Mindfulness

With the increasing stress and distractions of our daily lives, many of us struggle to unplug, take a breath and connect with the present moment. Yet the ability to interrupt our overactive minds with presence is a powerful tool for one's mental and spiritual health. Many students today report feeling overwhelmed and educators can support them by integrating mindfulness principles into their classroom. Such practices also may encourage greater presence, focus and reflection from their students.

The high school social studies context

Given the limitations in high school settings (students have multiple teachers for short blocks of time with many competing priorities), mindfulness may best be incorporated through the gentle infusion of it into the instruction. Strategies such as visualizations when discussion history or world issues can help bring the learners into the present moment and focusing on the topics.

5 Ways to Incorporate Mindfulness into Your Classroom (Beach)

Begin with a mindful moment
Practice mindful listening
Take a mindful break, such as a stretch
Encourage students throughout the class to check in with where their attention is
End with a mindful moment

Top Tips for Success When Incorporating Mindfulness

Use mindfulness yourself (Silver & Stratford, 2017)
Be aware of how you're setting the tone - greet them with the a smile and sincere welcome (Silver & Stratford, 2017)
Gentle Approach (Ashe, 2016)
Let the research speak for itself (Ballard, 2017)
Share how it has benefited you (Ballard, 2017)
Allow time for reflection and feedback (Ballard, 2017)

A Lesson to Start the Conversation

Wondering how to talk about mindfulness and get the conversation started in your class? Check out this recommended introductory lesson plans for high school students, entitled, What is Mindfulness?

References

Ashe, C. (2016). Teachers' Integration of Mindfulness Practices in the Classroom.

Ballard, A. (2017). When Mindfulness Feels Like a Necessity. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/when-mindfulness-feels-necessity-aukeem-ballard

Beach, S. 5 Mindfulness Practices to Bring to the Classroom. Left Brain Buddha. https://leftbrainbuddha.com/5-mindfulness-practices-bring-classroom/

Silver, D., & Stafford, D. (2017). Teaching kids to thrive: essential skills for success. Corwin Press.

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