How to introduce meditation to the classroom
There is nothing better than starting the school day than with a few minutes of silence, meditation or a simple relaxation.
Once the routine is established, pupils will love it and the impact it will have on their learning will far outweigh the few minutes lost from taking some time out from the timetable.
So many teachers do not believe that their class would take to relaxation and are often surprised by how easily most children join in and start to love and appreciate their quiet time.
Taking just 3-5 or 10 minutes for older children is becoming more and more important. The time alone, allows them to explore their own inner world as they relax their bodies and minds.
Pupils really start to become aware of how these few moments in the morning impacts on their concentration and focus and energy levels.
Daily meditation in your classroom can help pupils:
Reduce stress and anxiety
Aid ADHD
Improve concentration and focus
Reduce anger, anxiety, worry and other negative emotions
Improve awareness
Develop imagination and creativity
Improve memory retention
Develop awareness and empathy
Best of all, meditation in schools, improves the atmosphere of your classroom and helps teachers feel calmer and more in control.
Here are some tips to get you going
1 Talk to children about relaxation so they understand what they have to do before hand.
2 Explain the benefits of meditation so they can see why it is good for them.
3 Let pupils find a place on the floor with a cushion or get comfortable at their desk.
4 Encourage children to become aware of their breathing and listen to their heart beat.
5 Play a Relax Kids CD or calming music. It is easier to start with a CD as it guides children's minds and helps them focus.
6 Read a meditation from the Relax Kids book.
7 Ask children how they feel afterwards. Ask them questions:
How do you feel now compared to how you felt before?
Did you find the meditation easy or difficult?
What did you see in your imagination?
8 Encourage pupils to keep a diary or log book and write down their thoughts, moods and what they saw in their visualisation.
9 Create an area of wall in the classroom that is dedicated to peace and quiet, their experiences. Pupils could draw pictures of what they see in their imagination.
10 Encourage pupils to practice their meditations at home before bedtime and report back next day.
Written by Marneta Viegas on 08 November 2011 18:17:44 - blog number: 185 - http://www.relaxkids.com/tips/uploads/ - read 559 times