Traditional academia is important as it educates the youth about the world and its institutional affairs. But "mindfulness" will educate us about our own selves, which is arguably the most important and the most confusing thing to accept. As someone still overcoming social anxiety, I can say from the bottom of my heart that a school course on mental health will immensely benefit all students. It will not only comfort teenagers with depression but will also enlighten them with a new perception of themselves. Undoubtedly, every school in the world should adopt similar provisions for assisting their students through strenuous times. The UK model acts as an inspirational beacon for all institutions to strive towards. However, it surely has its share of flaws as well. A major contributor to youth anxiety is social media and school exams. It's impossible and impractical to eliminate both of these from our society. But working towards a more stress-free environment should be the priority of all schools. Incorporating a voluntary peer counselling system within the premises may serve as a platform for this social change. A student's peers are an integral part of their school life. Schools should also conduct regular seminars and de-stigmatize mental health. Even today there's a prickling hesitation in us to open up about anxiety disorders and seek help. I guess the inclusion of mental health as a part of the school curriculum will hopefully contribute a lot towards improving this.
Yes i have tried being mindfulness of what i do and i try to think about what i do before i do it. It was like more well thought of and i was sure of what i was saying and i tried to make sure i didn't like hurt nobody feelings and it fault better then anything i have said before in other conversation i had it fault good.
@Jerika This is awesome to hear! The sense of ease and confidence that came as you practiced being mindful is one of the greatest gifts this practice gives us. I hope you keep practicing! :)
I believe that silence is needed at times. When I come home from school, and i'm stressed out, my favorite place to be is in my room. Its quiet, and comfortable, which makes me calm, and regather myself. Shannon doyne, from The New York Times says “Did a week of silence change my life? I hadn’t come on retreat in search of that kind of epiphany (I have a therapist for that). I came rather seeking an adventure, and a deeper knowledge of the power of meditation that only extended time can give” (Doyle, 2019). I believe silence is key to happiness, and at some times, things are better unsaid. Schools should indeed teach meditation. This year, I engaged myself in yoga, and meditation, and overall it has made me happier, and made my mental health stronger. Lindsay Morris says “Mindfulness exercises are already taught in many schools worldwide, including this one in New York. Schools in England are joining a study to determine which techniques work best” (Morris). Meditation calms you, and takes away stress that's unnecessary.
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@Lani I love your written meditation on meditation here. Thank you for clearly articulating what you think and for using quotes from the article that speak to your ideas about the subject of silence and meditation. As I read your reflection, I thought about my own experience—how after years of silent meditation practice, I now understand that I don't necessarily need "extended time" to meditate at all. One minute of mindful mediation can have a calming effect that lasts the whole day. I think of these minutes like salt; that is, just as a little bit of salt can make a meal come alive, so too can one minute of mindfulness improve the quality of my whole day.
Absolutely....
School is present for not only studying but also cultivating mindfulness and social minds.
So when we discuss about a school's role, we always have to include students'inner growth..
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The way schools have taught there curriculum has always seemed unfair to all students. The way schools say they're understanding if a student has something going on, that results in them missing school. Then pile homework on you once you return, building up more stress and anxiety onto that student. If schools were to teach mindfulness I believe that it would cause students less stress and anxiety towards school. From my own personal experience school was a huge stress factor along with what i was dealing with, causing me to avoid going to school, leading me to miss more school, and push me back further in my school work. If i had the resources to teach me to tools of mindfulness i could have not avoided school and could have brought my grades up. In conclusion i think that this would be a good tool for students to learn for a few reasons, 1) can help in high school and college 2) can teach you ways that can help you in your future life.
@Michaela I agree with you: school has gotten to be so stressful—not only for students, but also for teachers and other staff. And I also agree with you that learning mindfulness skills not only could help students in schools; these skills help all people (students or not) live life with more awareness and serenity. The University of Virginia sponsored research study, known as The Curry Study, which found that "teachers who regularly use stress-reducing strategies increase their abilities to cope with the demands of the career and are positioned to do a better job educating students" (https://news.virginia.edu/content/curry-study-reducing-teachers-stress-leads-higher-quality-classrooms). Offering mindfulness-based-stress-reduction workshops for teachers on campus would help them learn a variety of mindfulness skills, which they could then bring into their classrooms and share with students. I am with you: mindfulness should be a core subject in schools because mindfulness is fundamental to living positively, as fundamental as reading, writing and arithmetic. You might have already found some resources to learn more about mindfulness on your own until the schools catch up to you (many schools agree with you already, don't get me wrong), but, if you're still waiting for YOUR school to catch up, check out the NYTimes feature, "How to Meditate." It's great! Good luck.
