There's something about mindfulness that I find to be so difficult. In a world that is constantly moving and full of interruption, it can be a challenge to find stillness in oneself. I find myself meditating when I am feeling stressed, when I'm upset, or when I'm angry. I rarely meditate when I feel happy, though I think it is important that I start to do this. If I start being mindful when I am happy, I will be more aware of what is going on in my body and in my surroundings when I am happy. Perhaps I can take this learning and try to recreate it when I become overwhelmed.
I see the benefits of mindfulness in myself, so I think that others can certainly benefit from it as well. In a classroom, mindfulness and meditation can be used during big transitions throughout the day. For example, as teachers, we are unaware of our students' home lives and what they might have gone through in the morning before they arrive at school. If we take a few moments to be mindful in the morning, perhaps the class as a whole can have a positive fresh start. In a similar way, mindfulness can be used after recess, after lunch, and even as an ending to a gym class so that students are not worked up as they re-enter the classroom.
I love the idea of mindfulness in conjunction with technology. There are a couple of applications that I think would be very helpful in the classroom. One application I stumbled upon is called Breathing Bubbles where students can choose how they are feeling from four emotions and rank how much they feel that way. Students can then choose whether they want to "release a worry" or "receive a joy." For example, you can release a worry by typing in your worry in a bubble and watch it float away as you breathe deeply. Having a visual representation of your worry and watching it disappear can be helpful for children to understand that a worry is simply a thought that can go away if they want it to. Having these tools for students to use in the classroom can give them the alone time that they need and calm them down, in addition to keeping them engaged in mindfulness.
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