Mindfulness in schools: A requirement for New Era education (Part II)

In  PART I of this article we talked about how mindfulness responds to the needs of children in today's society. This may be one of the reasons for the growing popularity of this meditative practice in the educational context, and more specifically, in schools. In this second part of mindfulness in the educational environment we will explore some of the programs aimed at developing aspects related to the children’s emotional, social and academic development through the practice of mindfulness in different countries. Many of these programs began to be implemented years ago and are still in effect today. It is not intended to make an exhaustive analysis of each of the selected programs, but to offer practical information that could be of interest to the reader.

 

Selected programs

Below there is a list of the programs analyzed, the country where they have been developed and, where appropriate, the web addresses where you can find more information about them.

PROGRAMAS	PAÍS	WEB
Inner Explorer	Estados Unidos	www.innerexplorer.org
Moment Program	Estados Unidos
Resilitent Kids	Estados Unidos
Mindfulness in Schools Project	Reino Unido	www.mindfulnessinschools.org
Staf hakeshev	Israel
Wellness Works in Schools	Estados Unidos	www.wellnessworksinschools.com
RESPIRA	Colombia	https://www.respira.co/
MindEduca	Brasil	http://mindeduca.com.br/
¡Atención funciona!	Brasil

 

Tarjets of the programs

We can differentiate between programs intended only for students and those intended for both students and teachers. In the latter case, teachers have to be trained before implementing the program in their classes.
The programs encompasses students from Early Childhood Education (from 3 years) to Baccalaureate (18 years). However, most of them focus on students corresponding to Primary Education (6 to 12 years old). An explanation for this would be the recommendation of the experts to formally start with this practice from the age of 5. Some of the programs cover a wide age range while others focus on working with children of specific ages. In the first case, the different activities are adapted to the characteristics and needs of the children depending on their age. The activities are the same in both cases, but the approach is different depending on the students’ age.

Aspects to be improved

Although the backbone of these programs is the practice of mindfulness, which is a tool to achieve specific objectives. Most of them are focused on improving the children’s social and emotional skills, since these have important effects on their behavior and academic performance. The objectives of the different programs depend, to a great extent, on the context in which they have been developed. Some of the aspects that these programs intend to improve are:

- self-awareness
- emotional management
- peer relationships
- academic performance
- self-confidence
- behavior problems, violence and bullying
- cognitive and emotional skills
- emotional balance
- mental health
- stress level
- disposition towards learning
- teacher and student welfare
- socio-emotional skills

If we look carefully at the list, we will realize that most of these objectives to be achieved are either socio-emotional skills, or are related to them. This is a sign of the importance of developing socio-emotional skills for the different areas of a person's life, but this is a topic that we will address later on.

Techniques

The techniques used in the different programs can be divided into two main groups:

1) Formal techniques. They are those related to a mindfulness practice based on stillness. Some examples of these techniques are:
- Attention in breathing
- Body scan (attention to the different parts of the body)
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Attention to thoughts and sounds
- Attention to bodily sensations
- Attention to posture
- Visualization or imagery

2) Informal techniques. Although the purpose is the same as for formal techniques –developing mindfulness–, they are applied to everyday situations and tasks. Some of these techniques are:
- Personal diaries
- Games
- Stories
- Eat carefully
- Attention to movements
- Tell stories
- Draw or color

Some of these programs include a daily practice at home. The main goal is to integrate mindfulness into everyday life, so that the children are able to live in the present, with full awareness of themselves and of what surrounds them.

Results

After the implementation of these programs, positive results have been observed in both teachers and students. In the case of teachers, an improvement in job satisfaction, reduction in sick leave and stress, has been detected, among other aspects. In relation to students, a reduction in the rate of absenteeism, stress, fear, depressive symptoms and reactive and disruptive behavior was found. In addition, academic results, concentration, relaxation, rest and respect for oneself and others have been positively affected.

