In the middle of the night, an Amber Alert alarms on my cell phone. I put on my glasses, checked the phone, and saw something about a 1979 white Cadillac… I went back to sleep.
At morning recess shouts and screams enter the hallways. I close my door.
The bell rings, my students enter, visibly stressed, breathing differently, heavier.
We talk about it. One says, “I’m so tired of all this bullying. I just want people to get along.” Her eyes tear up. I offer a hug.
Another student says, “Let’s meditate! I need it this morning.” Blankets and pillows come out. Breathing slows as we imagine the stress leaving our bodies.
We breathe slowly in silence for 4 minutes.
We begin the work of the day, reading and writing.
I don’t have any answers for the fears, the cries, the bullying, but I can offer a safe place of mindfulness. It’s something. Some days it’s everything.
Note: My student Faith wrote about the fight in this Slice of Life post.
For meditation, I use Mindful Kids, a box of kid-friendly meditation cards by Whitney Stewart. Available on Amazon.
How wonderful that you’re taking the time to teach your students mindfulness and the value of meditation. Every time I read one of your classroom slices, I think how lucky your students and colleagues are to have you as a part of their school.
I like the idea of morning mindfulness. As I learn more about Brain Trauma, I realize how much moments of calm should be part of daily routine. Thanks for sharing the resource. I’ll pass it on to my teams.
Taking time to slow down in our hectic world is so important, Margaret. I am impressed by the young lady who suggested meditation, and equally impressed with the teacher who followed her lead. Thank you.
I love that your student came up with the idea to use the mindfulness training you had provided them. So empowering!
Thank you for giving us a little peek into a day that looks and sounds so similar to many of mine. I have been giving myself those three minutes in the morning. It helps, if even to give strength to troubleshoot so many challenges throughout the day. Nice post.
This is so good. Thank you for sharing the resource. It really does make a difference in my life, we certainly should be teaching it to our students!
This is so powerful. First, that you are teaching mindfulness to your students. Secondly, that they authentic recognized when they needed it. I think about the times we spend a half an hour talking about an event with our kids to try an understand it, when really, we maybe should not even try to understand it. We shoud just take 4 minutes and breathe.
How I love that one of your students suggested meditation. Meditation is so interesting–it doesn’t solve the problem, and yet it does. I am so glad you are teaching meditation to your students and seeing the results of that practice.
What a great post! I’ve been trying to be more mindful myself and meditate on my own because I really want to be able to do this with my students. I love that one of your students asked for meditation. You’re doing amazing work in your classroom! I just placed my amazon order for those cards.
Providing the time, space and the learning so that your students can be problem solvers . . . building up their independence. BRAVO, Margaret! Exactly what they need in your trusting, caring classroom!
❤
I’m so glad you shared the resource for the meditation cards you used – I meant to ask you about that. Do you think they would be appropriate for my kinders?
Yes! They are very kid friendly.
Being mindful is something that I struggle to keep up with in my own life. Growing up, my parents always stressed the important of deep breaths to help me calm my nerves. So, this is actually a coping mechanism for me. When I am mindful and able to quiet my mind, I feel so much better! There is nothing wrong with teaching this to your students.
What a wonderful tool meditation is for your students to use in this very challenging world. We truly may not have the answers for our students of how to combat their fears, but allowing time for them to be mindful and at peace with their thoughts may allow them to find their own answers.
What a great resource for mindfulness. I will check it out!
Also, great guest post on #teachwrite blog! Thoroughly enjoyed it. Writing groups that stick are hard to find!