Many of us have read or heard about the many benefits of meditation and being mindful. Being mindful can help you achieve both physical and mental well-being. It’s no wonder that bringing this into your learning space can help students be more fully present in the course and experience less stress and tension. 

In the Faculty Focus article “ Mindfulness in the Classroom” by Erica Kosal, Ph.D., we begin to understand how practicing mindfulness with our students can create a more enriching learning experience for our students. 
Here are a few ways for faculty and students to practice mindfulness in just 5-10 minutes each day!

  • Five-minute guided meditations – whether online or in-person, providing students with a quick meditation may help to put them in the right frame of mind to complete their daily/weekly assignments. 
  • Listening to a classical piece of music – Providing a shared link for students to simply close their eyes and let the music move them can be a great way to encourage relaxation and keep focus.
  • Reflective writing – Provide students with five minutes to write freely about a particular topic. This is a great way to open the mind to various topics and avoid blocks.
  • Focusing on a piece of art – Share a piece of art and assign students to simply look at the art for 3-5 minutes. Once finished, ask the students what they saw. Show the same art a second time and repeat the question. Did they see the same thing? This is a great way to increase concentration. 
 
To help practice mindfulness in the classroom, you must be able to take time for yourself as faculty as well. Here are a few resources to learn more about ways to practice in your life and the classroom:

 

Do you have strategies for being mindful and less stressed? We would love to hear your ideas and thoughts! Click here to share!

Thank you for all that you do for our students!

- The Office of Academic Affairs at Granite State College