You don’t need any special training to begin practicing mindfulness with your students.
This is the message of my TEDx talk in a nutshell. There are tons of resources, online, in your library, and in your imagination. All you need to do, literally, is pause, and breathe. The more often the better.
The magic formula for practicing mindfulness with kids: keep it short, kid-friendly, and consistent. My talk goes into each of these three elements, explains the why behind this formula, and will give you tons of ideas.
Imagine the self-regulation—the ability to manage one’s emotions and behavior—that comes with mindfulness being taught alongside academics in our schools.
Imagine schools moving away from the traditional paradigm of discipline and punishment toward one of empathy and compassion, as teachers practice being mindful alongside their students, and gain the ability to be non-reactive.
Imagine a shift in the culture of our schools toward paying attention with kindness—the definition of mindfulness.