In view of the above, the introduction of mindfulness in schools seems to be a useful and valuable tool to improve education. On the one hand, it helps the teachers to feel more satisfied with their work, an essential aspect for both, teachers and students. Any professional who is satisfied with their job will be more likely to develop it more effectively. On the other hand, mindfulness encourages the improvement of students' personal and academic skills. From my point of view, it is indisputable that this type of meditative practices deserves, at the very least, to be considered as an option to be implemented in different settings in schools: extracurricular, workshops, etc. in order that children, teachers and parents can become familiar with this type of practice.

 

 REFERENCES

Mañas, I., Franco, C., Gil, M. D., & Gil, C. (2014). Educación consciente: Mindfulness (Atención Plena) en el ámbito educativo. Educadores conscientes formando a seres humanos conscientes. Alianza de civilizaciones, políticas migratorias y educación, 193-229.

Semple, R. J., Droutman, V., & Reid, B. A. (2017). Mindfulness goes to school: Things learned (so far) from research and real‐world experiences. Psychology in the Schools, 54(1), 29-52.

Terzi, A. M., de Souza, L. L., Machado, M. P. A., Konigsberger, M., Waldemar, J. O. C., de FREITAS, B. I., ... & Ferreira, M. Q. B. (2016). Mindfulness en la Educación: experiencias y perspectivas desde Brasil. Revista interuniversitaria de formación del profesorado, (87), 107-122.

 

Mindfulness in schools: A requirement for New Era education (Part I)

We live in a changing society, marked by immediacy and rush, in which everything we perceive and understand as our reality is previously processed by a series of learned prejudices and acquired beliefs. Getting to have a perception of reality that is more in line with our essence requires FULL ATTENTION, a voluntary connection with our consciousness. Minfulness is a very useful meditative practice to facilitate this contact with ourselves and allows us to live daily  in a more conscious and responsible way (López-Hernáez, 2016).
Practicing mindfulness on an ongoing basis can influences the physical and emotional environment of the person positively (Stahl, Goldstein, Kabat-Zinn and Santorelli, 2010). This is one of the reasons that have contributed to this ancient practice coming to the West to stay. Despite the fact that mindfulness is better known in the environment of adult life, different studies have shown the positive impact that this meditative technique can have on children. According to recent studies, children who practice mindfulness experience an improvement in their personal development and academic performance (López-Hernáez, 2016), beneficial aspects for coping with a changing society and demanding academic performance. The high excellence demanded in school and labour contexts requires an advanced capacity for concentration and attention that should be trained (Semple, Droutman, & Reid, 2017).

Mindfulness and emotional skills

That today's children and youth need to develop their emotional skills to respond to the needs of the 21st century society is an unquestionable reality (Pellegrino and Hilton, 2013). Most of the authors who deal with the study of emotional skills agree that emotional self-awareness is the first stage to be able to reach emotional management (Campayo and Cabedo, 2020). In this sense, the practice of mindfulness emerges as an extremely useful tool, since it allows us to develop emotional self-awareness through turning our attention towards our internal processes. In addition, studies also show evidence that the development of mindfulness in children in the educational field contributes to the improvement of creativity levels, the decrease in anxiety levels or the increase of the attention span. Its practice also fosters less aggressive behaviors and improves self-efficacy (Parra, Montañés, Montañés & Bartolomé, 2012). These aspects have a positive impact on children's participation in class, respect for their peers, and absenteeism (Schwartz, 2014).

 

Mindfulness in the educational context

The approach to education today is based on the basis of the traditional model. This model focuses on student productivity, and gives priority to the acquisition of the content of each discipline over social and personal values, that is, those aspects related to the human dimension of the person (Mañas, Franco, Gil and Gil, 2014) . However, this system can no longer be sustained in a society that calls for developed and conscious human beings to contribute to the fulfillment of the sustainable development goals (SDG) that the UN set for the 2030 Agenda.
As I have commented previously, mindfulness contributes to improving a person's self-awareness, the first step in the development of emotional skills so necessary for human development. This could be one of the reasons why many schools around the world are integrating the practice of mindfulness as part of their educational programs. But what is necessary for these educational initiatives to be effective?

