Time
2-10 minutes
Level
Primary / Junior / Intermediate
Material
Guided meditation/breathing exercises; chime/music (optional)
Purpose
To help students become more present in their daily interactions with others
- Have a mindful message every day, during morning announcements or during transition times, and take two minutes for mindfulness. For example, encourage students to tune into their breathing, do a body scan activity to relieve tension, or engage in positive self-talk/affirmations.
- Play quiet music or sound a chime to begin moments of silence and stillness. During this time, students are encouraged to say a mantra quietly in their minds.
- Debrief/check in at the end of the two minutes of mindfulness to determine if the moment was helpful for students or not.
- This can be done school-wide during morning announcements or as a class. Consider incorporating mindfulness practices with parents/guardians during after-school events.
- Videos can be used to support this practice which would permit teachers to participate with their class.
NOTE: Mindfulness isn’t for everyone and might trigger certain students. Know students’ needs and be prepared to offer an alternative.
Mindfulness allows students to practice acceptance of their internal states, their external environment, and their peers. Students who engage in mindfulness at school demonstrate improvements in focus, maintaining attention, regulating emotions, and have more favourable social interactions (Felver, Celis-de Hoyos, Tezanos, & Singh, 2016).
Felver, J. C., Celis-de Hoyos, C. E., Tezanos, K., & Singh, N. N. (2016). A Systematic Review of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Youth in School Settings. Mindfulness, 7(1), 34-45. doi:10.1007/s12671-015-0389-4
Create time in the day for stillness, silence, and simplicity with Christian meditation. This time for contemplative prayer is an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with God.
(1i) A discerning believer formed in the Catholic Faith Community who integrates faith with life.
Belonging and contributing: to develop their sense of connectedness to others
Students are noticeably calmer after a two minute practice.
Even for students who aren’t as reflective, (they can) still benefit from a moment of calmness.
Overall, I feel that mindfulness is an effective method to help students calm themselves and refocus, especially following transition times.
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