Mindfulness in School Essay Example

What if there was a solution for every student who struggles with anxiety, stress, and paying attention in class? Would my school want to implement mindfulness in each classroom if it could aid in those struggles? Would teachers want to get trained in mindfulness not just to help their students but themselves as well? Based on the articles “When Mindfulness Meets the Classroom”(Davis) and “Instead of Detention”(Bloom) it is important for teachers in my school to be trained in mindfulness because it not only helps the students Including me help themselves but in return it helps the teachers create a better learning environment. 

The benefits in training teachers would be the re-engagement in class and the relativeness it brings to the teacher student relationship. It’s hard for some students to find the time to go to class but for, “... a small high school designed to re-engage students who have dropped out or fallen behind”(Davis). These kids have been given a second chance and they really want to learn and graduate even if their stressful lives get in the way and they can't always be there. These teachers are setting up their students for success in all aspects of life by adding mindfulness lessons to their classroom. Another benefit of the training for teachers would be the relativeness teachers gain amongst their students. An English teacher, Argos Gonzalez, “...believes in the value of hands-on teaching, emailing students individually to check in when they don’t show up”(Davis). Gonzalez also wants to be on level ground with his students so he allows them to informally address him, letting his students call him by his first name which creates a chill environment where school becomes relevant. By providing students with this relaxed environment where there can be silence when they come from loud city environments, allows for engagement in class. 

The students would gain these tools from their teachers to help better themselves. Offering mindfulness lessons can give, “...these kids the chance to breathe deeply, to focus their attention on themselves rather than what’s going on externally, can be an effective way to combat the stress, improve attention and usher in calm”(Bloom). The goal is to teach students at my school how to think before acting. Teachers are already teaching kids the academic tools they need to excel in life, so what's the difference in teaching them mindfulness tools? The students also have to be willing to accept the tool their teachers are giving them, “‘If you get lost in thought, it’s okay. Just come back and count again’...from counting breaths and focusing on the sensations of breathing, to visualizing thoughts and feelings–that he uses to help train their attention, quiet their thoughts, and regulate their emotions”(Davis). Every time a teacher or staff instructs a student through a mindfulness exercise the student always gets to choose to follow along or not. Some kids live in a chaotic environment and can sometimes forget to leave that outside of school, but with the mindfulness tools they could be getting the tools needed to set themselves up to achieve higher goals. 

Talk about opportunities galore, all students face issues big and small, inside and outside of school. They are being taught a solution that not only works, but they can also bring into other aspects of their life and not just use at school. Students can sometimes bring their issues into school which can disturb their own learning environment,” Students who are disruptive in class are sent to the mindful moment room by their teachers”(Bloom). The student is then encouraged to talk about what led to them being sent to the Mindful Moment Room, then they are instructed through a breathing exercise. It’s just a break, never longer than a class and the students find it helpful when they return to class peaceful and ready to do their work. This is a solution for disciplinary issues in the “learning environment and [for an increase in] productivity”(Bloom). Schools are taking into consideration the good effects of the mindfulness room since Principals like Thompson have reported no suspensions since using the mindfulness room. Students enjoy the time they have to decompress with their mindfulness tools.

As a consequence these articles “When Mindfulness Meets the Classroom” (Davis) and “Instead of Detention” (Bloom) substantiate that teachers at my school should become instructors in mindfulness since it’s beneficial to students, teachers, and staff alike who want to create a positive learning environment. There is an opportunity here that many schools are acting on since this is a solution for students struggling with anxiety, stress, and wanting to pay attention in class. My school should want to add mindfulness lessons to classes since it helps students engage in class and supply teachers with more ways to teach kids how to think before acting, control their emotions, and keep their external environment from getting in the way of their education. Mindfulness helps teachers assist students and in return, it produces an environment for good behaviors.