Requirements for a successful mindfulness practice in the educational environment

In the first place, it is essential that all the adult members that make up the educational community - parents and teachers mainly - work as a team in the same direction, towards the same goal. It is necessary that these educational agents have developed their own self-awareness and have been appropriately trained in mindfulness before teaching children the knowledge and attitudes of this practice. In the words of Mañas, Franco, Gil and Gil (2014):

Sólo un educador consciente puede educar de forma consciente. Un educador consciente estará atento, tranquilo, relajado, en paz consigo mismo y con los demás. A través de su mera presencia encarnará cualidades y actitudes como la paciencia, la confianza, el respecto y la amabilidad. Será un modelo para sus alumnos y los motivará, guiará y ayudará a que desarrollen éstas y otras cualidades, actitudes y competencias. Estará en disposición de ayudar a sus alumnos a que generen su propio autoconomiento y habilidades de mindfulness (p. 194).

[Only a conscious educator can educate consciously. A conscientious educator will be attentive, calm, relaxed, at peace with himself and with others. Through your mere presence you will embody qualities and attitudes such as patience, trust, respect and kindness. You will be a role model for your students and will motivate, guide and help them develop these and other qualities, attitudes and skills. You will be in a position to help your students to develop their own self-awareness and mindfulness skills] (p. 194).

Mindfulness is more than an isolated practice. Mindfulness involves a set of attitudes that children learn by whatching people who are a benchmark for them - again parents and teachers. This implies that mindfulness attitudes should be integrated in the way of facing life. We could say that it is a lifestyle based on living day to day in a conscious way.


Thus, the essential objective regarding the introduction of mindfulness in schools would be that children develop mindfulness attitudes in order to extrapolate them to any situation and integrate it into their daily lives. In addition to this meditative practice in schools, it would be convenient to work on mindfulness at home from an early age with the aim that children identify mindfulness as something natural and that they are able to integrate it in a simple way in their way of relating to themselves and with the environment that surrounds them (Tébar and Delgado, 2015).
Continuing with the authors, so that the practice of mindfulness can be carried out successfully in the classroom, it is advisable that the activities be flexible enough to adapt to the needs of each child and the specific group with which they are going to work . Some of the aspects that are proposed to adapt the activities to the needs of the students are:

1) Children's interests and ages

2) Appropriate time, which will depend on the children's ability to maintain attention

3) Have different types of activities available to be able to use them according to the circumstances. Although the classification of the different activities can be varied depending on the way in which attention is going to be worked, all of them can be classified into two large groups: (a) dynamics - those that require movement for their implementation - and (b) static - those that don't require it.



As discussed above, the practice and integration of mindfulness in the lives of children is a fact that is being carried out, in part, due to the initiative of some schools to include this meditative practice as part of their educational projects. The purpose of this initiative would be to promote a more conscious and emotionally balanced society.
In a second part of this article, I will explain the characteristics of some of the mindfulness programs that have been implemented in the educational context in different countries until today and I will indicate some of the resources that have been used in them.

REFERENCES

Campayo y Cabedo (2020). Intrapersonal Skills and Music Performance in Elementary Piano Students in Spanish Conservatories: Three Case Studies. International Journal of Music Education, 38(1), 93-112.

López-Hernáez, L. (2016). Técnicas Mindfulness en Centros Educativos. Desarrollo Académico y Personal de sus Participantes. Revista Española de Orientación y Psicopedagogía, 27(1), 134-146.

Mañas, I., Franco, C., Gil, M. D., & Gil, C. (2014). Educación consciente: Mindfulness (Atención Plena) en el ámbito educativo. Educadores conscientes formando a seres humanos conscientes. Alianza de civilizaciones, políticas migratorias y educación, 193-229.

Parra, M., Montañés, J., Montañés, M. y Bartolomé, R. (2012). Conociendo mindfulness.

Ensayos, Revista de la Facultad de Educación de Albacete, 27, 24-46.

Pellegrino, J.W., & Hilton, M.L. (Eds.). (2013). Education for life and work: developing transferable knowledge and skills in the 21st century. National Academies Press.

