• Mindfulness

    This page is designed to provide lessons, practices, activities, books and other resources for staff and parents.  Teachers and parents, feel free to use these lessons and resources in your classrooms and at home as teaching tools, but also as simple daily practices to build mindfulness.  Like everything we do, mindfulness is a practice.  Mindfulness falls under the umbrella of SEL.  It supports and nurtures the skills people need to develop their social and emotional learning. These practices directly link to the Five Social and Emotional Competencies.  Even though the practice of mindfulness has been around for thousands of years, only recently has it been integrated into public schools world-wide. Why now?  The increasing concern and awareness of how people are coping with the everyday stresses of life is wide-spread throughout the world.  Scientists and doctors have discovered the benefits that mindfulness practices have on the emotional and social well-being of individuals as well as the effects it has on the brain. Below are some areas that mindfulness has shown to positively affect: 

    • Stress 
    • Generic Pain 
    • Cancer
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Heart Disease
    • Self Awareness
    • Self Management
    • Social Awareness
    • Relationship Skills
    • Responsible Decision-Making
    • Academic Progress
    • Resiliency and a Growth Mindset  

    Here are some definitions of mindfulness from experts in the field. 

    “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” - Jon Kabat-Zinn

    “Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.” -www.mindful.org

    “Mindfulness shows us what is happening in our bodies, our emotions, our minds, and in the world. Through mindfulness, we avoid harming ourselves and others.” -Thich Nhat Hahn   

    Mindfulness can take many forms.  It can be done with eyes opened or eyes closed.  It is simply training your mind to pay attention to the present moment.  It is not a calming mechanism.  That can be an effect of mindfulness, but it is not the ultimate goal.  If you are feeling anxious or frustrated, mindfulness helps you identify that emotion; it helps you feel the emotion.  In order to respond consciously and rationally to situations, we need to identify how we are feeling when we are in them.  Mindfulness helps us develop self-awareness.  Once we are self aware, we can then begin to practice exercises that help us self-manage, develop social awareness, build relationship skills, and make responsible decisions. Even though a child's brain is not fully developed until they are in their twenties, the practice of mindfulness can provide coping tools and strategies they can access.  These tools allow children and adults to cope with the stresses of life in healthy ways making them stronger, kinder, happier people.  This in turn will make the world a stronger, kinder and happier place to live.

     Here is a spreadsheet that the fantastic Barbara Pauley, school counselor at HBS, has created for her staff.  She has mapped out mindfulness themes and related activities for the entire school year.  She has given me persmission to share this document with the entire district.  Thank you so much Barbara, for your leadership and SEL expertise.  

     

    Virtual Calming Room  For  Stress Management

    Here is a site that has created an online calming space for individuals of all ages to self regulate. Different people respond better to varying forms of stress relief. Some people need to close their eyes, block out all other stimuli, and listen to soothing sounds to calm down and handle the things that upset them. Others need physicality through breathing exercises and calming movements, like yoga. Other people must engage their creative powers in a nonstressful and noncompetitive way. Virtual calming rooms should have various activities at the ready so that people can quickly find a soothing experience that works for how they feel stress and how they best respond to it. 

     

    A NEW RESOURCE

    This fantastic resource was shared with me by two amazing RMS students and their family. Check out this great find filled with lots of information ranging from healthy eating tips to fitness and exercise. Hope you enjoy!! 

     

    Mindfulness Throughout the Year

    Mindfulness Practices to cultivate Self Awareness

    Mindfulness Practices to cultivate Self Management

    Mindfulness Practices to cultivate Social Awareness

     

    Mindfulness Practices to cultivate Relationship Skills

    Mindfulness Practices to cultivate Responsible Decision Making

    Mindfulness Videos with Mr. Tumolo

    https://vimeo.com/251672441 - "What Does It Mean to Be Present?" (Self Awareness)

     

     https://vimeo.com/193878894- "The Lemonade Hurricane" (Self Management)

     

    https://vimeo.com/193878954- "Come Back to Calm" Part 1 (Self Management)

     

    https://vimeo.com/195473557- "Come Back to Calm" Part 2 (Self Management)

     

    https://vimeo.com/199832117- "Come Back to Calm" Part 3 (Self Management)

     

    https://vimeo.com/205907254- "Changing the Channel" (Self Awareness, Social Awareness, Self Management)