One thing I do in the classroom (and swear by) is meditate daily with my students. I introduced meditation on the first day of school. We discussed what meditation is and set clear expectations for what meditation looks like in our classroom. No one is required to meditate but it is required to stay quiet to respect those that do. We keep it simple. We watch a five minute meditation Youtube video.
We do our meditation immediately after recess. Teachers know the transition back from recess can be rough. Meditation involves deep focused breathing which helps regulate the nervous system. Meditation became the perfect way to help students manage the transition from high energy recess to the quiet learning environment of the classroom.
One thing that has surprised me the most is how much the students enjoy it. They never let me miss a day. (It's even written into my sub plans.) My high trauma students are probably the biggest fans of meditating. I had one student tell me it makes him feel calm. The students are able to feel the positive effects meditation has on themselves.
I encourage you to meditate in your classroom. Honestly, I just encourage YOU to meditate. Give your nervous system five to ten minutes a day of big, deep breaths. Let your mind empty. See if you find it makes a difference in your life. (What can you lose? I saw your screen time usage, so I know you've got the timeðŸ¤)
(Disclaimer, if you are concerned about my students missing five minutes of instructional time to meditate, I can guarantee no learning would be happening during the five minutes after recess anyway.)
Happy meditating,
Jes
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