This blog writer has been intrigued by the benefits of mindfulness for a long time. We even offered free access to mindfulness resources a couple years ago. Looks like schools are coming to the same conclusion, with some having their students practice mindfulness a few minutes every day. Why?
Some research suggests that students’ regular mindfulness practice resulted in 28% higher grades in reading, math, and science, a 43% decrease in teacher stress, and schools experienced a 60% decrease in behavioral issues. A 2019 Harvard study found that sixth graders doing mindfulness practice four days a week increased their ability to focus and regulate their emotions, reduced their stress, and improved their learning capacity. Additionally, mindfulness lowers stress levels in students, faculty, staff and parents.
There are many mindfulness apps, but some programs are specifically designed for the school environment. Inner Explorer is a highly recognized program that provides audio sessions for use in K-12 classrooms and at home. Mindful Schools offers online training programs to build institutional capacity, online K-12 mindfulness curricula, and online mindfulness coaching. Learning to Breathe is an award-winning book-based mindfulness program for adolescents. MindUp (featured in a previous blog post) offers an extensive online curriculum for social and emotional learning, including mindfulness practice.
If you’re interested in becoming a mindfulness guide in schools, the Mindfulness in Schools Project offers online trainings.
