What would happen if, instead of punishing children for their misbehavior with detention and demerits, we helped them understand where their behavior was coming from, and taught them how to change it? Schools across the country have been doing just that by incorporating mindfulness into their daily routines and using it as an alternative solution for misbehavior.

Conventional school discipline such as suspension and detention have negative effects on students and teachers, including decreased graduation rates and post-secondary school enrollment (Winkler, Walsh, Blois, Mare, & Carvajal, 2017). High suspension rates also correlate with students reporting lower feelings of connectedness to their school. Recent studies have shown that new forms of behavioral correction, ones that help to integrate the misbehaved students back into the school community rather than isolating them from their peers, need to be put into place (Winkler et al., 2017). This need for a wholesome and integrative approach to discipline is likely why mindfulness instruction---defined as teaching students to pay attention on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally-- is being incorporated into many of our schools.

Putting Ideas into Action

Mindful Moments in Baltimore. The Holistic Life Foundation is a Baltimore-based non-profit dedicated to bringing mindful skills to students in underprivileged communities. They have had an influence in over 42 schools in the Baltimore area, Patterson High School being one of them. At Patterson High, instead of sending kids to detention for misbehaving, teachers refer them to the Mindful Moment Room. In this room, students are assigned to a mindfulness instructor and have a focused discussion for about 5 minutes and mindful practice and breathing exercises for 15 minutes. Implementation of the Mindful Moment program reduced classroom suspensions from 36 in 2012-2013 to 17 in 2013-2014 (Holistic Life Foundation, 2016).

Sustained mindful practice can help students recognize when an emotion is arising during a given situation. Students are then more likely to mindfully respond, rather than automatically react to emotions. Automatic reactions are commonly charged with anger or frustration, which is a basis for conflict and misconduct. Mindfulness may also have a positive impact on students by helping them shift their attention from distracting stimuli and impulses to what is being taught in class (Felver, Doerner, Jones, Kaye, & Merrell, 2013). Sustained practice can shift attention to psychological, emotional, and physiological reactions to stimuli, thus altering the way students experience and respond to stimuli in a positive manner. It can help students remain focused and aware of what is happening within them and outside of them, increasing both their quality of life and the quality of everyone's learning experience.

To create an environment that fosters mindfulness throughout the entire school daily, rather than only using it for disruptive behavior, Patterson High also offers full mindfulness classes lasting 60-90 minutes.

• These classes teach students conflict resolution, how to enhance concentration, how to become more aware of their thoughts and emotions, self-regulation, and stress reduction.
• Students report that they are using the skills they learn in these classes at home, in class, and with their relationships with others.
• Some students enjoy the practice of mindfulness so much that they choose to become "ambassadors" and learn to lead their own mindfulness classes.

Bringing mindfulness into Patterson High School has created an environment where students are more compassionate and understanding of their peers, teachers, and themselves. A little bit can go a long way, which is not surprising when you take a look at all the research that demonstrates just how powerful mindfulness can be.

The Benefits of Mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation has reduced stress levels and increased self-regulation in individuals across many populations, including those with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and demanding jobs with high levels of burn-out. This, in turn, promotes higher levels of well-being and performance in work and school (Felver et al., 2013, Vickery & Dorjee, 2016). Mindfulness is defined as paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally. Although most of the research on mindfulness has been focused on adult populations, a shift towards a focus on children has developed over recent years.

Mindfulness interventions have shown to improve metacognitive skills like emotional- and self-regulation in both children and adults (Vickery & Dorjee, 2016). Metacognitive skills are vital for one's ability to think and learn effectively, with high levels of metacognition increasing student's levels of attention, behavioral inhibition, and grades (Zelazo & Lyons, 2012). High levels of metacognition not only help students perform better in class; it provides them with valuable cognitive tools that they can hold onto for the rest of their lives.

In a study conducted by Vickery and Dorjee (2016), an 8-week mindfulness intervention given to 71 children aged 7-9 during school hours showed a significant decrease in negative affect and a significant increase in meta-cognition. Students were recruited from 3 primary schools in North Wales. The intervention was broken down into 30-minute sessions to accommodate the needs of most school schedules and 76% of students reported that they enjoyed the intervention with a desire to continue practice. This study is a great example of:

• The effectiveness of mindfulness in primary schools for better control of emotions and cognition
• The ability for mindful interventions to accommodate even the busiest of class schedules
• A positive reaction from students.

