Suggestions for practicing mindfulness in the classroom
Mindfulness practice is mental training. It involves progressive learning as you practice, gradually strengthening your ability to be fully aware and attentive in the present moment, with kindness. This allows us to stay connected to our body and mind.
Schools can guide adolescent students in discovering, getting started with, and encouraging this practice. Below, we offer some suggestions for introducing it into secondary school classrooms.
Introductory mindfulness practices:
To begin the practice
First of all, it is important to contextualize the practice: explain what mindfulness is, what to keep in mind, and what we expect to happen, especially in the first sessions.
Does mindfulness really work?
To start the session:
"Now we'll do a mindfulness practice. Mindfulness is the ability to be individually aware of our own experiences—our thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and actions in the present moment, right now—without judging or criticizing ourselves or what we're experiencing. It's about focusing all your attention on one thing, like when you're listening to a song you love and forgetting everything around you. Mindfulness practice can help us in moments of stress and discomfort, improve concentration, and better understand our emotions. This is a practice that everyone can do and that can be developed, so we'll be working on it in the upcoming classes. Remember, there's no right or wrong way to do it. Simply observe yourselves, listen to yourselves, and be present in the here and now, in this moment."
How to incorporate mindfulness in the classroom
The practice of mindfulness
It is important to read the script slowly and calmly , giving the students time to absorb what they are hearing. We recommend pausing between sentences or questions.
Proposal 1: the landscape
This proposal consists of projecting an image of a natural landscape that can be viewed by everyone.
"I want you to visualize this image. Just look at it, without commenting on anything. What does it evoke in you? What do you feel when you look at it? Think about it, there's no right answer, they're all valid, it's about paying attention and discovering."
Allow about 2 minutes for them to contemplate it in silence.
"This visualization exercise we've done helps us understand how a mindfulness practice works and what we should do when we become aware of ourselves. This observation and listening allows us to realize what is there and describe what is happening to us, what we feel, and to do so without judging ourselves or reacting."
Proposal 2: a sky full of clouds
This proposal has two versions:
Project a video of a sky with moving clouds
Direct observation of the sky on a cloudy day.
"Look at the sky. There are clouds. Start walking among these clouds. Let yourself be carried away, at their pace. Contemplate the immensity of this sky that surrounds us. Don't look for meaning or limits. Perceive the place you occupy by observing, breathing, in the here and now."
Leave about 2 minutes for them to contemplate the sky and the clouds in silence.
"This exercise of visualizing the sky and clouds teaches us that our mind and body are the sky where clouds pass by—clouds that represent thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and sensory perceptions. We simply need to let them pass, just as clouds do in the sky. We must observe them without analyzing, leaving them in the present space they occupy in our minds. We must do nothing more. We must see how they transform, dissolve, or disappear. Doing this allows us to become aware of our present individual experience with acceptance, without judging or criticizing, without rejecting anything, without clinging to anything. We cannot grasp anything."
Proposal 3: inside and outside
This proposal can be carried out in an ordinary classroom space, where everyone is sitting in their chair.
Minute 1: Look at the outside:
"Close your eyes or keep them open, whichever feels more comfortable. Take a moment to notice the space around you. Listen to the sounds you can feel, both near and far. What sounds do you perceive? Perhaps the sound of the wind, traffic, or some murmuring."
"Observe the smells around you. Are there any aromas you can identify? Perhaps the smell of nature, of food, or some familiar fragrance."
"If your eyes are open, observe the colors and shapes in your surroundings. Notice the details you may not have noticed before. If your eyes are closed, imagine what you remember about your immediate surroundings."
Minute 2: Look inside:
"Now, turn your attention inward. Notice your breathing. Don't change it, just observe how the air enters and leaves your body."
"Notice how your body feels in contact with the chair or the floor. Are there any parts of your body that feel more tense? And any parts that feel more relaxed?"
"Become aware of your emotions right now. How are you feeling? Are you calm, nervous, happy, bored? Don't judge it, just observe."
Minute 3: Look outside again
"Now, slowly bring your attention back outwards. Listen to the sounds around you. Are there any changes? Perhaps you notice the sounds differently, or perhaps they're the same; pay attention."
"Open your eyes, if they were closed. Observe your surroundings with a new perspective. What can you see now that you may not have noticed before?"
Become aware of how you feel now, after spending a few minutes in silence and observation. When you are ready, you can begin to move slowly.
To conclude the practice
At the end of the session, you can ask anyone who wants to share with the group what they thought of the activity and what they experienced. Encourage students to share their experiences and reflect together. Give them feedback on what they explain and validate what they experienced and how it made them feel.
To log out:
"Thank you for participating in this mindfulness practice. Now I would like you to share how you felt. Remember that all experiences are valid."
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