Mindfulness in Schools
I am raising money to bring a 16 lesson, 8 week course, to teachers and students in their classrooms in the Greater Philadelphia area. Mindfulness teaches how to: pay attention, manage emotion (worries, fears, anger, sadness), notice when thoughts are not in the present and are often negative, think before reacting and have control over your thoughts. Most importantly the lessons teach the brain science behind all of it, so that students can understand that changing brain is possible and that they are in charge of every thought that comes into their head.
After working the last 12 years with at risk teens ( of all socio-economic status) and children born into all classes. I have noticed one thing they have in common-- STRESS. Children and teens need help with managing stress. They need to be given tools to help manage all different kinds of stressors; parental, environmental, peers, self, etc. This program teaches kids how to pay attention to themselves, others and how to realize when stress is getting the best of them. I am using the MIndful Schools curriculum which has successfully taught over 30,000 children.
Mindfulness is a tool that a student can use for the rest of their life. These skills are the foundation for academic and social emotional learning. Mindfulness helps to build resiliency, increase empathy and gratitude, decrease impulsivity, increase attention and helps us be in the present. Think about how often you are thinking about what you need to do or what already happened.... A lot!! An anxious, angry, sad mind cannot learn! This program is most effective when taught in the school environment.
If interested in the research, visit www.mindfulschools.org or www.greatergood.berkeley,edu
