Mindfulness Trials
1.1 Use teaching strategies based on knowledge of students’ physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics to improve student learning.
The practice of mindfully focusing on something, for example our breathing, in order to strengthen our ability to focus our mind, and improve our level of self-control is appreciated by many to be significantly beneficial to our mental health.
In 2017 my school will include regular mindfulness sessions during class time for all compatible students. This is in part due to the priority the Department of Education places on mental health, and partly due to the practice of mindfulness being regarded as beneficial, especially for those that have experienced trauma.
I order to prepare for this in 2016, our school has carried out trial exercises to determine how best to implement mindfulness, and has introduced mindfulness training, to inform our staff on this valuable practice. As an experienced meditator, I was asked to lead this initiative within the school, by becoming part of the positive education team, and reporting my efforts and observations back to our senior psychologist. I also practiced these teaching strategies with my own students this year, practicing mindfulness in two separate classes, with my boys on a weekly basis at CALM and promoting breathing exercises where that has been needed.
The way I approached the above planning was to form two mindfulness trial groups, with the aim to eventually observe mindfulness sessions within all classes. These sessions have been conducted using the Kidsmatter and Department of Education endorsed program Smiling Mind. This free program, available both an ipad app and through the Smiling Mind website, allows access to a broad range of mindfulness exercises. Teachers and students have been encouraged to implement the program in the way that best appeals to them, as a whole class website session, privately on ipads or as a body break outside the classroom (whole group or individual). Teachers are also free to choose from the range of mindfulness exercises, to suit their students needs.
Trial group one produced some fantastic results, both in term of recorded data (how frequently mindfulness was practiced and how many students engaged with the exercise) and with anecdotal observations on specific classes and individuals. The recommendation from this trial group for 2017 was 'mindfulness sessions will be conducted a minimum of three times per week, for most students and most classes'. This recognised that classes will vary in their ability to deliver this program, due to pressures on teaching time, the needs of individuals, and the compatibility of the program with the student group. However three times per week, in most situations was seen as a reasonable expectation, imparting regular benefits. Mindfulness trial group two has been tasked with testing out this guideline and reporting their experiences.
The practice of mindfully focusing on something, for example our breathing, in order to strengthen our ability to focus our mind, and improve our level of self-control is appreciated by many to be significantly beneficial to our mental health.
In 2017 my school will include regular mindfulness sessions during class time for all compatible students. This is in part due to the priority the Department of Education places on mental health, and partly due to the practice of mindfulness being regarded as beneficial, especially for those that have experienced trauma.
I order to prepare for this in 2016, our school has carried out trial exercises to determine how best to implement mindfulness, and has introduced mindfulness training, to inform our staff on this valuable practice. As an experienced meditator, I was asked to lead this initiative within the school, by becoming part of the positive education team, and reporting my efforts and observations back to our senior psychologist. I also practiced these teaching strategies with my own students this year, practicing mindfulness in two separate classes, with my boys on a weekly basis at CALM and promoting breathing exercises where that has been needed.
The way I approached the above planning was to form two mindfulness trial groups, with the aim to eventually observe mindfulness sessions within all classes. These sessions have been conducted using the Kidsmatter and Department of Education endorsed program Smiling Mind. This free program, available both an ipad app and through the Smiling Mind website, allows access to a broad range of mindfulness exercises. Teachers and students have been encouraged to implement the program in the way that best appeals to them, as a whole class website session, privately on ipads or as a body break outside the classroom (whole group or individual). Teachers are also free to choose from the range of mindfulness exercises, to suit their students needs.
Trial group one produced some fantastic results, both in term of recorded data (how frequently mindfulness was practiced and how many students engaged with the exercise) and with anecdotal observations on specific classes and individuals. The recommendation from this trial group for 2017 was 'mindfulness sessions will be conducted a minimum of three times per week, for most students and most classes'. This recognised that classes will vary in their ability to deliver this program, due to pressures on teaching time, the needs of individuals, and the compatibility of the program with the student group. However three times per week, in most situations was seen as a reasonable expectation, imparting regular benefits. Mindfulness trial group two has been tasked with testing out this guideline and reporting their experiences.