Hi,
My name is Lee Crowder-Bierman from Mindful Lee.
I'm an occupational therapist and a certified yoga and mindfulness teacher.
I've worked in schools for almost 20 years.
In that time,
If there is one thing that I have learned,
Is that classroom time is sacred.
And teachers,
As they should,
Will prioritize classroom activities that promote learning readiness in their students.
Now,
Mindfulness is something that has become more popular to teach children in schools.
However,
I understand that adding one more thing to a classroom can seem overwhelming.
That is why I decided to make these short audios so teachers could incorporate mindfulness quickly and easily into their daily routine.
Most mindfulness resources that I have found are five minutes or more.
With these audios,
My intention was to create mindfulness exercises that can be done in under three minutes.
Since these practices are so short,
My hope is that you are able to incorporate at least one each day into your student's daily routine,
And over time you will find that you can add more.
Having a regular mindfulness practice can be hugely beneficial for children as they begin to learn to check in with their body and their breath,
Which are foundational skills for self-regulation.
The ultimate goal would be for students to be able to check in with themselves and choose exercises to do all on their own.
This recording is simply to lay the groundwork and give you a few foundational tips for using the mindfulness exercises in your classroom.
Your job on the front end is to get your students prepared and ready for the exercises.
This will ensure that they are settled and ready to participate.
So let's talk just a bit about what prepping your students will look like.
First,
Think about your student's immediate space.
The best scenario will be for their desk to be clear of any distractions,
So no pencils,
Paper,
Or books.
You can even have them move their chairs slightly away from their table or desk.
You may also want to consider turning off your overhead lights and using the room's natural lighting.
Something else to consider is turning off your smart board as that lighting can also be distracting for some students.
Changing the tone and slowing the pace of your voice could let them know it's time to get quiet and still.
Using a chime or a bell to gather your students' attention could also be helpful.
Giving your students some quick verbal cues to get their body position ready will likely be needed.
In general,
You will ask your students to sit tall with their feet on the floor and their backs supported by the back of their chair.
Their hands can rest in their lap or wherever is comfortable.
You will want them sitting upright but not stiff or rigid.
Again,
The more your students practice,
The less cueing you will need to give them over time.
Lastly,
I encourage you to try these practices with your students as you will get just as much out of them as your students will.
If you have any questions,
Please feel free to reach out to me at mindfullee.
Com.
