Meditation and Mindfulness in the Classroom
Childhood development is one of the most important periods in a human beings life. It is during this time that individuals absorb the most amount of information and are shaped for the people they will become in future. Sadly, during this critical developmental time, millions of children are affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences. ACEs result in numerous health needs both acute and chronic that can plague individuals for a lifetime. However; meditation and mindfulness in the classroom can be an effective way to combat toxic stress, depression, behavior issues, mental health, and other negative health outcomes that may derail a child’s life due to Adverse Childhood Experiences. By implementing a simple cost effective routine of meditation in school for a few minutes a day has shown to increase attention, emotional regulation, adaptability, compassion, calmness, and resilience (Benefits of Mindfulness in Education, 2018).
The national prevalence of a child having at least 1 or more Adverse Childhood Experiences was 45% ((The prevalence…Ethnicity, 2018). In the state of Arkansas, 56 percent of children between the ages of birth to 17 have reported 1 or 2 Adverse Childhood Experiences (The prevalence…Ethnicity, 2018). Compared to other states, Arkansas has the highest number of ACEs than any other state in the Unites States (The prevalence…Ethnicity, 2018).. Additionally, 16 percent of children in Arkansas have reported three or more adverse childhood experience which is higher than the national average of 11% (Faull, C, 2018). With each increase of the number of ACEs, the severity and danger of the acute and longer term affects become more dangerous.
The CDC has created a version of the Social Ecological Model that will be used for this intervention. The first level, targets the individual directly. For the meditation and mindfulness intervention, the individual will be the students in the classroom. At this level, it identifies the biological and personal history factor within that individual that makes them more vulnerable to violence and abuse that comes with ACEs (CDC Features, 2019).
In our population of Arkansas students, there is already a high percentage of ACE victims within the school system when compared to the national average. Therefore, with such data, it is apparent that these students are at a greater risk due to several factors such as location, environment, family dynamic, or family history of substance abuse, violence or incarceration. By incorporating this level of the Social Ecological Model into this intervention, we will strengthen the individuals ideas, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of their perception of Adverse Childhood Experiences with the goal of instilling resilience within the individual themselves (CDC Features, 2019).
As far as Trauma-Informed Principles, this intervention will utilize several such as safety, trustworthiness, transparency, collaboration, and mutuality. Teachers will be leading the intervention because this is a person the students know, trust, and are comfortable with. Meditation is not something that is widely mainstream. This could make the kids apprehensive to be vulnerable and fully partake in the meditation and mindfulness. However, having a staff that embodies trustworthiness will aid this hindrance from occurring. Also, trustworthiness and transparency is key because these people are someone that kids see every day when walking to class, in the hallways, and after school, it allows for trust and transparency to manifest itself naturally.
By incorporating the public health frameworks it will ensure that this intervention has preventive value, immediate relief, and longevity in the future (Bühler, 2018). Meditation and mindfulness addresses the primary, secondary, and tertiary frameworks/ stages. First at the primary level, those students who have not experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences will be taught how to be resilient in times of stress, anxiety, or if other mental illness are to occur. They will also know that violence is not an acceptable thing and should be reported to those in authority. Next, at the secondary level, the 56 percent of children between the ages of birth to 17 who have reported 1 or 2 Adverse Childhood Experiences will be taught coping skills and means of dealing with the stress, anxiety and other mental illness that may have arise due to the abuse (The prevalence…Ethnicity, 2018).
Overall this intervention, it will help these student to de-stress and promote a calm head space that is reflective in their behavior. It will teach them resilience and how to take charge of their own mental health. At the tertiary level, this intervention will treat the ongoing health conditions to better the quality of life in each student (Bühler, 2018). The most impressive aspect of this intervention is that it can be continued throughout an individual’s life. Once the student has learned the skills on how to meditate successfully, they can continue the practice by themselves. In the future if they begin to feel the onset pressure of stress, they can meditate in real time or they can have a habitual practice. Regardless, this intervention has power of treating on ongoing health conditions, reducing illness, and preventing diseases from occurring (Bühler, 2018).
Reference:
Benefits of Mindfulness in Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mindfulschools.org...ulness-in-education/ (Links to an external site.)
Bühler, P., Schlaich, P., & Sinner, D. (2018). Pdf. Bibliothek Der Mediengestaltung. doi:10.1007/978-3-662-54615-4
CDC Features. (2019, February 04). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/features/rawmilk/index.html
Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A Global Measure of Perceived Stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385-396. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2136404
Faull, C. (n.d.). Arkansas Children Most Likely To Go Through Adverse Experience, Study Finds. Retrieved from https://www.ualrpublicradio.or...perience-study-finds
The prevalence of adverse childhood experiences, nationally, by state, and by race or ethnicity. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.childtrends.org/pu...state-race-ethnicity
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