Mindfulnessin Education

Use this technique to reducestudent anxiety and help students succeed.

BY TARA HORNICH-LISCIANDROFrom NJEA Review

Standardized tests, courseexams, homework, after-schoolsports, part-time jobs—manystudents live busy, pressure-packed lives. As educators, weteach them how to better orga-nize all the "stuff" in their lives,but we rarely teach studentshow to organize their thoughtsand soothe their anxieties. Of-ten, the stress of their dailylives accumulates until a "worryball" forms. Soon students showsigns of fear, anxiety, and at-tention disorders. Soon afterthat, parents, teachers, andadministrators attempt to fixthese issues.

Many of these problems canbe prevented if we instruct stu-

dents to use a tool called mind-fulness. It's not a new idea, butits use in education is a recentdevelopment. Founding directorof the Stress Reduction Clinicand the Center for Mindfulnessin Medicine, Health Care, andSociety at the University of Mas-sachusetts Medical School, JonKabat-Zinn, says mindfulnessmeans "paying attention in aparticular way; on purpose, inthe present moment, and non-judgmentally."

Early research on the strat-egy shows promise. Accordingto Mindfulschools.org, "Studieshave shown that mindfulness isa powerful tool for combatingmultiple mental and physicalproblems and disorders, forexample, attention-deficit hy-peractivity (ADHD), mood, andanxiety disorders."

Tara Hornich-Lisciandro works in the Matawan (NJ) RegionalSchool district. Read her blog at www. thehappyhealer. wordpress. com.Condensed, with permission, from NJEA Review, 86 (February 2013),22-24, the official journal of the New Jersey Education Association.

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Mindfulness in Education

Mindfulness in SchoolsSeveral years ago, I noticed

my s tudents were anxiousabout taking AP exams. Somewere so worried that they werenot eating properly or gettingenough sleep. Having sufferedfrom anxiety myself and havinglearned the activities that ac-company mindfulness, I beganto utilize mindful techniques inmy classes.

Within a few weeks, studentswere asking for mindfulnessactivities almost daily. Mindful-ness is the act of giving space tobeing able to think differently,or simply being able to focuson the present moment. I soonnoticed a number of changesin the way they approachedtheir work and the quality ofthat work.

I've attended several work-shops to improve my mindful-ness skills and continue to usethem with my students. I've alsoworked with athletic teams andteens in other schools and intro-duced mindfulness activities atmy daughter's preschool andkindergarten.

Using mindfulness has helpedthese students learn how toslow their thoughts, listen, com-municate, focus, and becomebetter students. Many studentsnow practice mindfulness athome and share it with theirfriends and families. With timeand practice, mindfulness hasbecome a part of their everydaylives.

Following are some tech-niques you can use with yourstudents:

MJndfulness Resources• www.mindful.org-resources for integrating mindfulness

into education.• www.garrisoninstitute.org—click on the "Teaching &

Learning" tab.• www.mindfulschools.org—the "Mindful Society" great

information for teachers.• www.challengeday.org—nonprofit organization provides

one-day programs to junior high schools, middle schools, andhigh schools with students in grades 7-12.

• www.eomega.org—this nonprofit offers workshops forteachers.

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THE EDUCATION DIGEST

• Observe your breath.Breathe in "I am" and breatheout "Peace." Repeat severaltimes.

• Observe thoughts or feel-ings as you breathe and ac-knowledge them.

• Count to two as youbreathe; hold the breath fora two count and release thebreath for another two count.Repeat.

• Watch Jon Kabat-Zinn'sBody Scan video on YouTube,then use the technique in yourclassroom. This guided medita-tion quiets the body and mindby placing awareness on allparts of the body.

• Have students practicemindful eating. Have themobserve what they are eating(taste, smell, texture). Thenhave them take one full minuteto experience one mouthfulof food and ask them for theirobservations.

• Mindful walking involvesconcentrating on one's feet,muscles, and sensations. Havestudents take 10 to 20 steps in acircle or line. Do this in silenceto increase awareness.

• In a circle or row, havestudents pass an object thatneeds careful attention, suchas a bell that is not allowed toring or a cup of water that is notallowed to spill. Students should

not speak, but notice only theirmovements and the sensationsassociated with them.

• Mindful work/reading. Havestudents focus on the workpresented to them. Ring a bellto begin and end the exercise.Students should work quietlyand place their full attentionon the task.

Mindfulness is a tool that stu-dents can use in class, sports,job, and activities. It can helpbetter organize their lives be-cause they can begin to organizethoughts and control their emo-tions. Mindfulness is a "win-win"tool for students and teachers.We all benefit when everyone inthe learning community is moreaware and better focused. •

"Lesson planning involvesallotting time to recover

from lesson planning."

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