Mindfulness is an idea that is becoming more and more known in educational circles. There is a growing body of research that demonstrates that its use can lead to improvement in problem behavior, including self-injury and feelings of depression. When we focus solely on academic success alone, we can often lose what is even more important- mental health and happiness. In a 2013 article by By Patricia C. Broderick, PhD, she states,
“There is little doubt that in addition to academic success, we also want our youth to be happy and well.”
While many educators have lost site of the importance of happiness and wellness, others have discovered the amazing benefits of mindfulness for our school youth. The amazing thing is that as youth feel better, they do better academically as well! When I am working with a school site to support a student with severe problem behavior, it is often recommended that academic demands be reduced. This is no “let them get out of it” approach- it has everything to do with creating academic success from a place of less stress.
Please consider the following resources in your quest to support your students and children:
