First, Second Graders Report Positive Outcomes from Mindfulness Lessons

Mindfulness lessons have become a part of the day-to-day experience in the Lower School over the past four years, whether it’s through bi-monthly yoga classes or daily morning meetings and closing meetings.
Recently, faculty on the Potomac Village Campus gained a snapshot into how these “peace” initiatives are impacting first and second graders thanks to insights from a recent student survey.

The survey was conducted by Peace of Mind, a Washington D.C.,-based non-profit organization that authored the mindfulness curriculum taught at the Lower School during the 2017-2018 school year.
 
Students were asked whether they agree or disagree with statements as well as open-ended questions. Teachers read the questions to students, who responded using a computer. Students were surveyed twice, once in October and again in May.
 
In both surveys, a majority of students indicated that they know when they are frustrated, worried, or anxious, and how to calm down and ease their minds. A majority also indicated they can refocus on classwork when they’re distracted and implement strategies that are effective for them.
 
In open-ended questions in October, students self-reported a variety of mindfulness breathing exercises they use to feel calm, including Take 5 and elevator breaths. They also self-reported several strategies they use to refocus in class, such as taking movement breaks and asking for a wobbly cushion.
 
In May, students self-reported that they enjoyed learning about mindfulness through games and that they would recommend "peace class" and mindfulness strategies to others.
 
“I think it’s really important that we listen to what our students are telling us and they find value in the peace class,” said Head of Lower School Jordan Love. “While this survey is just an opportunity for us to glean a little bit of insight into the student’s mind, I think it suggests that, by-and-large, the work is having a positive influence on their experience and they perceive it as having a positive influence on them.”
 
As teachers plan mindfulness-related instruction for the 2018-2019 school year, Love said they would emphasize gratitude and “heartfulness” lessons, which students suggested on the survey.
 
“It was important for us to try to quantify the impact on students beyond just our empirical experiences and personal observations,” Love said. “It always ties back directly to our belief in giving students a voice in their learning and knowing that they have great insight into what’s working for them and what’s not.”
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St. Andrew’s Episcopal School is a private, coeducational college preparatory day school for students in preschool (Age 2) through grade 12, located in Potomac, Maryland.