“The mind is everything. What you think, you become” – Buddha. It has been long known that having time to quietly think about things helps both students and adults answer some difficult questions. This is why we have ‘thinking time’ before we ask for answers. However, recent case studies are beginning to show that scheduling meditation into the school day could bring a multitude of benefits.
Studies led by Shauna L Shapiro of Santa Clara University have shown meditation could help students and staff deal with stress. In a CPD session at our school, we looked at how schools had implemented 10 minutes of meditation every morning and the effect this had on the student’s behaviour, which drastically improved. I personally have been meditating for around a year and can only agree with what these studies show. I and many other students use meditation and the idea of mindfulness to calm students after a lunch break, especially after wet lunch, and the atmosphere is markedly calmer after. I recently took this one step further and played a 10 minute guided meditation to my form during form time. They said they felt considerably calmer and more ready to face the day.
But the real test, how I know they found it useful, they asked to do it again the next day!
This ‘In Brief’ article originally appeared in the July 2016 edition of UKEdMagazine. Click here to freely read online.
@MsGlynn2014 Maths Teacher – London, UK
You need to Login or Register to bookmark/favorite this content.
Be the first to comment