Social Emotional / Mindfulness

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            I was grateful when I realized we discussed and learned about Mindfulness during this week's blog post, as I greatly respect mindfulness practice and what it can achieve. I work in an enrichment center with neurodiverse students, and the Mindfulness class is one of the more popular classes offered. Experiencing the process of encouraging students to create a safe space and to be present, and with many instances of keeping their eyes open, has been a privilege to be a part of. Additionally, when asked to choose an app to practice Mindfulness, since I am a mother, wife, student, and now blogger, I already had several apps on my phone. For example, Aura is an app that provides meditation series, podcasts, calming music, and Live sessions with coaches, to name a few of the many features. In addition, Aura is a great tool to help with everyday stressors. For example, you can begin your day with a 3-minute meditation to help set an intention for the day or to help unwind your mind and aid in sleep at nighttime. Finally, with many teachers experiencing burnout, Aura's program focuses on burnout to provide strategies to help with the process. I would use the app in my classroom one day for the music feature. I would have the music playing first thing in the morning when students unpack and begin their daily schedules to provide a calm and safe environment. 

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        Watching the documentary Room to breathe and the techniques of using the sound of the singing bowl reminded me of the calming music available in the Aura app. The documentary sparked a series of emotions as a mother and future educator. Hearing the students express that they are used to distraction and chaos, the Mindfulness's quietness is foreign to them (Long, 2012). It was inspiring to see the progression as the classroom sessions continued and the students started participating more in the mindful activities (Long, 2012). The students started leading the sessions and began to open up to the idea of using Mindfulness not only during class but outside of class as well (Long, 2012). The sessions gave the students the valuable skill to help them understand their emotions, think for a minute when upset, and choose a different option when necessary (Long,2012). The program also gave students pocket hearts, a physical representation and a reminder that they control their minds and actions ( Long,2012).

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    Reading the article Nine ways to ensure your mindfulness teaching practice is trauma-informed by Katrina Schwartz provides valuable lessons to ensure that when practicing Mindfulness in the classroom, it is done in multiple approaches for all types of students. The article highlights that no one should be forced to close their eyes or sit a certain way (Schwartz, 2019). A vital takeaway as a teacher is to establish a sense of safety in the classroom and that students have predictable boundaries ( Schwartz, 2019). Additionally, Mindfulness is needed in education because students face new challenges daily ( Why is Mindfulness Needed in Education, n.d.). These challenges include Anxiety, Trauma, Distraction, and Isolation, causing toxic stress and the student's ability to cope with all the demands (Why is Mindfulness Needed in Education, n.d.).

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                 A deeper look into New York States Social and Emotional learning benchmarks opened my eyes to see how these standards are implemented within the curriculum(Social Emotional Learning, 2022). Understanding how adults support, teach, and model behaviors and help student recognition in the classroom is essential (Social Emotional Learning, 2022). Teachers scaffold and model academics for students daily;  the standard for social-emotional learning is parallel for our students (Social Emotional Learning,2022). Implementing the Multi-Teired social-emotional learning system proactively provides universal intervention (Social Emotional Learning, 2022). During my student-teaching experience, I have had the privilege to see some of the social and emotional services and activities. Helping students identify emotions has benefited my placement in a first-grade inclusion classroom. The need for social-emotional learning in schools will increase and become necessary for all grade levels, and hopefully help, many students will benefit and learn techniques that will help them not only in school but in their homelives as well.   

References:

Long, R. (director/ producer). (2012) Room To Breathe [film]. ZAP Zoetrope Aubry Productions.

Schwartz, K. (2019). Nine ways to ensure your mindfulness teaching is trauma informed. KQED Mindshift. LinkLinks to an external site.

Social Emotional Learning (2022, November 14). New York State Department of Education. https://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/selLinks to an external site.

Why is Mindfulness Needed in Education. (n.d.). Mindful Schools