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9. Emphasis on social, emotional, and ethical development
Marc Balcer, Middle and Upper School Social, Emotional, and Ethical Development (SEED) teacher shares with us what mindfullness is, why it's important, and some introductory tools to get started.
What is Mindfulness?
At its simplest, mindfulness can be defined as “paying curious attention to what is happening right now.” That being said, there is a misconception that mindfulness will clear your mind or eliminate negative sensations. Nothing could be further from the truth. With mindfulness, you use the tools of your breath, your body, and your senses to become aware of your experience with curiosity instead of judgment. This awareness allows you to respond thoughtfully to events as they unfold instead of reacting to them out of habit.
Focus on Focusing
While meditation is one way to practice mindfulness, anything done with a singular focus is practice. This isn’t easy. Our multi-tasking world has us listening to music while running, sending text messages while driving, and watching television while eating. Not only has multi-tasking been shown to reduce productivity by as much as 40%, but also it encourages us to be in “fight or flight” mode. This stress response was meant to be an occasional system for managing physical threats, but today chronic stress follows many Americans wherever they go. Focusing on the present moment activates an alternative “rest and digest” relaxation response. So when you are driving, you are driving, when you are eating, you are eating, and so on.
Staying Mindful at Shipley
There are proven tools that allow us to be in the moment through mindfulness. At Shipley, this is introduced differently in each division’s Social, Emotional, and Ethical Development (SEED) program. Mindfulness with children and adolescents is most effective when it is concrete, physical, short, and relevant.
In the elementary grades, an emphasis is placed on movement through yoga practices and sensory activities. In seventh grade, students are introduced to the Mindful Schools program, which focuses on developing coping and stress management skills. Finally, in tenth grade, students use their natural insight and ability for reflection to apply mindfulness to building qualities of self-compassion, generosity, gratitude, and empathy.
The science of neuroplasticity, the ability to “train your brain,” is explored so that students can create relevance by applying mindfulness to their own interests. Students may also sign up for elective meditation and yoga clubs in each division. This layered approach works because consistent practice is more important than any particular technique or time commitment.
The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.
