Sample Lessons

What Are We Being Mindful Of?

Mindfulness-based practices foster awareness of our internal and external experiences which provides a foundation for social and emotional development.

When we pay attention to our inner and outer experiences on purpose, we develop awareness of how things are right now. We can notice our breath, our body sensations, sounds, thoughts, moods, habits, our emotions, the surrounding environment and how we're relating with our day-to-day experiences.

With routine practice in the classroom, I've seen students (even little ones) learn to use mindful breathing to settle their nervous systems to get ready for learning or to prepare for communicating and problem solving with others. Many of my students have shared that mindful awareness practices support them in falling asleep, reducing stress, caring for others, responding more thoughtfully in difficult situations, impulse control, increased gratitude and a greater capacity to focus in school.

In my classroom, we start with practicing how we're going to sit together as a group, creating a safe space for everyone and becoming mindful of our bodies within the space. As you develop mindful routines in your classroom, you may find some students settle into the practice more quickly than others and that's okay. As we invite our students to participate in mindfulness-based practices, we need to remember that it's not a one size fits all model. Start small and grow your practice together over time.

After each lesson with my students, I offer time for students to share. This is always optional. I find that sharing with each other cultivates connection and reminds us that we're not alone in our experiences. We all benefit from learning more about each other and our community becomes more interconnected.