January 25, 2018
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is an ancient Buddhist practice meaning, “to live fully in the present moment with intention and without judgment” (Kriyonich, 2017). It’s the act of paying attention to what you are doing while you are doing it (Buck, 2017) or being present in the moment.
Why Teach Mindfulness?
Study outcomes suggest that mindful meditation decreases anxiety and detrimental self-focus, which, in turn, promotes social skills and academic success for students with learning disabilities (Beauchemin, 2008). Research over the years has identified benefits of mindfulness in each of the following areas:
How Does This Connect to Landmark’s Teaching Principles™?
The incorporation of mindfulness in the classroom is an example of Landmark’s second teaching principle, “Use Multiple Modalities,” because there are a variety of ways to bring this practice into the classroom. Each of the suggested mindfulness methods can include multiple learning style types: auditory, visual, or kinesthetic. Utilizing more than one learning style makes it possible for all types of learns to take part in the practice, and it also provides for more successful learning when different parts of the body and brain are focused. For the full text of Landmark Teaching Principles™, including “Use Multiple Modalities,” click here.
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