21st Century Learning

Mindfulness teaches us how to control overwhelming emotions and urges, and how to accept the things in our lives that might otherwise upset us deeply. Children entering the 21st century require a new way of learning to keep up with our rapidly expanding technology and society. Mindfulness could provide them with the unique skills necessary for the future: the power to control and utilize our thoughts and emotions in ways that are most effective. We have the ability to think for ourselves, but so often we enter "auto-pilot" and act in unproductive ways. The power of our minds is what sets us apart from the sophistication of our technology, and it is about time we learn how to use it to its fullest potential.

References

Felver, J. C., Doerner, E., Jones, J., Kaye, N. C., Merrell, K. W. (2013). Mindfulness in school psychology: applications for intervention and professional practice. Psychology in the Schools, 50.6, 531-547.

Haupt, A. (2016). Mindfulness in schools: When meditation replaces detention. 

Holistic Life Foundation (2016). Mindful moment program.

Winkler, J. L., Walsh, M. E., de Blois, M., Maré, J., & Carvajal, S. C. (2017). Kind discipline: Developing a conceptual model of a promising school discipline approach. Evaluation and Program Planning, 62, 15-24.

Zelazo, P. D., & Lyons, K. E. (2012). The potential benefits of mindfulness training in early childhood: A developmental social cognitive neuroscience perspective. Child Development Perspectives, 6(2), 154-160.

Suspension, detention, positive behavior interventions, behavior charting-- the list is endless when it comes to strategies teachers and administrators implement in an effort to reduce unwanted behaviors.

Who knew that the solution didn't end in "ion"? Rather, mindfulness -- an initiative resulting in improved student behavior through the use of breathing techniques, emotional support, and personal responsibility--has taken hold in several school districts, putting traditional disciplinary techniques to shame. In essence, with mindfulness, students learn to consider the present moment in a non-judgmental way. They learn to be mindful of themselves and others. Skeptical? Is this just another temporary solution cooked up by people who have never stepped foot in a classroom? Well, let's let the results speak for themselves.

Mindfulness in San Francisco. San Francisco schools have been implementing mindfulness in the form of "quiet time" at the behest of Superintendent Richard Carranza who has encouraged its district wide use. Following its first use in the district in 2007, Visitacion Valley Middle School saw marked improvement in multiple areas, including decreasing suspension rates by 45 percent, increased attendance, and measurable improvements in overall student happiness (Kirp, 2014).

In Baltimore. San Francisco is not alone. In Baltimore, Robert W. Coleman Elementary School has created an environment where traditional discipline no longer has a home, at least not a permanent one. Rather than suspending students who have a momentary lapse in judgement, causing them to miss valuable class time, Coleman is able to emphasize mindfulness strategies as an effective alternative. Students are able to escape into the "Mindful Moment Room" where they can deal with their emotions in a healthy and lasting way. Patterson High School, also located in Baltimore, has seen similar results with a substantial decrease in school suspensions from 46 to 26 over the course of one school year (St. George, 2016). 

Teaching Students Strategies for Coping

Students come to school to learn, but often find themselves consumed by problems at home or other stresses. By using mindfulness techniques, teachers are able to crack the code, so to speak (St. George, 2016). So much class time is wasted when teachers are forced to punish the transgressions of their students, without addressing the underlying concerns, which leads to unnecessary tension (Schwartz, 2017) and failure to help students find solutions to their turmoil and more positive ways to express themselves. Mindfulness, on the other hand, helps students learn useful techniques to deal with the specific situations, as well as applicable solutions to other stressful or confrontational situations they may face.

So, where can you get this magic solution? What strategies are working so well in these schools? Commonalities of mindfulness can be found in all of the success in CA and MD and include:

• Meditation
• Emotional Support
• Controlled Breathing
• Self-Awareness

These results don't just look good on paper. In a Child Mind Institute article, teacher Kristina Suter attests to the power of mindfulness in her classroom. As a special education teacher, she understands the emotional stress, and fast paced responses forced on both students and teachers alike. By giving her students the tools they need to express their emotions in a healthy manner, she is able to focus on the task at hand rather than being faced with the impossible choice of dealing with a behavior concern or teaching the material with which she has been tasked (Garey, 2017).