Semple, R. J., Droutman, V., & Reid, B. A. (2017). Mindfulness goes to school: Things learned (so far) from research and real‐world experiences. Psychology in the Schools, 54(1), 29-52.

Schwartz, K. (2014). Low-income schools see big benefits in teaching mindfulness. KQED Mind/Shift.

Stahl, B., Goldstein, E., Kabat‐Zinn, J., y Santorelli, S. (2010). Mindfulness para reducir el estrés. Barcelona: Karios.

Tébar Bueno, S., & Delgado, M. P. (2015). Practicando Mindfulness con el alumnado de tercer curso de educación infantil. Ensayos: Revista de la Facultad de Educación de Albacete, 30(2).

 

Mindfulness as a first step in developing emotional intelligence

In 1983, Howard Gardner published the book The frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. This book meant a before and after in the understanding of the concept of intelligence, which was previously connected, almost exclusively, with the intellectual quotient. Two of the seven intelligences initially defined by Gardner - intrapersonal intelligence (which refers to how we relate to ourselves) and interpersonal intelligence (which refers to how we relate to others) - were the forefunners of what years later, in 1990, was defined as emotional intelligence by Mayer and Salovey. But it was not until the publication of the best seller Emotional Intelligence in 1995 by the American psychologist, journalist and writer Daniel Goleman, , when this psychological construct became popular and was introduced in schools little by little. It was precisely The United States one of the first countries that proposed socio-emotional learning through  Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), which became one of the most internationally recognized socio-emotional education programs.

Mindfulness as a requirement for the development of emotional intelligence

Subsequent to Mayer and Salovey's definition of emotional intelligence, many different models of this concept emerged. It is not the objective of this article to talk about the different models developed around this psychological construct. However, it is essential to bear in mind that they all are built on the same basis: emotional self-awareness is essential to be able to manage emotions. But what is emotional self-awareness? Emotional self-awareness is a skill that allows us to become aware of what we are feeling at a specific moment. It is, therefore, an intrapersonal skill. For this awareness, it is essential to develop mindfulness in what happens or, as it is popularly known, "being in the present" or "being here and now". Something that might seem easy to do, is not. The mind tends to be disconnected from what we are doing at the moment. Frecuently, the mind wanders between the past and the future. In fact, according to a study by Killingsworth and Gilbert (2010), this happens 46.9% of the time in the average person. However, we experience greater happiness when we are in the present. I leave you the link to this study in case you are interested in knowing more about this topic.

KILLINGSWORTH___GILBERT__2010_.pdf

Mindfulness practice as a tool to develop mindfulness

Mindfulness consists of a meditative practice whose objective is to bring awareness to the present moment. This process must be done without judgment and without expectations for the practice to be successful. The benefits of mindfulness are widely known and range from the personal area (greater mental and emotional balance, improved interpersonal relationships or health) to the professional area (greater efficiency and productivity). We can find different ways to practice mindfulness that, basically, can be divided into  formal practice (isolated) and informal practice (integrated in day to day).

Given the importance that mindfulness has for the development of emotional intelligence, compulsory education at schools are integrating this practice as part of the training offered in their centers, but on this issue I will speak more in depth in the next article. Until then!!

 

 

REFERENCES

Gardner, H. (1983). The Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books.

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. Why it Can Matter more than IQ. New York: Bantam Books

Salovey, P., y Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional intelligence. Imagination, cognition and personality, 9(3), 185-211.

 

The purpose of education is to learn to be happy

On this occasion I would like to share with all of you a documentary that, for me personally, always "strikes a chord with me." It is an interesting and emotional documentary in which the Japanese teacher Toshiro Kanamori exemplifies a type of educational practice that, in addition to nurturing the cognitive dimension of traditional education, also allows feeding the affective dimension of children. This educational approach promotes the development of students' self-knowledge as well as learning to respect themselves and others. I highly recommend it!!

