Mindfulness is one of the things we practice that, if done consistently, will keep you more in tune with others. Have students watch this video and then take a moment to practice being mindful for 5 minutes. Some students will have a difficult time focusing on their breathing so try your best to ignore it and focus on the collective. You can ask students that are having great difficulty to put their head down and listen to the calmness in the room. I would also take the time afterward to confirm that making our mind still and being present is not easy at first because of the fact that we think about so many things all the time. Being still and being present is a goal that can be set for each student. Whether it is tracked on a board, their desk, or mentally through round robin after each practice. I would highlight the students who have successfully followed the practice by asking them how they feel? I repeat this has to be consistent in order for your students to truly be rewarded with the benefits. Mindfulness is one of those things that need to be practiced before you see the results. It took me about 5-6 months of consistent mindfulness before I truly understood how it has been infused into my life. Our class would begin mindfulness with the sound of a chime and after the 5 minutes we would conclude with the sound of the chime to bring us back.
This only scratches the surface to the uses of mindfulness within the classroom. There are poses associated with mindfulness breathing that encourage calmness, energy, focus, relaxation, releasing energy, etc. Please visit www.niroga.org and look into their resources and training.
Below you will find some videos that discuss what mindfulness is:
Guided meditation 1 - a great way to start mindfulness within your classroom
Guided meditation 2- a great way to start mindfulness within your classroom
Guided meditation 3 - a great way to start mindfulness within your classroom