Integrating Mindfulness in the Classroom: Benefits and Seven Activities for Students

Educators have long sought innovative strategies to foster a positive learning environment in the classroom. While there have historically been a handful of tactics employed by teachers with varying levels of success, today many educators are implementing a new solution — mindfulness in the classroom.

Born from the broader concept of mindfulness practice, a mindful classroom has been proven to increase productivity, decrease stress, and cultivate a caring and peaceful classroom. But how can you make your room a mindful classroom? Here are just some of the benefits of a mindful classroom, plus 11 ways to incorporate this positive pedagogy into your teaching.

What is Mindfulness?

The practice of mindfulness is rooted in ancient Buddhist teachings, but today, its application is widely seen in schools, hospitals, and beyond. In a general sense, mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of one’s own thoughts, feelings, bodies, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens. It means to truly be in the moment without distractions or consideration of past or future events.

Another closely related concept is contemplative pedagogy, which shifts the focus of education to include first person approaches. Students are encouraged to connect to their lived experiences of learning, becoming more aware of their values and sense of meaning. In turn, this fosters a deeper understanding of self, relationships with others, and larger communities.

Why Teach Mindfulness in the Classroom

Mindful education is loosely defined as the purposeful inclusion of mindfulness and mindful meditation principles, theories, and practices into curriculum with the goal of helping students learn:

• Self-awareness
• Empathy
• Techniques to calm and focus the mind
• Mindful communication
• How to apply mindfulness skills to everyday life

Pivoting toward a mindful education and creating the appropriate classroom environment calls for incorporating those concepts and principles into your day-to-day teaching practice and routines. Their value becomes especially clear when you consider the latest data around kids and mental health, as well as teacher stress and burnout.

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The most diagnosed mental health disorders among children ages 3-17 years in 2016-2019 were:

• Attention deficit disorder (9.8%, approximately 6 million)
• Anxiety (9.4%, approximately 5.8 million)
• Behavior problems (8.9%, approximately 5.5 million)
• Depression (4.4%, approximately 2.7 million).

15.1% of adolescents ages 12-17 years had a major depressive episode in 2018-2019.

But by having an awareness of their body, thoughts, and surroundings, students learn to calm themselves and reduce the larger impacts of stress. It comes down to lessons in independently controlling attention and honing attention. The same is true for teachers.

• K-12 workers have been found to have the highest rates of burnout among any industry — more than four in 10 say they “always” or “very often” feel burned out at work.
• Among the K-12 employee population, teachers are the most burned out, at 52%.

However, cultivating a moment-to-moment awareness helps teachers calm their own minds for clear personal gain, therefore creating a classroom environment that children thrive in.

Benefits of Mindfulness in the Classroom

Aside from prioritizing the mental and emotional health of you and your students, a mindful classroom has proven to have a number of benefits.

1. A study published in the Frontiers of Psychology showed that teaching mindfulness in the classroom reduces behavior problems, aggression, and depression among students and improves their happiness levels, self-regulation, and ability to pay attention.
2. Mindful practices, both in the classroom and out of it, are also shown to improve our ability to communicate. Because mindful teachings help us to better understand our thoughts and feelings, that in turn also helps us communicate those things more effectively and successfully.
3. Teachers trained in mindfulness also show lower blood pressure, fewer symptoms of depression, less distress and urgency, greater compassion and empathy, and are more effective in their teaching, according to a study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology.
4. Not only should mindfulness in the classroom help students who are consistently disruptive or “difficult” learn more about their behavior and emotions, it should also help you as a teacher work with them. Mindfulness teaches us nonjudgmental awareness and how to reflect on our own emotions, which can help diffuse a tough situation and get to the root of the student’s distress.
5. Mindfulness has even been proven to have positive effects on our brain and immune functions. A National Library of Medicine study found that after just eight weeks of training, practicing mindfulness meditation boosts our immune system’s ability to fight off illness and can improve our quality of sleep.
6. A report from the SUNY Brockport found that “positive and effective relationships can be developed through the implementation of mindfulness as a pervasive practice and holistic value throughout the whole school.”
7. A university study published in Consciousness and Cognition found that mindfulness teachings can decrease test anxiety, reduce mind-wandering/daydreaming, and ultimately improve students’ performance on exams.
8. Several studies, including one published in the Journal of Research in Personality have found that mindfulness increases our overall positive emotions while simultaneously reducing negative emotions and stress.
9. Mindfulness can also trigger physiological changes, as it has been found that it increases density of gray matter in brain regions linked to learning, memory, emotion regulation, and empathy.
10. Mindfulness studies also suggest that the practice helps us focus better and improve our memory, all while enhancing our attention skills and decision-making abilities.
11. A University of Utah research team found that people who practice mindfulness have higher self-esteem, a stronger sense of self, healthier body image, and are more receptive and resilient to negative feedback.