Chilcren Full of Life

What is Holistic Education? A new educational paradigm for a conscious society

It’s an obvious issue that today's society needs a change in educational paradigm urgently. On the one hand, there are increasing cases of depression, drug consume or even suicide among teenagers (Cervantes & Hernández, 2008; Vicario & Romero, 2005). On the other hand, the pollution to which we are subjecting the planet Earth, gender violence or social inequality are other indicatives that show us that something doesn’t work.

 

 Mechanistic paradigm vs holistic paradigm

There are many educational laws that are being implemented with the intention of improving the quality of education. Without going into what is understood by “educational quality” I'll say that most of the current educational laws are developed on the base of the principles of the past centuries educational systems. It's a mechanistic paradigm focused almost exclusively on the development of the cognitive dimension of the human being. This biased and partial educational practice focuses on a external product to the human being. However, it’s no secret that the person is a complex unit made up of different dimensions interconnected between them

 

 

 

On the other hand, different psychological theories (such as multiple intelligences or learning styles) and principles of New Education (such as transversality or the student as the center of the teaching-learning process) justify the implementation of the holistic model. All these aspects are included in the World Declaration for Holistic Education for the XXI Century developed by Gallegos (2005), which is articulated through 13 main points:
1. A new educational paradigm
2. Learning communities
3. Multiple intelligences and learning styles
4. Educational integrity
5. Universal love
6. Win-win in education
7. Education for sustainable development
8. The human being is a multidimensional being with a spiritual heart
9. Education as a process of evolution of consciousness
10. Transdisciplinarity
11. Comprehensive, permanent and meaningful learning
12. The new mission of the educator
13. Moral development
These points can be found developed in the video below. [Please, note that the video is in Spanish].

 

Considerations about Holistic education

The implementation of a holistic education requires a deep change regading the way of understanding education. The manner in which education is understood is conditioned by the perception that one has about life and this, in turn, of the level of consciousness developed by the individual. Thus, the level of consciousness of each human being emerges as a key point for this new educational paradigm to be successfully implemented, since we are all part of education.
Some key points such as the new role of the teacher, the new configuration of learning communities, education as a process of evolution of consciousness or transdisciplinarity, require a new look from each one towards oneself and towards life. Only the integration of this different approach would facilitate the successful achievement of the holistic educational model, since, in Jaurès’[1] said, you can only teach it is what you are. It isn’t possible to teach what you want, what you say or what you pretend you know. Furthermore, this new way of understanding education requires that the different agents that make up the educational community, such as teachers, parents and administrations, work in teams directing all their actions, interests and efforts in the same direction, towards the same objective. : the integral development of the human being.

 

Although most of us probably think that holistic education is an ideal educational model, we have to be aware that its implementation depends, to a large extent, on the involvement that each of us has in relation to our own personal development. So, I wonder... are we prepared for this new educational paradigm or do we prefer to remain the current paradigm knowing its consequences? Are we willing to face the changes, challenges and responsibilities derived from a new level of consciousness or do we prefer to stay in our comfort zone? I invite you to leave your reflections on these questions if you feel so.

 

REFERENCES

Cervantes, W., & Hernández, E. M. (2008). El suicidio en los adolescentes: Un problema en crecimiento. Duazary, 5(2), 148-154.

Delors, J. (1996). Learning, the Treasure Within: Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-First Century. París: UNESCO.

Gallegos, R. (2005). Declaración Mundial por la Educación Holística para el Siglo XXI. [Recuperado de https://studylib.es/doc/4998227/declaraci%C3%B3n-mundial-por-la-educaci%C3%B3n-holista]

Gluyas, R. I., Esparza, R., Romero, M. C. & Rubio, J. E (2015). Modelo de Educación Holística: Una Propuesta para la Formación del Ser Humano. Revista Electrónica Actualidades Investigativas en Educación, 15(3), 1-25.

Vicario, H., & Romero, A. R. (2005). Consumo de drogas en la adolescencia. Pediatría Integral, IX, 2, 137-135.

