Category Archives: mindfulness

I imposed gender stereotypes on my DLS students and I feel like a jerk

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When I found out I was going to be teaching Psych this
semester I was STOKED. This was my undergrad major, I have a passion for it,
and the sophomore girls that I taught in the past loved the class.
So I assumed that I too I would be teaching sophomore girls.
I imagined a class that explored the latest research on mindfulness, social
emotional learning, and self care on top of all of the great units in the scope
and sequence. Our girls are primed for this stuff since it is embedded in Frosh
Wellness and many of the programs we have on campus.
Before I left for summer I learned that this would NOT be a
class of sophomore girls but rather an elective class for seniors. Of the 28
students in the class 24 were boys. How did this happen??
Some of my assumptions about a class full of senior boys was
right – Yes they are excited to talk about some of the fascinating yet unethical psychological
experiments which traumatized children and animals. Their tolerance for gore is high and sometimes I feel like
what they want my class to be a place for watching and discussing Criminal Minds (which to be honest also sounds pretty okay).
I say all that to say that I started removing a lot of what
I had originally planned including some work with mindfulness and social
emotional learning because I assumed that the boys would not see it as relevant to their lives (which obviously says more about me than it does about them). I really went back and forth on choosing curriculum because I was sure
that they were going to think something like self care or meditation was soft, weak, & lame (this is of
course was made up in my own head and is not based on reality).
While I do feel like I needed to adapt this class as my
target audience had changed,  I had wrongly (but didn’t know it yet) told a story in my
head about who my students were, what they thought, and what we needed. So it
took every ounce of courage (I’m not even kidding, I was really nervous) to
roll out a daily mindfulness practice with them.
Here is how I rolled it out: I told them that we would be
practicing mindfulness daily (using the calm app, thank God for free teacher resources). They were invited but not required to
participate. If they did not want to participate they just had to put their
head on the desk and zone out. They were not allowed to give me their feedback
on it for TWO WEEKS. One because I was not in a place to hear their criticism
yet and two because I wanted them to really give it a chance before they
labeled it. On Friday I surveyed them and this is what I got (see below).  
To my shock not one person thought it was a waste of time and all of them want to continue it at least twice a week. I feel simultaneously super happy and like the biggest jerk for assuming what would and wouldn’t resonate with my students based solely on which side of the street they came from. 
What else am I wrongly assuming as a teacher? What stories do I need to stop making up in my head? What are the other assumptions I make that might be preventing me from opening doors to my students?

The Power of Mindfulness

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Image result for mindfulness calm head flowers powerful
I went to a workshop that actually changed the way I teach and talk about mindfulness.  It was given by this guy named JC Larochette, the founder of Mindful Life Project in Richmond (presented at Creating a Peaceful School Conference organized by Mount Diablo Peace and Justice Center).  The the title of the workshop: Mindfulness – Awakening to the Present Moment.  I went in seeking ideas for our Frosh Wellness: Mind, Body, Spirit class.  I left with much more – stuff I’ve read about, known about, and been taught before but hadn’t really “gotten”. 

When leading students through a mindfulness exercise – I would usually emphasize the idea of clearing their minds of thoughts, worries, fears, and distractions – kind of a “let go and let God” approach – stop thinking and just breath!  But JC’s talk focused on mindfulness as present moment awareness – learning to pay attention to everything on purpose – without judgement.   Breath – yes! AND be aware of your thoughts and feelings without wishing them away.  Now I focus on helping students welcome all they are experiencing – the good, the bad, and the ugly – the joy and the pain.  It’s like this poem by Rumi:

The Guest House by Rumi

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Also – practicing mindfulness rewires the brain.  It decreases brain activity based in the amygdala (our primitive fight or flight fear-based reactions) and the medial prefrontal cortex – and increases activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex – the region of the brain that manages problem solving/goal setting.  The way JC put it – “the neurons of the brain that fire together, wire together”.  So I’m trying to talk more with students about ALL the benefits of mindfulness: spiritual, socio-emotional, psychological, and physiological. If they know about the science-based evidence that proves mindfulness can help them respond more consistently with empathy, openness and confidence – they’ll see the long term as well as the short term value in it.

Image result for mind two brain change mindfulness how

And – when something goes awry or amiss with a student throughout the course of the day/week/year, the approach I’ve been used to taking is to “lean-in”, which works for students who are centered, stable, well rested and adjusted.  It doesn’t work for students who are stressed, afraid, or agitated.  They are operating out of their amygdala – not their lateral prefrontal cortex and me “leaning-in” might just trigger them further.  So I’ve learned to back off and wait until a student is operating out of a calm and grounded place where growth and learning can happen.

 Like so many classes here at Carondelet, our Frosh Wellness MBS course includes prayer and mindfulness every day.  It’s awesome that we are giving students the opportunity to create and strengthen the neural pathways that cause more calm, confident, compassionate, and centered responses.  Mindfulness (“strategically living in the here and now” -JC)  is a golden ticket that will help them/me/all of us navigate life’s challenges!

Image result for mindfulness calm head flowers powerful

From Mind/Shift: “Why Mindfulness And Trauma-Informed Teaching Don’t Always Go Together”

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I love that we actively think about mindfulness here at Carondelet. In my personal experience and in speaking to former colleagues, many schools don’t don’t give space to mindfulness in their programming, and that is a missed opportunity in my opinion.

However, I stumbled across this article today after our morning interviews. KQED’s Mind/Shift posted an article entitled “Why Mindfulness And Trauma-Informed Teaching Don’t Always Go Together,” and I felt immediately compelled to read. The following line deeply resonated with me and made me wonder how many students aren’t comfortable in what can feel like an otherwise normal and inclusive school environment:

“You never want to force people to close their eyes,” he said. That alone can cause trauma for some kids. “The goal is not to turn people into meditation monks. It’s just about learning to turn inwards and practice self-awareness.”

Looking back on some of my teaching experiences, I wonder if some of my past students’ behaviors weren’t merely rebellion or refusal to do activities, but signs of trauma (however big or small they may be). To quote the article again, some potential signs could be:

  • Students don’t take the activity seriously 
  • Students are triggered by silence because it feels like a storm is brewing, so they don’t want to be quiet 
  • Students feel too many requests are made of them without the requisite trust being built up 
  • Students exhibit avoidance behavior
There are some interesting tips for how we as educators can encourage mindfulness among our students in ways other than the traditional activities we’re used to, and even tips for teachers who themselves are feeling burnt out, and in need of self care just as much as our students!
If nothing else, this was a good reminder to mix things up and to create an inclusive space for everyone in my classroom and in my curriculum — it’s hard to know what invisible burden students are shouldering on any given day, but I am trying my best to be as thoughtful and as welcoming as I can to all of my students so that there is a level playing field for learning to happen, trust to build, and relationships to form.