How Meditation Can Help Teachers in Schools
How Meditation can help Teachers in Schools
Teacher from London area
How Meditation Can Help Children in Schools
How Meditation Can Help Children In Schools – by Adrian Hyde
(Primary School Teacher in the Dudley Borough, West Midlands)
As a Primary teacher of over 15 years it has become more and more noticeable that children over the last few years seem to be facing greater challenges to their well-being.
It seems that they are being influenced more and more by technology without sufficient guidance. Technology has increased the amount of information they have to process each day and whilst not all bad there is information that maybe they shouldn’t have to be processing or should be having some support with.
Family time is being squeezed by pressures of work and parents also spending more time with their own various forms of technology.
Comparing today with my own primary school days there is so much more that children have to deal with and often by themselves. Generally there life is more cluttered and there is less space for an innocent daydream or just moments of freewheeling – all things which a healthy mind should be able to do.
So how could meditation help in schools? By providing a structured opportunity for children to allow their minds to relax, de-clutter and find space.
Children respond remarkably well to the opportunity to meditate or chill out – children quite like the idea of meditation, to them it’s cool and different.
Responses from children in primary school whom I have seen experience a meditation are overwhelmingly positive. Their feedback on these sessions is that it felt; relaxed, calm, peaceful, quiet and it changed the feeling in the classroom to a better one.
Even with a challenging class those children whom you might expect to be difficult actually respond very well to the calm environment created – it may well be just the escape they need from a mind that has some turmoil.
On an emotional intelligence course I learned that people generally exist in 3 zones;
the comfort zone in which we have no stress and are totally relaxed.
the challenge zone where we are tested in a healthy way that helps us develop.
and finally the stress zone which is pretty paralysing and very uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, some children are in or very close to the stress zone when they arrive at school in the morning. So what happens at school to help them?
‘Stop fidgeting!’ ‘Stop chatting to your friends!’ ‘Stop daydreaming!’ ‘Your targets today are to learn about ‘equivalent fractions and percentages!’
Are we asking why children are behaving the way they do and more importantly are we doing anything about it?
Perhaps our first target of the day should be that you should all do nothing for 10 minutes except listen to your breathing?
Feedback from the staff
it was an enjoyable session overall.We were very impressed with your session yesterday. Some of the kids got so engrossed they nearly went to sleep.You would have enjoyed a moment later in the day as one of the teams were getting stressed over a task and decided to have a time-out to meditate! They sat at their table with their eyes closed for a minute and then got on with it.
Lorenzo Cosoc – Walsall Council
Thank you for showing an interest in presenting workshops to our school. We will bear your offer in mind should we decide to pursue meditation and stress management further. Yours faithfully,
Gerard Evans – Director of Curriculum @ Eton College, Windsor, Berkshire
Really good way of refocusing the mind. We find it hard to be quiet, so it was good, fantastic. Very pleased the way they responded, excellent!
English Teacher @ Queen Mary’s Grammar School
Instant calm, its not a calm school we’re very energetic here, a very special event for us.
Sixth Form Economics and Maths Teacher @ Queen Mary’s Grammar School
Very calming – most pupils seemed to get something out of it.
Queen Mary’s Grammar School
Great to see noisy pupils settling to a new sort of calmness. The non denominational, non religious presentation means it is available to everyone and fits in perfectly with the Every Child Matters Guidelines. Would also be great for staff to learn as it would help relationships.
W. Manton: Aldridge School – RST (Year 7-13)
It was amazing I almost felt out of my body! I think it will help me to be more creative in my teaching.
Steve Bowyer: Aldridge School – Business Studies and Enterprise (Year 7-13)
Feedback from the students
On the 14th July 2010 we visited Hill Crest School in Dudley to deliver a one day meditation workshop to a group of 22 Year 9 Students entitled: Healthy Minds & Social Enterprise
Here are some of the comments from the students who participated on this successful one day workshop:
How did you find the session?
“It makes you feel comfortable and relaxed.”
