(This is the second post in a series about mindfulness in the
classroom. In the first post, we talked about how incorporating
mindfulness practices into the school day can help our kids deal with an
ever-anxious world. That post can be found at
http://liveandlearnnm.blogspot.com/2018/04/being-mindful-in-classroom.html.)
In today's modern, high-tech world, we are watching
our kids becoming more and more stressed out about life in general, and
we are realizing that it is affecting their overall health. Our children
dread going to school and it breaks our hearts. Learning should be a
natural, enjoyable endeavor, not a stressful one. It shouldn't be about
standardized tests, getting into college and later getting the really
good job that we all know college doesn't guarantee. We don't want them
to feel as anxious about school as many of us did. I was anxious in
kindergarten!
I'm 56 years old now and only recently
became aware of the concept of mindfulness. I'm learning to deal with my
anxiety in natural, healthy ways like meditating. I wish I had known
about all of this when I was in elementary school, painfully shy kid
that I was. If I had learned the techniques I share here, my elementary
years would've been much more enjoyable. I think I would have learned to
deal with my emotions better. I might not have been so shy.
It
isn't always easy to do some of the techniques, at least not at first.
Meditation is a biggie in the mindfulness scheme of things. Even at my
age, I find meditating very challenging, which defeats the purpose in a
way. When I think of how kids must feel in class, trying to meditate
with the rest but instead just sitting there with their thoughts racing,
I find myself wanting to help them so they can also reap the benefits
of a calm, quiet mind.
I've discovered some techniques that can help those who have trouble calming their racing thoughts. One
is a simple breathing exercise that slows down your breathing,
promoting concentration. Take in a deep, slow breath, hold for 4 seconds
then release slowly for 7-8 seconds. Do this a few times.
Tapping therapy
EFT
(emotional freedom techniques), tapping therapy, has also helped me
meditate. This is a technique I really wish I had known about when I was
that anxious kid in school.
According to The Tapping Solution (https://www.thetappingsolution.com/tapping-101/):
Tapping therapy is based on the combined principles of ancient Chinese
acupressure and modern psychology. Tapping with the fingertips on
specific meridian endpoints of the body, while focusing on negative
emotions or physical sensations, helps to calm the nervous system,
rewire the brain to respond in healthier ways, and restore the body’s
balance of energy.
I've been tapping for about a
month now. It works and only takes minutes to do. I've noticed that
tapping helps me concentrate and calm down. It's a kind of meditation in
itself. I started out using it mostly for anxiety but now, I will tap
once or twice a day just for a more balanced feeling, the kind that
acupuncture always gives me. I usually do it when I am in the bathroom.
It doesn't take any longer than that.
Just think what
could happen if students and teachers tapped a few times during the day.
Such a simple thing yet it can make a huge difference. They could do it
at strategic times, like first thing in the morning and after recesses.
Best of all, it doesn't take any special training to
tap. Look online for several sites that explain the basics. Learn EFT,
practice it, and see how you feel. I bet you feel happier and healthier
and will want to pass what you learn along to your students.