. The practices are audio-guided by multi-ethnic narrators who help guide the student through the practices. Inner Explorer offers programs for four age groups. It is also available in Spanish. The company’s programs are CASEL-approved and feature a virtuous cycle of daily practice that extends from classroom to extended family.
Stress Reduction and Mindfulness Curriculum (SRMC)
The findings of a study published in the journal Clinical Psychology Review suggest that stress reduction and mindfulness training programs can reduce problematic responses to stress. These responses include emotional arousal, rumination, and intrusive thoughts. Mindfulness also improves social and emotional development. This article will describe some of the benefits of mindfulness and stress reduction training and describe how it can be used to improve mental health. It is important to note that a stress reduction and mindfulness program will not address all aspects of a person’s life.
Research has demonstrated that unmanaged stress has a range of negative effects on the body and mind, including physical and mental illnesses. In the U.S., adults overwhelmingly use unhealthy stress management techniques. Researchers at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center in Los Angeles recruited 127 community residents to a program designed to improve their ability to manage stress. Participants completed Mindful Awareness Practices for Daily Living I and then answered a questionnaire about their stress levels, self-compassion, and perceived stress.
Mindful Moment (MM)
Mindfulness-based teaching practices, such as the one found in the Mindful Music Moments program, have shown positive effects in classrooms. Students are taught to sit and breathe mindfully without judging their feelings. This technique is taught every day at the beginning of class and can be practiced whenever students are overwhelmed by the stress of learning. Teachers are encouraged to practice mindfulness on a regular basis, as it is proven to reduce off-task behavior and increase student focus.
During class, a teacher can assign a student to ring a bell. When a class needs a break, the bell ringer can ring it, even while a student is in the middle of a sentence. This practice makes students aware of their breathing and allows them to focus on other things without distractions. A clever example of a mindfulness exercise is an activity called “Melt or Freeze,” where students sort their actions into responsible and impulsive ones.
Middlesex School (MS)
Students at Middlesex School (MS) learn the value of meditation, a technique that focuses on the mind, body, and breath. Middlesex Elementary School is one of the first elementary schools to offer this type of class. The class was developed in collaboration between Middlesex Elementary Art teacher Elizabeth FitzGerald and Spanish teacher Anibal Vega, who teaches at both Middlesex and Vincent Farm. FitzGerald uses art activity as a way to reinforce mindfulness lessons. It is taught to Grade 4 students once a week.
MS’s mindfulness program has proved to be successful. Faculty and staff members have embraced the practice by completing the Introduction to Mindfulness course, and many participate in the level two Faculty/Staff groups. In addition, since 2013, ten-week Introduction to Mindfulness courses have been offered to local parents, and the campus hosts a summer retreat for parents to experience this approach. The school’s Director of Mindfulness Programs supports alumni, provides resources, and hosts an annual summer retreat to help students cultivate the practice.
New Zealand’s Mindful Schools (MS)
The Mental Health Foundation runs a programme called Mindfulness in Schools that aims to help educators implement this proven self-management technique. This programme helps children find their strengths and develop a deeper connection to self-management. Ultimately, it creates a happier school environment. Teachers reported lower stress levels after taking the course. The programme has been used in schools in New Zealand for four years. The programme is supported by government and industry.
The Mindfulness Education Group aims to provide high-quality professional development to teachers and schools across the country. Their programme, Pause, Breathe, Smile, is locally developed and researched. It is aligned with New Zealand curriculum, health and social sciences curricula, and connects with te ao Maori values. It also integrates the principles of the hauora model, Te Whare Tapa Wha, into the curriculum. The programme consists of breath-based practices that engage the child in a deeper understanding of the body, thoughts, and relationships.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://quietmeditations.com/benefits-of-meditation-guided-imagery/
