Mindfulness in school is about teaching children to pay attention instead of yelling at them to pay attention
Schools
Mindfulness. Why do it?
Mindfulness in schools can help young people not only to manage difficulties but to flourish. And it can also help
their teachers.
What are the benefits?
If you hear somebody claiming mindfulness is a cure for everything then please be careful! Nevertheless there is a growing body of increasingly robust research which points towards tangible benefits both for young people and those who care for them.
Wellbeing & Mental Health
As well as helping them to recognise worry, manage difficulties and cope with exams, developing a more mindful awareness also helps children and young people to appreciate what is going well and to flourish.
Concentration & Cognition
Mindfulness trains us to understand and direct our attention with greater awareness and skill. This may improve the capacity of children to concentrate and be less distracted, as well as their working memory
and ability to plan.
Social & Emotional Learning
Mindfulness is often taught in the context of PSHE. It helps to develop a greater awareness of relationships and how to manage them (including difficult ones at home), as well as offering a richer understanding of things like self-esteem and optimism.
Behaviour
Mindfulness may help the young to self-regulate more effectively, manage impulsivity and reduce conflict and oppositional behaviour. It should not, however, be used as a disciplinary tool.
Razeea is a very experienced and passionate teacher and has taught hundreds of children the Paws.b curriculum and she also leads mindfulness sessions for teachers so that the programme is embedded in the schools.
