“mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally”
-John Kabat Zinn and Richard Burnett
Mindfulness can be considered a neutral term for attention regulation exercises.
During mindfulness practices we learn how to observe, how to concentrate, and how to direct our attention with intention. The benefits of such practices are clear when considered simply- to develop awareness, concentration, and the ability to direct our thoughts and ourselves with intention.
Having learned practices to monitor and direct my thoughts and emotions as a young child, mindfulness practices have been an interest of mine for as long as I can remember. During my experience at Sathya Sai Education in Thailand in 2004, I was inspired by the practice of mindfulness as a whole school each morning as well as throughout the day to start each class. This practice helped students to centre themselves, develop awareness of their internal environment and dialogue, and to direct their own thoughts, emotions and actions with intention.
I have taken courses in a variety of mindfulness practices and have led students of all ages in mindfulness techniques. I also explored the current initiatives in Mindfulness Education through Mindful Schools, MindUP and other similar programs. For my inquiry project during my Bachelor of Education, I focused on Mindfulness in Education and explored its origins, the scientific evidence which supports it’s practice in secular schools, as well as any controversy around it.
During my Bachelor of Education I led workshops entitled “Mindfulness in Education” for the WESTCast Conference in Prince George and the Investigating our Practices conference at UBC.
I developed a Mindfulness program for my students during my ten-week practicum.
I taught them how the different practices were affecting various parts of the brain, what those areas of the brain do, and what the various benefits are from mindfulness practices. I was a little concerned that they would be resistant to partake in these new and perhaps unusual seeming activities. It was intriguing to see how the students took so naturally to the practices. They were eager to participate in guiding the activities by ringing the chime, or putting on relaxing music. The students had been a very lively group, having difficulty down-regulating, but these practices had a powerful calming effect on the children. The students expressed their appreciation for the experiences saying that they felt “so calm and peaceful”.
Since my practicum I have furthered my study in mindfulness in education through Mindful Schools. I completed their online Mindful Educators Curriculum Course as well as their Mindfulness of Difficult Emotions course.
“Each of us needs periods in which our minds can focus inwardly. Solitude is an essential experience for the mind to organize its own processes and create an internal state of resonance.” -Daniel J Siegel, The While-Brain Child