The curriculum that is currently being taught in school is rigorous and stress inducing. Speaking from personal experience, stress is something that can be very debilitating, especially in an environment such as school. I think that schools should host classes that teach students mindfulness and how to deal with their stress and emotions and this would help students cope with their constantly changing environment in and out of school.
Personally, I have had trouble dealing with the stresses of life in and out of school. For example, I want to be more involved in extracurricular activities that I’m interested in, but I feel stressed by school work so I don’t fully enjoy the outside activities I am involved in. I think that a class where I could deal with those stresses would most likely help and improve my enjoyment of school and learning. As said in the article “Schools in England…”, mental health and mindfulness are just as important as the other classes taught in the curriculum. The article then goes on to say that a class teaching mindfulness will not only help in the short term but also equip students for their life as an adult.
I think this is a very good thing for school to start teaching. Stress and pressure are so relevant in today's world. We need time to relax, collect our thoughts, and learn about these mental health issues in much of the student population.
I think I would take a mindfulness class if I was offered one. Every day coming home from school, I am stressed, tired, and just want the day to end. A mindfulness class could help with that. It could help with my stress, and help me feel more hopeful about tomorrow or the rest of the week. It could also help me learn about mental health, which I think is very important.
Mindfulness classes are a good idea. I think it would help a lot if students had access to these classes, to better help themselves calm down, and learn about the important topic of mental health.
Today’s high school environment is filled with stress and pressure; students need time to relax and collect their thoughts. Regrettably, I haven’t had the chance to participate in a meditative activity in school since eighth grade. My drama teacher would take the class through a relaxive exercise that proved to be extremely beneficial during exam week. Now, in tenth grade, I need to release the stress that stems from exams and college.
Many of my peers have struggled with mental health issues due to the expectations that they community has set for them. “Services like these can lessen the anxiety, pain and anguish that some teens go through, but also reduce their need for intensive support further down the line,” Hinds says. Severe cases of anxiety could ruin a student’s future or even drive some to take their life. By beginning this mental health exercise at an early age, this could be avoided. These services will not only bring awareness to the importance of a healthy mental state, but give many teens a chance to escape the pressures of reality.
Setting aside part of the school day to meditate could improve not only their mental health, but also their performance academically. Making teenagers comfortable in an educational environment will allow them to relax more on exams, group projects, or presentations. By eliminating the stress of their grade, the score could improve. Mental health is often overlooked, but needs to be taken seriously in school environments.
I'm a journalist for my school's magazine, and when writing an article about this topic, I found that a lot of students want to talk about mental health, but don' have any idea how to broach the subject.
Our school has required social and emotional learning (SEL) lessons where we learn about topics like how to cope with stress, and deal with pressure in our daily lives, but a lot of students think these lessons are ineffective. If mindfulness classes were available from preschool to allow us to establish habits that allow us to preserve our emotional well-being, it would be a lot easier to combat the high school stress competition culture.
While assessing the impact of high pressure exams and social media to remove the amount of stress in students' lives sounds like a good idea, I think that stress should not be demonized because it is the body's way of preparing us to meet challenges we face and it is essential for us to learn to deal with stress because it is not ever going to go away. I know that majoring in Journalism is going to be very stressful for me, and I would like to learn how to deal with that stress now rather than later.
The major stressors in my life are writing obligations, but for me, staying up late to lose myself in books is my way of coping. I think a lot of students do the same and a mindfulness class would teach students how to deal with high pressure work environments and adversity without turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms.
In middle school, I remember I made an infographic about mindful meditation. For one week, I practiced mindful meditation before I went to bed and compared my quality and length of sleep to that of when I did not do any meditation.
It was an interesting experience, however, in the end, there was no noticeable difference between days I meditated and those I didn't, at least in regard to sleep.
However, I certainly think that being able to clear your mind and forget about your problems and stress can be a good thing. As the article mentions, mindfulness can help lessen anxiety in teens day to day life.
Though mindfulness may not have worked for me, I am always willing to go back and give it another go.
The curriculum that is currently being taught in school is rigorous and stress inducing. Speaking from personal experience, stress is something that can be very debilitating, especially in an environment such as school. I think that schools should host classes that teach students mindfulness and how to deal with their stress and emotions and this would help students cope with their constantly changing environment in and out of school.