Teachers aren't the only ones raving about the effectiveness of mindfulness in avoiding perpetual disciplinary measures. Students impacted by the program are not silent (CBS, 2017). Students report that they are better able to focus on maintaining their emotional well-being, which also results in a more positive attitude towards academics.  

What is Different about Mindfulness?

Why is this different? Rather than putting a band-aid on the problem, mindfulness deals with the root of the issue, and changes the behavior at its core. Students participating in the mindfulness program are taught social skills, decision making, problem avoidance, responsibility, appropriate stress response, character development, and the list goes on. Unlike suspension, detention, and the other temporary solutions to behavioral concerns, mindfulness creates a lasting change that students can carry with them far beyond their time in the classroom. Some might even consider mindfulness to be their new best friend.

References

CBS San Francisco Bay Area. (2017). Bay area teaches mindfulness and student behavior improved.

Garey, J. (2017). Mindfulness in the classroom: How it helps kids regulate behavior and focus on learning.

Kirp, D. (2014). Meditation transforms San Francisco's toughest schools.

Morin, A. (2017). Why some schools are trading punishment for meditation.

Schwartz, S. (2017). Can teaching kids mindfulness replace discipline?

St. George, D. (2016). How mindfulness practices are changing an inner-city school.

Children's books with Asian American characters, values and themes can be used to teach a variety of lessons such as grit, compassion and self-acceptance. Using this medium, educators can talk about everyday values ranging in complexity in a way that children can relate and understand. Incorporating books from multi-cultural backgrounds introduces a diverse prospective, reinforces a child's own cultural roots and helps to build empathy towards others. Storytelling has also been found to foster critical thinking and improve listening and communication skills (Packham, 2017; Shah, 2017). We have reviewed nine Asian American children's stories that can be a resource for reinforcing interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. 

 
Grit. Grit is an important personality trait that helps children persevere through various challenges. Learning about how others have endured hard times can help motivate and inspire children, especially if they identify with the story's main character (Craycroft, 2017). Grit is a popular theme within Asian American children's literature and many stories focus on topics related to courage, overcoming personal adversity and issues/conflicts with immigration. 

• Yuko Chan and the Daruma Doll by Sunny Seki 

Yuko Chan is an adventurous girl who doesn't let her disability stop her from being a leader in her community. Although Yuko is blind, she does not let the viewpoint of others discourage her from saving her village. Yuko's motto is based on the words of a wise village monk, "If you fall seven times, you must pick yourself up eight times" (Seki, 2012). 

• Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss and Yuko Shimizu 

Barbed Wire Baseball is based on a true story of Kenichi Zenimura (Zeni), a Japanese-American boy who grew to become a professional baseball player, despite being told he was "too small" to play when he was younger. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Zeni, like many Japanese Americans, was forced to live in Internment Camps during World War II. Despite the various hardships of the camp, Zeni is still determined to play baseball one way or another (Moss & Shimizu, 2013). 

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson is about a Chinese girl, Shirley Temple Wong, who recently immigrated to America. Shirley is worried that she will not be able to adapt and makes friends in America because she does not speak English. Shirley's interest for baseball grows as she admires Jackie Robinson for his resolve to play the game, regardless of his critics. Shirley is then inspired to adapt to her new life in New York (Lord, 2003).

 

Cheng, A., & Halpin, A. (2012). The year of the book. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Choi, Y. (2003). The name jar. New York, NY: Dell Dragonfly Books.

Craycroft, M. (2017). 40 beautiful children's books that help teach a child about courage.

Pak, S. & Kim, J. U. (2003). Sumi's first day of school ever. New York, NY: Viking Press.

Lord, B. B. (2003). In the year of the boar and Jackie Robinson. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Maffei, M. (2017). Children's books that teach diversity are more important than ever. 

Moss, M. & Shimizu, Y. (2013). Barbed wire baseball: How one man brought hope to the Japanese internment camps of WWII. New York, NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

OBrien, A. S. (2012). A path of stars. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

Packham, A. (2017). 13 kids' books that help teach children about empathy. 

Seki, S. (2012). Yuko-chan and the Daruma doll. Tokyo, Japan: Tuttle Publishing.

Shah, P. (2017). 10 amazing benefits of storytelling for kids.

Uegaki, C. & Jorisch, S. (2003). Suki's kimono. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press.

Yashima, T. (1976). Crow boy. London, England: Puffin Books.