#MarchMindfulness, no. 2

3/8/2016

Rethinking the Time Out Chair:
Create a Space for Meditation in the classroom

Take the negativity out of a "Time Out". Why not ask a student if they need a quick mindful sit, so that they can reset, rather than telling that student to go to a time out? It is positive, it doesn't embarrass the student or escalate a conflict between the student and teacher, and it helps the student manage their behavior.

This space shouldn't just be for a "time out". Students should have access to it and be able to use it whenever they feel like they need to. My mindful escape is under construction, and I can't wait for it to be finished. The essential oil diffuser has been a HUGE HIT this year! Everyone that comes into my room comments on how great it smells. Thieves is my go to oil and I credit it for not only making my classroom smell pleasant, but I also have not been sick one day this year. It may seem like changing the smell of your room can't possibly make a difference, but I really believe it does. When I think of places that smell bad; hospitals, stuffy classrooms after PE, cars after someone has eaten fast food in them; these are not places that I want to be. Changing the smell of your room can give it a more pleasant atmosphere creating a space where students like to be. I use the bell for "ringing us in" to and out of a mindful sit. The curtains, although not necessary, give the space added privacy. The cheap tablet allows the students to have a guided meditation using Mindful Life Project's- Soundcloud App. This is the only roadblock that is currently keeping me from fully implementing my mindful space in the way I have envisioned it. I think our internet at school is blocking this site, or it isn't working properly on the tablet. I am still trying to figure out a way to get this piece going. Students are still using the space, just without the added benefit of the guided meditations from Soundcloud.

Tools for creating a space for mindful meditation: Tablet and headphones ($40), essential oil diffuser and essential oils ($50), bell ($12), Curtain Rods and Curtains ($45), Bean Bag (stolen from home). Any old curtains will do. I got mine for about $10 at Walmart and I like them because they come off easily, pin to the wall, and double as a green screen for video production.

We are fortunate to work with the Richmond based group, Mindful Life Project, that comes into our classroom weekly to teach our class about mindfulness. Through their Soundcloud app the students can listen to mindful meditations throughout the week, not just on the day Miss Angelina visits us. Teachers can use the app to lead the whole class in a mindful sit as well.
Our very own Miss Angelina recently became a published author and her book includes a foreward by Jon Kabat-Zinn! I managed to get her book "Master of Mindfulness: How to Be Your Own Superhero in Times of Stress" on Amazon, but there were only two copies left. Don't worry, she says they are making more.

Please consider supporting this amazing Non-Profit group, Mindful Life Project, that supports students in some of the highest poverty Bay Area Schools.