"When the class won’t settle down and we find ourselves slipping into negative projections, we can learn to feel the emotions in our body as sensations.

Instead of circulating in our frustrating thoughts we can drop down into our bodies and figure out what scripted, learned responses the chaos in the classroom is bringing up for us."

- Daniel Rechtschaffen, The Way of Mindful Education,    2014

“Instruction is good for a child;

but example is worth more.”   

                                               ―  Alexandre Dumas

When we slow down and model self reflection, self-awareness, self regulation and self care, we are modelling important life long skills to our students.

Setting up the framework for our students to learn and practice these skills, students can then begin to understand the connection between their body, how they feel, how they are interacting and impacting themselves, others and how their breath can regulate them through the day.

Select something as a cue for you to stop, and take a mindful moment anytime.

Example:

Take some mindful breaths with the ringing of the bell between classes or as a message comes in from the intercom in your classroom.

Each time you sit down to check your email, take three mindful breaths before opening your inbox. 

When you are stopped at a traffic light, put your hand on your belly and count how many breaths you take while you wait for the light to turn green. 

When you arrive home from work, take three mindful breaths before putting key in keyhole. 

Scheduling Me Time for your class

1. Practice every day. 
2. Choose a time for mindfulness with and without your student. We are creatures of habit: start of the day, after lunch, transitions.
3. Get the students involved. Begin with mindful listening and then mindful breathing. With a bell rotation schedule, if your students know it’s their day to lead mindfulness, they will remember and you won’t have to. 
4. A simple lesson to repeat daily is one minute of mindful listening and one minute of mindful breathing.
5. Find a teacher buddy to do it with.  It doesn't have to be physically in the same classroom, or even at the same time, but find another teacher who's also looking to establish a regular practice and commit to helping each other out to strenghthen your commettent. 

Think about a space in your class  where you can create a mindful corner.

Somewhere students can go to practice some mindfulness that may help them relax, regulate their emotions, regain focus, ...

Whether a few comfy cushions, a blanket, bean bag, or a chair and a small desk, create your own little space together.

Some ideas:

Hoberman sphere

Breathing technique sign

Glitter bottle

Emotion chart

Gratitude wall (Cut out pictures of different things the children are grateful for and hang them or put them in a binder and place them in your mindful corner)

Timer: Sensory liquid bottle or Sand Timer