Mediation Monday at School
Stress and anxiety has become a bigger problem in our schools than ever before. In February, a Pew survey found that 70 percent of teens say anxiety and depression is a “major problem” among their peers, and an additional 26 percent say it’s a minor problem. In 2016, nearly two-thirds of college students reported “overwhelming anxiety,” up from 50 percent just five years earlier, according to the National College Health Assessment.
Many possible causes have been cited for increased student anxiety from high stakes standardized testing to the anxiety produced from the onslaught of social media in their lives. The students of this generation live in a fast moving world where they are constantly being bombarded with loads of information and emotional stimulus everyday of their lives.
As a teacher, we want to get the best out of our students each day. But we must also be aware of the “emotional and psychological baggage” many of our students carry around with them. What can we do as teachers to help students be better prepared mentally for the academic challenges of your classroom?
Last year I started what eventually would be named “Meditation Monday”. On Monday of each week, I would start the class with a 5 minute meditation. I will tell the students to find a comfortable but alert posture in their desk and if they wanted, to close their eyes. I would put on some relaxing music and ask them to just enjoy the moment. It was a time for them to just take a deep breath and relax. I told them to use these 5 minutes to just “be present”. I asked them to leave worries about homework, practice, home life, etc, behind for these 5 precious minutes. When the five minutes were over, we would then begin class.
As the school year progressed, many students responded how important those 5 minutes of down time were for them. Students of this generation live in a fast paced world. I found that many students began to learn how to find a place of calm within themselves. Each week I witnessed how students developed improved methods of settling themselves for this time of mediation. Many students were then able to use these newly developed skills throughout the week to keep themselves more balanced emotionally. I even had some students tell me that they had started to meditate on their own at home and how these brief pauses during the day helped them be more focused with their schoolwork.
Are you aware of the emotional disposition of your students? What can you do as a teacher to help alleviate stress for your students? Are there any life skills, concerning managing stress, that your students can be taught?
