Should mindfulness practices be used as a pathway to support Social-Emotional Learning and Self-Regulation in the Early Elementary Classroom?
My Professional Inquiry Project topic took me a while to come to, but when it came, I felt like things fell right into place really well to support this within my classroom context! This project has allowed for me to better support the wellbeing (physically and mentally) of both myself and my students.
This idea came to be when I found myself using phrases to help with transitions like “move calmly” or “it should feel calm and peaceful while we work,” not realizing that I was inadvertently asking students to engage in a type of mindfulness, without actually teaching them those things! I would often use those phrases when the classroom was feeling hectic, but I was never intentional about teaching students exactly what I meant when I said those things. |
Image from: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/mental-health/the-5-biggest-myths-of-mindfulness
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During our first PL day in January, I had the opportunity to take MindUp training. I had learnt about MindUp and mindfulness, and all of those “buzz-word” type things throughout previous courses, but I had never taken intentional training to learn about what those practices looked like/sounded like in the classroom. After taking this training, I knew it was something I needed to try with my students to see if it might help them build on their social-emotional capacity as well as their ability to regulate. I knew these things all connected, because we spoke about them through this training session, but I knew I had to gain a deeper understanding of how they connected in order to do it well.
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Due to the nature of PSIII, I was unable to fully implement the MindUp curriculum, but I was able to introduce mindfulness in other ways. I began by doing small things, like trying the chime or doing small, guided moments from Breathe Like a Bear by Kira Willey; I found that these exercises needed some extra scaffolding to teach skills like how to take a proper deep breath, or how to focus your mind on the moment. Through extensive reflection and discussions with my Mentor Teacher, I found that these things just weren’t working in the way I hoped, and when they were working it was only for a handful of students at a time- I quickly realized that introducing mindfulness needed to be more intentional and built into the routine.
I needed to provide more ways for students to access this state of mindfulness. Mindful practices are just like instruction and assessment in a sense that one size does not fit all. Some students responded better to more activity-based mindfulness like CalmConnect movement breaks, while others responded really well to a sedentary practice like visualization or Breathe Like a Bear. During the first transition week of being in the classroom on my own I began integrating mindfulness into our actual routines, consistently- before morning meeting, after body breaks, and then after snack before we begin learning again.
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For the remainder of my practicum, and for the focus of my PIP my goal was to dive deep into the ways in which these mindful practices might impact SEL and self-regulation for my students. As an adult, I notice changes in my own attitudes and ability to regulate and “un-flip my lid” when I am faced with a challenging situation. I notice my own body feel dysregulated, uneasy, and full of anxiety when I am not practicing mindfulness in the intentional way I should be. When I am in a semester where I am taking classes I struggle to focus and get things done if I let my mind wander and remain in a state of mindlessness; I also begin feeling like things are just happening to me and are out of my control (a sense of helplessness, if you will). Based on the research I have done to date, and my own experiences I set out with the prediction that my students will benefit in the same ways from practicing mindfulness, and from what I could tell, my prediction was correct!
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Due to the nature of PSIII, I was unable to fully implement the MindUp curriculum, but I was able to introduce mindfulness in other ways. I began by doing small things, like trying the chime or doing small, guided moments from Breathe Like a Bear by Kira Willey; I found that these exercises needed some extra scaffolding to teach skills like how to take a proper deep breath, or how to focus your mind on the moment. Through extensive reflection and discussions with my Mentor Teacher, I found that these things just weren’t working in the way I hoped, and when they were working it was only for a handful of students at a time- I quickly realized that introducing mindfulness needed to be more intentional and built into the routine.
I needed to provide more ways for students to access this state of mindfulness. Mindful practices are just like instruction and assessment in a sense that one size does not fit all. Some students responded better to more activity-based mindfulness like CalmConnect movement breaks, while others responded really well to a sedentary practice like visualization or Breathe Like a Bear. During the first transition week of being in the classroom on my own I began integrating mindfulness into our actual routines, consistently- before morning meeting, after body breaks, and then after snack before we begin learning again.
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For the remainder of my practicum, and for the focus of my PIP my goal was to dive deep into the ways in which these mindful practices might impact SEL and self-regulation for my students. As an adult, I notice changes in my own attitudes and ability to regulate and “un-flip my lid” when I am faced with a challenging situation. I notice my own body feel dysregulated, uneasy, and full of anxiety when I am not practicing mindfulness in the intentional way I should be. When I am in a semester where I am taking classes I struggle to focus and get things done if I let my mind wander and remain in a state of mindlessness; I also begin feeling like things are just happening to me and are out of my control (a sense of helplessness, if you will). Based on the research I have done to date, and my own experiences I set out with the prediction that my students will benefit in the same ways from practicing mindfulness, and from what I could tell, my prediction was correct!
Through my PIP, I have come to the reasoned conclusion that, YES- Mindfulness should most definitely be used as a pathway to support SEL and Self-Regulation in the Early Elementary Classroom.Please see the above tabs for information and research to support this conclusion.
I hope that as you explore my website you find some useful information, tools and resources!
Please feel free to contact me (see below) if you have any questions or comments. Thank you!
I hope that as you explore my website you find some useful information, tools and resources!
Please feel free to contact me (see below) if you have any questions or comments. Thank you!
About MeMy name is Ashley Hoisington (She/Her). I am currently completing my PSIII teaching Kindergarten at Herons Crossing School (which, is also the only school we know of with a verb in it's name! #noapostrophe) in Airdrie, AB.
I will be graduating in Spring 2021 with a Combined B.A/B.Ed Degree in General Humanities (English, History & Linguistics)/English Language Arts Education with a focus in Early Childhood Education. Being in the classroom is a lifelong dream of mine, and I strive to create a safe and caring learning environment where all students can be successful. As someone who has faced my own struggles with mental health, I have seen the impacts of mindfulness on my own wellbeing and ability to learn. I believe that by integrating mindfulness into my classroom I will be able to support my students who may face similar (or completely different) challenges. I believe mindfulness is just like instruction & assessment- One size, does NOT fit all.... |