How to Apply Mindfulness to Your Classroom

As any teacher knows, tackling a new skill or trying a new process should first start with learning. Before you begin implementing mindfulness into your classroom, seek out resources or take a mindfulness in education course — doing so will help you build out a reliable plan and set yourself up for success.

After you’ve done your homework, here are several steps to take to create and sustain a mindful classroom.

• Guided meditation — This can include objects in the classroom, such as a poster, a mind jar or any other display, but there should be a signal that everyone in the classroom knows means it’s time to stop and be still. Taking just moments in the day to refocus and center everyone can help create a calming energy and more positive environment for everyone.
• Breathing exercises — Mindfulness takes practice, so help you and your students stay on top of their new skills by regularly taking time to practice. Implement mindful breathing, take mindful pauses during the day, play calming music or sounds in the classroom, or even consider letting students practice mindful movement, like stretching or yoga.
• Listening activities — This is especially important after breaking out into group work or when students come in from recess. Energy is usually high and so are the volume levels, which means both need to be recalibrated. To bring things back down to a calmer level, consider using a sound check bell to reset the classroom space.
• Movement — Incorporating mindful movement practices in schools, such as yoga, not only enhances students’ physical well-being but also cultivates a sense of mindfulness. Encourage intentional, breath-aligned movements to create a conducive environment for students to connect with their bodies.
• Gratitude — Prompting regular reflections on what students are thankful for gives way to lessons in emotional resilience, empathy, and a deeper connection to the present moment.
• Set intentions — A great way to start each day for both you and your students is to practice goal setting. They can be long-term goals and short-term goals, but purposefully outlining experiences and feelings you are striving for each day can help you teach purposefully and can help students follow your lead and become more mindful.
• Nature walks — Time outdoors encourages students to experience a sense of calm, quiet, and heightened awareness of the present moment. A holistic consideration of their environment promotes an appreciation for nature and the opportunity at hand.

Transitioning to a mindful classroom is not an overnight event. It starts with you, the teacher, explaining the concept to your students before implementing the practices over time. Some principles of mindfulness to cover include meditation, awareness, acceptance, and patience.

When teaching students how to practice mindfulness, try to incorporate mindful breathing, guided meditation, relaxation imagery, and the body scan. Some experts recommend delivering mindful content in short weekly (or more frequent) sessions that involve both the principles and the practice of mindfulness.

Classroom Mindfulness Resources

Because mindfulness and meditation are very popular right now, there are many quick reference resources for anyone looking to implement these practices into their lives or their classroom. Some reputable resources include:

• The Coalition of Schools Educating Mindfully — An online community resource and networking center that promotes and advocates for mindfulness in schools.
• Mindful Schools — A group of educators, administrators, and specialists who design mindfulness-centered programs.
• CREATE for Education —A professional development program that helps teachers handle the stress often associated with teaching, therefore enhancing their ability to meaningfully lead classrooms.

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