In today’s climate, students and adults alike are struggling with regulating their emotions.  As educators, it’s not just our job to teach academics, but also to support the whole student.  One way that we can do this is by encouraging and practicing mindfulness.  Here is a list of four simple activities that you can do in or out of the classroom to help your students on their mindfulness journey.  

1. Get up and move!  One of the components of mindfulness is movement.  GoNoodle has some fantastic movement videos that include dance breaks, yoga, stretching, and meditation. They are not only fun but they may have some academics secretly mixed in there too!  Creating an account is free. Simply go to the GoNoodle site and “Educator Login” then choose “Sign up for a free educator account.”
2. YouTube guided meditation and mindfulness Slowing down and being aware is the next important part of mindfulness.  YouTube is a great place to find and explore various videos on meditation and breathing exercises.  They have something for all ages and abilities.  Check out this playlist for a good place to get started or feel free to search and create your own playlist.
3. Self reflection through journaling Self reflection is another component of mindfulness.  A great way to do this is through journaling.  Journaling can of course be done with pen and paper, but great digital options are using Google Docs, Slides, Drawings, or Microsoft Word. Check out our course on using journaling with Slides for some great scaffolding ideas for ELLs that can be used for any student population. For students who are new to journaling, or struggling with a place to start, journal prompts are a great way to get the words flowing onto the paper or screen.  Check out some journal prompts here.
4. Have a pop-up discussion A great activity to do in your classroom to give a brain break or encourage thought provoking conversations is a pop-up discussion. This can be done with a platform like Lumio by SMART, using the Shout It Out! Activity. You can also use something like Jamboard, or simply write the topic on the board.  The instructions are simple: propose a topic or question, and let the students respond. For example, “What does the color red mean to you?” or “How are you doing with this assignment?” Pro-tip: journal prompts can also be used for pop up discussions.  This is also a great way to do emotional check-ins with students. 

For some more great tips and activities to promote the practice of mindfulness in the classroom, make sure to check out the OTIS course Body, Mind, and Zen: Mindfulness Activities for Students. 

For more tips, tricks, and tools for teaching in and out of the classroom, check out more articles on the Teq Talk blog.

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