Why might meditation and mindfulness help us at Wayland Middle School?
There is a growing body of scientific evidence in the field of neuroscience showing that
meditation not only reduces stress and anxiety, but causes positive changes in the brain
related to improving the ability to learn, improving memory and developing empathy and
compassion for oneself and others. This aligns beautifully with our commitment to
BERT – Belonging, Empathy, Respect and Trust. Mindfulness and meditation skills
enhance students’ abilities to develop their intellectual and social capacities and
teachers’ abilities to teach most effectively. Here is a summary of some of the many
benefits of meditation drawn from several sources*:
• calms the mind and releases physical tension
• improves focus
• boosts awareness and allows for control over mood
• curbs impulsivity
• reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety
• helps improve focus
• increases emotional stability
• improves sleep quality,
• heightens feelings of compassion
Resources you can check out:
We have compiled a list of books and websites/apps and a CD that participants in our
meditation classes have found helpful. You might too.
Books:
Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Resources for Kids (and Their Parents) - Elise Snel
Child’s Mind: Mindfulness Practices to Help Our Children be More Focused, Calm and Relaxed – Christopher Willard
Breathe, Chill: A Handy Book of Games and Techniques Introducing
Breathing, Meditation and Relaxation to Kids and Teens – Lisa Roberts
Websites/Apps:
Insight Timer App (free) - Includes guided meditations, music, and talks as well as a
customizable timer.
Calm.com App (subscription) – a simple mindfulness meditation app offering programs
and guided meditations.
What have we learned?:
As an adult practitioner who has now meditated daily (or close to it) since early January,
I feel a notable increased sense of calm in my day to day life. Many others who took
part in the classes also found meditation helpful. One meditation classmate shared,
“The meditation course allowed me to make time for myself with benefits I could not
have imagined. On days that include meditation I am more productive, my thinking is
clearer, and my mood and energy is much more even keeled. I continue to work on
ways to bring mindfulness to my students and ways to scaffold mindfulness exercises
so that all students can participate.” Another teacher offered, “In the fast past world we
live in where students are constantly on the go, it makes a huge difference when we
take some time to be present and recharge. The benefit of spending the time to do a
simple 3-5 minute meditation in the beginning of class out weighs the time lost, trying to
refocus students throughout the lesson.” Still another teacher noted, “After I did a five
minute mindful mediation to start the class, I got immediate positive feedback from kids
saying,
‘That felt really good’
‘Can we do it again?’
‘Wow, that was very relaxing’
‘I loved that. I wish we could start with that way every class.’”
As you can see our early anecdotal evidence is positive. While I am not ready to throw
out my running shoes or my soccer cleats, I am won over to the power of meditation as
another important tool for managing stress in my life and in the lives of many students. I
am so grateful to Dr. Parker and the foundation for helping WMS find a little inner
peace.
Respectfully,
Betsy Gavron
