Using Mindfulness to Improve Learning ; 40 Meditation Exercises for School and Home

Description

Written by an experienced school and meditation teacher, this book is packed with tried and tested mindfulness exercises and relevant follow-up wellbeing, pastoral and academic activities for anyone working with young people. It includes discussions about education and wellbeing, anecdotes from real life experience and numerous testimonies from students and teachers, as well as easy to follow instructions and plenty of useful in-depth explanations. All activities in this book link to variety of school subjects, including science, maths, philosophy, music, art and sport. Divided into two parts, the book explores: What mindfulness and grounding are How mindfulness and grounding works at home, in daily life and in education How teachers can use mindfulness and grounding in the classroom and how parents can support mindfulness and grounding at home What effects can be expected from mindfulness meditation This book is an invaluable resource for secondary teachers, youth workers, therapists and parents and can be used in classrooms, pastoral offices, youth clubs or at home. Cover Endorsements Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Part one Introductory word for teachers How to use this book and what is inside What happened first? How I got to do this Why I wrote this book Young people and their self- and spiritual development Happiness in schools Why should they do ‘nothing’? Who is responsible? The role of beauty and positive narrative in young people’s development A short word about emotions Why is calling it emotional health better than mental health? What do students want in the 21st century? Behaviour in the classroom and wellbeing of students ‘Good girl,’ ‘bad boy’ myths and other traps in education What about teachers? Can a stressed-out teacher spread happiness? About mindfulness What mindfulness is and what it isn’t – demystifying modern misconceptions About grounding – the magic ingredient for mindful life and experience of reality What is grounding? Why teachers need to have those tools A few words for parents Gratitude exercise Mindfulness, meditation and grounding at home and school What do students say? Why should we teach mindfulness meditation and grounding in school? How can teachers use this book for any subject and any occasion? Learning and mindfulness meditation and grounding Wellbeing pastoral care and grounding meditation Community, team building and grounding meditation Self-development and grounding meditation Reflection time and grounding meditation Academic content and grounding meditation Art and grounding meditation Music and grounding meditation Drama and grounding for mindfulness technique – the perfect match Spiritual and moral education and grounding meditation for reflection, empathy and deep understanding Relevance of Religious and Moral (Spiritual) Education lessons in pupils’ minds and grounding meditation Philosophy and ethics and grounding meditation Sport and grounding meditation technique Personal, social, health education and grounding meditation Science and grounding meditation Maths and grounding meditation Design and technology, fashion, robotics and engineering (STEM) and grounding meditation Computing (STEM) and grounding meditation Ecology, climate change, environmental issues and grounding meditation Behaviour management and useful grounding meditation tools Special education needs and mindfulness meditation and grounding – does it help? Part two Mindfulness meditation in the classroom and logistics of implementation: group sizes, space, times to use it, length of exercises, space, environmental sounds, background music, safety and age of students Instructions for teachers When do I do this? Age groups How long does it take? How slow or fast do I read this? Group sizes and space choice Space quality Environmental sounds Background music Safety Does this always work? What is the ‘Grounding Check Exercise’? Big questions Spiritual development or self-development? Thinking outside of the box What does ** in the title mean? Instructions and meditations What is in the practical part and how to use it Practical exercises Grounding for a classroom Main meditation chapter Basic Grounding for Mindfulness Technique (GfMT) Setting Grounding for Mindfulness Technique (GfMT) Meditations for positive self-programming** ‘Myself and my inner space – what is in my head?’ grounding meditation Links ‘Where is my power? Make my power tool’ grounding meditation** Links ‘What am I grateful for?’ grounding meditation Links ‘What do I look forward to?’ reflective grounding meditation **mindfulness exercise – my reflections ** ‘I am creative’ grounding meditation ‘I am organised’ grounding meditation Links ‘I am good at leading – leader within’ grounding meditation Links ‘I correct myself’ grounding meditation** ‘I help others and accept help from others’ grounding meditation, cooperation exercise Links ‘My tree’ grounding meditation Links ‘My power symbol’ grounding meditation Links ‘I swallow my free, true self’ grounding meditation Links ‘Arty’ grounding meditation Links ‘I can achieve’ motivation and strength grounding meditation ‘I am strong’ sporty grounding exercise Links ‘I work well with others,’ team building grounding exercise Links ‘We are champions’ grounding meditation Links ‘I cooperate, I teach and learn from others’ grounding meditation Links ‘I can chose the right response and have the power to affect my life’ grounding meditation Links ‘I expand the circle of people I talk to’ grounding meditation ‘Gratitude and my life’ grounding meditation** Links ‘All the amazing opportunities in my life’ grounding meditation** Links ‘Body, mind and environment, I am part of Nature’ grounding meditation Links ‘Love’ grounding meditation** for enrichment of inner beauty in education** ‘I calm myself’ grounding meditation** Links ‘I accept help’ grounding meditation ‘I accept change’ fluidity grounding meditation ‘I am a miracle, therefore I can create anything and achieve anything’ grounding meditation Links ‘Many sides of me’ grounding meditation Links ‘Body, mind and environment, I am part of my universe’ grounding meditation Links ‘Many ways of giving’ grounding meditation Links ‘Animal world and I’ grounding meditation Links ‘How do I feel about the creative universe I am part of?’ grounding meditation Links ‘I am strong, I develop new strengths from my limitations’ grounding meditation Links ‘My personal power – what decisions do I make which influence others?’ grounding meditation Links ‘I only ever compete with my best self’ grounding meditation Links ‘I have a great support structure’ grounding meditation Links ‘Clear my thoughts’ grounding meditation** Links The ‘Grounding Check Exercise’ 5-minute exercise for school and home Literature and training contact Three electronic meditations for teachers (only) Teacher feedback CPD training, research and invitation for collaboration CPD Training in Grounding for Mindfulness Technique (GfMT) CPD for others working with young people Research in schools - Bring it to your school Get involved – Wellbeing in Schools Project In their own words Quotes form young people after doing Grounding for Mindfulness Technique (GfMT) Music Bibliography