This studies into the effects of mindfulness-based education could serve as positive evidence for the implementation of a mindfulness-based education program intended to help students deal with the overwhelming expectations of middle education today as well as help close the gap that seem to disconnect students from daily life. Results from this study have the potential to translate to the teachers facilitating the mindfulness practice as well. The entire school environment is seen to change and become a positive, cooperative, respectful school that the students thrive in.
Benefits of Mindfulness in the Classroom
- Attention: Strengthens our "mental muscle" for bringing focus back where we want it, when we want it.
- Emotional Regulation: Observing our emotions helps us recognize when they occur, to see their transient nature, and to change how we respond to them.
- Adaptability: Becoming aware of our patterns enables us to gradually change habitual behaviors wisely.
- Compassion: Awareness of our own thoughts, emotions, and senses grows our understanding of what other people are experiencing.
- Calming: Breathing and other mindfulness practices relax the body and mind, giving access to peace independent of external circumstances.
- Resilience: Seeing things objectively reduces the amount of narrative we add to the world's natural ups and downs, giving us greater balance.
Statistics and Research
This research paper describes the effects of the practice of mindfulness on middle school student’s level of anxiety. We researched numerous studies and programs to identify if mindfulness is an effective strategy that can be implemented at the middle school level. The studies prove that students who participated in a mindfulness program had an easier time staying focused and experience a more enjoyable, meaningful and productive school experience both academically and emotionally.
Research article written by Jessica Joint and Amy Manchester
Research article written by Jessica Joint and Amy Manchester
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The American Mindfulness Research Association (AMRA) was founded in 2013. Our mission is to support empirical and conceptual efforts to: (1) establish an evidence base for the process, practice, and construct of mindfulness; (2) promote best evidence-based standards for the use of mindfulness research and its applications; and (3) facilitate discovery and professional development through grant giving. |
Mindfulness helps build, improve, and strengthen empathy, compassion, and social-emotional skills. Other benefits include:
- Attention: Numerous studies show improved attention1, including better performance on objective tasks that measure attention.2
- Emotion Regulation: Mindfulness is associated with emotion regulation across a number of studies3. Mindfulness creates changes in the brain that correspond to less reactivity4, and better ability to engage in tasks even when emotions are activated.5
- Compassion: People randomly assigned to mindfulness training are more likely to help someone in need6 and have greater self-compassion.7
- Calming: Studies find that mindfulness reduces feelings of stress8 and improves anxiety and distress when placed in a stressful social situation.9
- Well Being: In turn, such benefits may lead to long-term improvements in life. For example, social skills in kindergarten predict improved education, employment, crime, substance abuse and mental health outcomes in adulthood.19
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Mindfulness Programs
Importance of Social and Emotional LearningSocial and Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and skills associated with the core areas of social and emotional (SE) competency.
The Collaborative for Social, Academic and Emotional Learning (CASEL) provides guidance and research information to teachers, administrators, and other professionals about the impact of evidence-based SEL programs in schools and other settings. The figure below (from www.casel.org) illustrates how SEL improves social and emotional well-being, productivity, responsibility, and achievement. Summary of L2B Outcome Research (2009-2017)
http://learning2breathe.org/curriculum/research |
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