Tapping to a Mindful Classroom
(This is the second post in a series about mindfulness in the classroom. In the first post, we talked about how incorporating mindfulness practices into the school day can help our kids deal with an ever-anxious world. That post can be found at http://liveandlearnnm.blogspot.com/2018/04/being-mindful-in-classroom.html.)
In today's modern, high-tech world, we are watching our kids becoming more and more stressed out about life in general, and we are realizing that it is affecting their overall health. Our children dread going to school and it breaks our hearts. Learning should be a natural, enjoyable endeavor, not a stressful one. It shouldn't be about standardized tests, getting into college and later getting the really good job that we all know college doesn't guarantee. We don't want them to feel as anxious about school as many of us did. I was anxious in kindergarten!
I'm in my fifties now and only recently became aware of the concept of mindfulness. I've been learning to deal with my anxiety in natural, healthy ways like meditating. I wish I had known about all of this when I was in elementary school, painfully shy kid that I was. If I had learned the techniques I share here, my elementary years would've been much more enjoyable. I think I would have learned to deal with my emotions better. I might not have been so shy.
It isn't always easy to do some of the techniques, at least not at first. Meditation is a biggie in the mindfulness scheme of things. Even at my age, I find meditating very challenging, which defeats the purpose in a way. When I think of how kids must feel in class, trying to meditate with the rest but instead just sitting there with their thoughts racing, I find myself wanting to help them so they can also reap the benefits of a calm, quiet mind.
I've discovered some techniques that can help those who have trouble calming their racing thoughts. One is a simple breathing exercise that slows down your breathing, promoting concentration. Take in a deep, slow breath, hold for 4 seconds then release slowly for 7-8 seconds. Do this a few times.
Tapping therapy
EFT (emotional freedom techniques), tapping therapy, has also helped me meditate. This is a technique I really wish I had known about when I was that anxious kid in school.
According to The Tapping Solution (https://www.thetappingsolution.com/tapping-101/):
Tapping therapy is based on the combined principles of ancient Chinese
acupressure and modern psychology. Tapping with the fingertips on
specific meridian endpoints of the body, while focusing on negative
emotions or physical sensations, helps to calm the nervous system,
rewire the brain to respond in healthier ways, and restore the body’s
balance of energy.
I've been tapping for about a month now. It works and only takes minutes to do. I've noticed that tapping helps me concentrate and calm down. It's a kind of meditation in itself. I started out using it mostly for anxiety but now, I will tap once or twice a day just for a more balanced feeling, the kind that acupuncture always gives me. I usually do it when I am in the bathroom. It doesn't take any longer than that.
Just think what could happen if students and teachers tapped a few times during the day. Such a simple thing yet it can make a huge difference. They could do it at strategic times, like first thing in the morning and after recesses.
Best of all, it doesn't take any special training to tap. Look online for several sites that explain the basics. Learn EFT, practice it, and see how you feel. I bet you feel happier and healthier and will want to pass what you learn along to your students.
In today's modern, high-tech world, we are watching our kids becoming more and more stressed out about life in general, and we are realizing that it is affecting their overall health. Our children dread going to school and it breaks our hearts. Learning should be a natural, enjoyable endeavor, not a stressful one. It shouldn't be about standardized tests, getting into college and later getting the really good job that we all know college doesn't guarantee. We don't want them to feel as anxious about school as many of us did. I was anxious in kindergarten!
I'm in my fifties now and only recently became aware of the concept of mindfulness. I've been learning to deal with my anxiety in natural, healthy ways like meditating. I wish I had known about all of this when I was in elementary school, painfully shy kid that I was. If I had learned the techniques I share here, my elementary years would've been much more enjoyable. I think I would have learned to deal with my emotions better. I might not have been so shy.
It isn't always easy to do some of the techniques, at least not at first. Meditation is a biggie in the mindfulness scheme of things. Even at my age, I find meditating very challenging, which defeats the purpose in a way. When I think of how kids must feel in class, trying to meditate with the rest but instead just sitting there with their thoughts racing, I find myself wanting to help them so they can also reap the benefits of a calm, quiet mind.
I've discovered some techniques that can help those who have trouble calming their racing thoughts. One is a simple breathing exercise that slows down your breathing, promoting concentration. Take in a deep, slow breath, hold for 4 seconds then release slowly for 7-8 seconds. Do this a few times.
Tapping therapy
EFT (emotional freedom techniques), tapping therapy, has also helped me meditate. This is a technique I really wish I had known about when I was that anxious kid in school.
I've been tapping for about a month now. It works and only takes minutes to do. I've noticed that tapping helps me concentrate and calm down. It's a kind of meditation in itself. I started out using it mostly for anxiety but now, I will tap once or twice a day just for a more balanced feeling, the kind that acupuncture always gives me. I usually do it when I am in the bathroom. It doesn't take any longer than that.
Just think what could happen if students and teachers tapped a few times during the day. Such a simple thing yet it can make a huge difference. They could do it at strategic times, like first thing in the morning and after recesses.
Best of all, it doesn't take any special training to tap. Look online for several sites that explain the basics. Learn EFT, practice it, and see how you feel. I bet you feel happier and healthier and will want to pass what you learn along to your students.
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