“Anybody can meditate!”
“Meditation can help you to concentrate”
“Meditation helps you draw closer to yourself”
“Meditation helps you to become stress free with nothing to worry about”
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Mind Space’s visited Queen Mary’s Grammar Girls School to introduce the practice of Meditation to Year 12 Students
A group of 120 students and staff and several distinguished members of the local community all had the opportunity to be guided through a guided meditation. Many of the students found calm within and enjoyed the session.
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Mind Space visited Aldridge School to introduce the practice of Meditation to Year 10 students.
The sessions included an introduction to meditation, 10 minutes of guided meditation and an opportunity to explore creative communication techniques. There were four separate groups with around 40 students in each group. Responding exceptionally well to the practices to the delight of some of the teachers!
Out of around 150 students – 50% would like to experience the session and meditate again.
When asked: ” Do you think meditation would help your work and studies” the answer that came back from the group was “Yes it would help set your mind more to work”
Here are some of the things they said about the sessions at the end.
Enthralling
Calming
Relaxing
Weird
Mentally Challenging
Peaceful
Helpful
Felt sleepy
Was something different
Opportunity to focus
Some of the students found it a little difficult and unusual but nevertheless enjoyed the experience – some found it funny as it was the first time they had engaged in such practices.
Teachers & Lecturers
Although teaching can be one of the most rewarding and satisfying vocations there is also a stress load that can accompany this work which can affect us both physically and mentally.
Mind Space Education visits schools to offer children the practices of meditation and well being – our be-spoked approach means we can offer separate sessions/workshops for Teachers and Lecturers.
Contact us if you would like a Mind Space Education Information Pack.
Mature Students
Mind Space run classes for mature students throughout the year both within educational establishments and also in the community.
The sessions give the individual opportunity to sample and experience the powerful affects of meditation in a very simple clear way. Classes run throughout the year.
Please contact us if you would like sessions near you or in your college/university.
For daytime and evening community classes in your local area, please click here.
University Meditation
The next session will be at the University of Wolverhampton during their Health and Well Being week: May 2010.
We will be delivering sessions to both staff and students introducing meditation techniques which Bust the stress in the mind.
General info about University Meditation
Classes are held within Universities. The sessions are designed for busy students who want to access the benefits of meditation within their lives.
The sessions are simple, lively and enjoyable with opportunity to experience guided meditation and also to ask questions and discuss.
Due to the non-religious nature of the sessions they attract students from a wide variety of backgrounds.
SET UP A MIND SPACE SOCIETY IN YOUR UNIVERSITY!
Contact us if you are a student and would like to set up a Mind Space Meditation society in your University. We can provide you with a teacher, great marketing materials and your own webpage!
INVITE A TRAINER TO DELIVER A MIND SPACE WORKSHOP
If you work in a University and would like to experience one of Mind Space’s workshops in house for your staff please contact our admin team…..
Meditation in Schools
Across the UK, Mind Space delivers bespoke training sessions within primary and secondary schools.
These sessions can be clearly linked to the ECM (Every Child Matters) outcomes. The sessions can be linked to your schools curriculum in the following ways:
- Personal Health, Social Citizenship Education
- Looked after Children
- Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning
- Learning and Behavior Support
- Children with Additional Needs
- National Healthy Schools Standard
- Special Educational Needs
Meditation aids children in their mental development and emotional growth.
Encouraging an experience of well being which affects and touches all aspects of their education.
Meditation gives the child a window of opportunity in the day to experience relaxation.
Increase concentration and focus.
Not only is the child naturally more motivated with their studies but through this development their interactions with others improves and overall experience of well being develops.
Sessions are led by qualified meditation teachers with Enhanced CRB clearance designed to suit the children, teachers and schools needs and requirements.
For a provisional discussion related to bespoke course to suit the needs of your children/setting please contact us.
Discover comments from staff, children,
If you would like a Mind Space Education proposal sent to your school please e-mail with your request.
