Mindfulness in Education
Mindfulness and meditation exercises are helping the next generation get an edge in the classroom.
We are certified to deliver the leading mindfulness curriculum in the UK co-developed with the Oxford Mindfulness Centre at Oxford University,
Over the last 30 years, academic research in the fields of neuroscience, psychology and physical medicine have documented the wide-ranging benefits of learning to meditate, particularly in an 8-week mindfulness course format.
Here's what the science says:
Improved Test Performance
One study showed a mindful group did 15% better than their peers. In a separate study, 41% of meditating middle schoolers taking a state standardised maths test improved by at least one level.
Better Mental Health
9 lessons of a mindfulness program led to lower depression scores, less stress and improved well-being in British kids ages 12 to 16, compared with students who didn’t participate.
More Self-control
Just 3 years after a troubled middle school introduced a ‘Transcendental Meditation Program’, suspensions dropped from 28% to 4% and teacher turnover plummeted.
Increased Kindness
4th and 5th graders participating in a mindfulness and kindness program showed better social behavior than their peers, were less aggressive and better liked.
Fewer ADHD Symptoms
Eight weeks of mindfulness and yoga resulted in fewer ADHD symptoms and less hyperactivity - and the effects lasted for months afters the program ended.
Enhanced Focus
Teachers at an elementary school in Richmond, California reported better focus, self-control, class participation and peer respect in kids who followed a mindfulness program.
Sources:
Development Psychology; Education; Journal of Positive Psychology; David Lynch Foundation; British Journal of Psychiatry; Journal of Child and Family Studies.
The worlds best companies provide mindfulness training
Millions of children are thought to face mental health issues – as many as three per classroom.
More than 4,000 teachers are now qualified in meditation exercises to combat pupil stress.
Our Mindfulness Curriculum
.b (dot-be) is the UK’s Leading mindfulness curriculum for 11-18 year olds in school.
The Lessons
.b - ‘stop and be’ - is a simple practice at the heart of this ten lesson course. Each .b lesson (40-60 mins) teaches distinct mindfulness skills and is expertly crafted for use in the classroom. The .b materials are designed to engage even the most sceptical of young minds. Each .b lesson is expertly crafted for use in the classroom to teach a distinct mindfulness skill.
An Introduction
An introductory lesson persuades young people that mindfulness is worth learning about by making it relevant to their lives.
Lesson 1 – Playing Attention
Introduces students to this thing we call our “attention”which, like a puppy, needs to be trained.
Lesson 2 – Taming the Animal Mind
Explores di erent mind states and teaches that ‘anchoring’ attention in the body, alongside the cultivation of curiosity and kindness, can be calming and nourishing.
Lesson 3 – Recognising Worry
Explains the tricks our mind plays that lead to stress and anxiety, and gives us techniques to deal with them.
Lesson 4 – Being Here Now
Comes to the heart of mindfulness and teaches us how to respond, rather than react, to whatever happens in our lives.
Lesson 5 – Moving Mindfully
Shows us that mindfulness is not just something we do sitting or lying down. It also looks at high performance in sport.
Lesson 6 – Stepping Back
Offers us a new way of relating to our thoughts. We don’t have to let them carry us away to places we’d rather not be.
Lesson 7 – Befriending the Difficult
Deals with the greatest challenge of all: dealing with difficult emotions.
Lesson 8 – Taking in the Good
Focuses on gratitude and the ‘heartfulness’ of taking in & savouring what is ‘good’ in life.
Lesson 9 – Pulling it Altogether
Consolidates the key techniques from .b and inspires students to use what they have learned in the future.
Mindfulness has been scientifically proven to help with:
Bad Habits
Anxiety
Pain & Illness
Depression
Focus & Attention
Creativity
Sources:
Development Psychology; Education; Journal of Positive Psychology; David Lynch Foundation; British Journal of Psychiatry; Journal of Child and Family Studies.