Personally, I have had trouble dealing with the stresses of life in and out of school. For example, I want to be more involved in extracurricular activities that I’m interested in, but I feel stressed by school work so I don’t fully enjoy the outside activities I am involved in. I think that a class where I could deal with those stresses would most likely help and improve my enjoyment of school and learning. As said in the article “Schools in England…”, mental health and mindfulness are just as important as the other classes taught in the curriculum. The article then goes on to say that a class teaching mindfulness will not only help in the short term but also equip students for their life as an adult.
I feel that schools should teach mindfulness, and at the same time I don't think schools should teach mindfulness. I think that teaching mindfulness to students can help in a lot of ways, it can help students calm their emotions before they get escalated and blow up. It also can help students to focus more. At the same time I don''t think they should teach mindfulness is because sometimes it doesn't help people and yes you're going to need to be mindful in real life, but is it going to advance your education? Generally I feel like mindfulness should really only be taught in therapy or a treatment center and not school.
I think teaching mindfulness will make students who have high energy and have a hard time focusing ready to work. “help them regulate their emotions,” I had a teacher who would have us meditate everyday before we started class, it made the class calmer and ready to work. They will work with mental health experts to learn relaxation techniques, breathing exercises and other methods". I believe this will promote good coping techniques, in and out of school.
@Lynsey
I understand what you are saying. I also think that schools shouldn't teach mindfulness, just because it doesn't always help students. And I see that you go to 916 and I do as well. And we have a teacher that comes around and talks about mindfulness, and personally I don't find it helpful and I sometimes feel as if it is a waste of my time. And sometimes I really do need to practice mindfulness in school. So I do see where you're coming from and I agree
Curriculums in school is very standardized always including the basic math, science, history, and english. But with only these subjects in the curriculum it is questionable if students have the necessary skills when they graduate. Stress and pressure in school is higher than ever before. To emphasize how serious the problem is the article states “Disorders like anxiety and depression were the most common, affecting one in 12 children and early adolescents in 2017, and appeared more often in girls” A class in mindfulness that helps students with different breathing techniques would greatly benefit students and bring a different approach to school. The goal of the study is to see which technique works best for these students, in return possibly giving the students skills they can use for the rest of their lives.
@Leila Belfadil
"with only these subjects in the curriculum it is questionable if students have the necessary skills when they graduate. Stress and pressure in school is higher than ever before." I agree with this because life isn't only math, science, english, and history. Life will become much more stressful than before and we need ways to cope and find help rather than pushing our emotions aside.
Personally, I have never practiced meditation or mindfulness, so I don’t know the effectiveness of these exercises. However, this idea of helping kids deal with anxiety is a great idea. With the stress put on students on an already crucial point in their life during puberty, we need to find a strategy to assist anxious teenagers. Teaching mindfulness may be the solution.
I have never meditated or done mindfulness exercises, but I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to doing it at my school if it were offered. I don’t really know if meditation would specifically help me deal with my stress, but it might be a good exercise for some other people; everyone is different.
A criticism against this study is made by two parliamentary committees that state the study is “focusing on handling emotional problems rather than preventing them.” But one of the main factors of stress that students deal with is government mandated exams. So if the government wants to stop the causes of this anxiety, then they need to use another form of a final exam.
However, I also understand that a lot of students suffer from anxiety from social media which was the other problem pointed out by the parliament committees. If this is so, the student should bring it up to the school, and the school should counsel the student or have them partake in mindfulness exercises. This will help achieve the goal that Dr. Jessica Deighton refers to as “making schools environments literate in mental health.”
With issues of mental health being so high, I feel it would be crucial to have, if possible, several courses on mindfulness. Not only will it help with mental health, but I feel it could develop a maturity in certain people, causing them to mentally grow as a person. I know if there was a class for mindfulness at my school I would take it in a heartbeat. I see there to be no downside of taking a class that talks about mindfulness and mental health. Although some people might see that there is a certain stigma behind talking about mental health, I believe there is nothing wrong with doing so and should be encouraged because the reason why rates of mental health problems is because we refuse to talk a lot about it. Overall, including a class like this into the curriculum at schools would do nothing benefit kids that choose to take the class.
I believe that this as a good initiative that more schools should think about. I think because of how much mental health is talked about today, people have become more aware of their own mental health. Now that people are becoming more aware of their own mental health, I think it is important that they learn how to deal with problems if they need help.