 

IMAGES

(In Pixabay)

 Gordon Johnso; Clker-Free-Vector-images; Lacy Molnár; OpenClipart-vector; luc Mahler; Rafael Javier; Wokandapix; Moteoo; Eommina; Graphicmama-Team; Mary Pahlke; Gingio Giannone; Hans Kretzmann; Yogendra Singh

 

 

 

Emotions as a tool of self-knowledge

In order for holistic education to be effective, it is essential that adults develop our self-knowledge and self-responsibility. All of us have to take intentional action to this purpose. Today, I propose a simple exercise that I hope will serve as an introduction to work these two aspects. It is an exercise based on working with emotions, an inherent characteristic of the human being and which, at times, is so difficult for us to manage.

Emotions' messages

Emotions are only indicators of how we are, how we feel. Actually, emotions are our allies, since they are always offering us information about ourselves. However, sometimes we ignore their messages and  we tend to avoid them, as they don’t meet the expectations of the ego. The emotions are sincere, they never lie to us. It is for this reason that we should pay attention to them and learn to listen to them to find out the message they want to convey to us. This message contains valuable information, it is information about our true needs and desires, and it opens the way to our self-knowledge and, consequently, to our power.

Exercise proposal

Feel-YOURSELF. Feel your chest. Put your hands on it if necessary. Close your eyes and breathe. What do you feel? Peace? Anxiety? Fear? Everything is fine. Everything is part of you, of your own process. Just breathe and accept the emotion. Feel it. Recognize it. Don't repress it. Listen to it. It wants to teach you something. It is on your side, it is your friend, not your enemy. Talk to it. Ask it, what do you want to tell me? The answer will come in due course...

We are all part of education

I would like to open this blog with a reflection on our role in education and what our attitude should be to create a more conscious world, since these kinds of reflections are what have led me to create this space.

When we talk about education, it's usual to think of school. However, education is something that goes further. Education is related to learning, to everything we experience and helps us to conform as a person. Also, we can say that education is everywhere and it is the way we relate to the world, including our relationship with others, with animals, with everything that surrounds us... but particularly, with ourselves.

The need to develop self-awareness

Usually, we are taught how to behave according to social conventions from a very early age. We are taught what is understood by good and bad and even what is to success in life and what we should do to be successful, if this is what we really want.

And what are we taught about ourselves? About who we are and what we are living for?  Regarding we like and make us feel good? Are our talents considered and how can we help others through them while enjoying doing so?

It may be that the answers to these questions do not meet the expectations that others have projected on us. It is a fact that people tend to respond to the expectations of others, especially from those that are important for them, parents, teachers and friends, mainly. This is what is known as self-fulfilling prophecy.

If you want, you can

What would the world be like if we learned to be authentic, to listen to our hearts and to serve others by giving the best of ourselves instead of what is supposed to be the best for us and for others? What would happen if we learned to boost children’s potential instead of focusing on what we consider that are their deficiencies?

I ask myself these questions, which encourage me to foster a sort of world where these scenarios could become true. Perhaps, to some of you, this vision may seem utopian or even a fantasy. However, I think for something to happen it would be necessary to believe that this is possible and to take the appropriate actions to get it. The idea is the first step to make something happen. I think the effects derived from responding to the expectations imposed by today's society are well known. I assume that we are all an integral part of society and we have the responsibility for changing society if we don’t agree with it. And how? Learning to look inward, daring to look at what we don't like about ourselves and take action to change it instead of complaining about what we don't like about others, about society, about life… Change begins in every one of us. We have great power. We are important and we have to assume that responsibility ... Is it not wonderful?

What is the Holistic Teacher's Corner?

Welcome to The Holistic Teacher's Corner, a space created not only for teachers and parents, but for everybody. We are all responsible for the education of future citizens.

This is The Holistic Teacher's Corner, a place where this change in education perspective is promoted. A sort of education that focuses on the development of the person as the main objective and where the product is the result of a process carried out with conscience and love.

 Thank you for joining me on this journey, which is also a learning experience for me and, like anything else in life, everything is better when shared with others

Thanks for being there!!