Incorporating Mindfulness into School Curriculum

Many schools around the United States are introducing mindfulness into their curriculum, and some schools in Baltimore have taken it a step further by replacing traditional disciplinary actions, like detention and suspension, with mindfulness material.

An article from Motherly reported that the Holistic Life Foundation in Baltimore has developed mindfulness programs in schools in underserved communities, helping children grow their inner lives through yoga, mindfulness and self-care. These schools have a “Mindful Moment Room,” complete with lamps, decor and comfortable seating where students can go to speak with trained staff members, do yoga and meditate to calm down and reduce stress and anger.

According to Dictionary.com, mindfulness is “a technique in which one focuses one’s full attention only on the present, experiencing thoughts, feelings, and sensations but not judging them.” Mindfulness focuses on the mind-body connection and being present in the moment, regardless of what is going on around you, resulting in greater peace and balance and a reduction in overreacting. Studies show that meditation can reduce stress and anxiety in children while increasing their attention and focus and improve their academic performance. A Harvard study done in 2011 showed that mindfulness meditation can change the structure of the brain, increasing the areas that control emotional regulation and the ability to relate information from the external world to one’s self. They also showed decreases in the area responsible for fear, anxiety and stress.

Have you tried meditation yourself? Have you tried teaching your children about mindfulness and meditation? What has worked for you? How do you think mindfulness should be incorporated into the school system?