I think mindfulness can be very important with todays issue of mental illness like the article said. We are studying breathing exercises and relaxation techniques with mental health experts which is a big step for mental illness in teens.
I do believe that mindfulness does not work for everyone, which is why I believe that mindfulness should be a class we have the option to take, not part of the curriculum.
For me personally, mindfulness does not help since my anxiety is pretty bad and I tend to have a low attention span, so I end up just becoming more stressed and think about a lot of unnecessary things; when I could be keeping myself busy with things that will help me in the long run.
I feel that mindfulness should be taught in schools because, now a days many kids suffer from mental illness and have a hard time in school due to stress and personal home problems. As a student I know that its rally easy to get stress and it becomes hard to focus on school and I believe that having a spare time to focus on mental health might be really necessary to help prevent depression and other mental illness.
Being a full-time student who has suffered from a mental illness, I believe that a new class about mindfulness should ne thought. Our kids, mental health is as important as school work because in the end if we have a mental illness or a big stress in our life it is harder to focus in school and on our homework. In the past years the suicide numbers have gone up due to lack of a therapist or mindfulness. Mindfulness teaches us the many ways we can cope with the things that are going on in our life. In the article "Schools in England Introduce a New Subject: Mindfulness," Iliana Magra found that there was a study done in November that concluded the number of adolescence has increased from 9.7% to 11.6% just since 1999. It is very tricky dealing with mental illnesses but if we can make a start to help with the stress in the kids lives, that is one step closer to bringing that 11.6% down.
@Caroline Dixon I completely agree with you. We know that mental illnesses are quite a big issue in today's society, and doing this would certainly be a good first step to take. Fixing issues always starts by taking a first step, but one that is not extreme, and this would be the perfect way to do so.
I think America should teach mindfulness. Although it would take time out of our already crammed schedules, it should still be taught to help relieve the high stress levels in students. We need extra time to set down our increasingly heavy book bags and room to take a breath.
As stated in the article, "One in eight children in England between the ages 5 and 19 suffered from at least one mental disorder." Taking a little time out of the day to learn how to cope with stress will also help many people suffering from these stress-related issues and prepare us for stress in the future.
This topic really interest me, because it is a new way of thinking and a unique solution. I believe that student are the one that do really stress and stress start really young. Many things cause people stress and if school helped solve the problem it would show great results in their behavior. If schools care whether student drink like in the article i read. Then schools should care if their stress because stress has a big impact.
i think this would be a nice aspect in the educational system only if was used in high school. We wouldn't want younger children to experience these terms because we wouldn't want to expose them to more than what they should. Children are so happy the younger they are because they arn't introduced to such emotional things in the world. I believe introducing young to these new skills will not be beneficial and will just show them this really can happen so be ready.This would just put a mindset they need mental help because life gets tough.So, no we should avoid this as long as possible and allow kids to know the world as happy and positive. Until they need it , like i said in high school. That's where everything starts. Mental issues such as balance with friends, family, and significant others, along with intense school work.
Schools should forsure teach mindfulness as mental health should be put in front of everything else. When it comes to school many students suffer from depression, anxiety or ADHD but almost all are stressed. In gym class my teacher took one day of every week to meditate. Even though it did take awhile to get use to the results clearly showed as each student was able to just relax their mind and focus on themselves for even as short as 15 minutes.
I feel like schools should teach mindfulness. I think that schools should make a mindfulness class as an elective for students who want to be more aware of their feeling because I feel like teenagers these days have started to have some kind of mental illness so having a class could help them. If my school would offer a class on mental health I would personally consider taking it because it might help or make me more aware of things I've never really considered. I also feel like it could be hard for some people to talk about their mental health so making it an elective where people could choose to take the class could be better for students that feel like they want to talk about their feelings. Some major stressors that I encounter in my life are all the work that I have to get done for classes that sometimes I feel like I can't finish but then it makes me feel better and proud of myself when I actually finish the work.
I do think school should teach mindfulness. Yes, learning the core curriculum is necessary to graduate and to learn useful studying skills, but learning about the mental health is important too. Having poor mental health makes it difficult to complete school tasks having to do with the core curriculum. If everyone learns about mindfulness and mental health, the hardships many students face everyday can become more well known. Being educated on mindfulness has many benefits. Students and even teachers can become more self aware of how they handle their mental health. People struggling can learn they are not alone and how to manage themselves in a healthy way. Others can learn how others may feel and how to help those struggling. Mental health should be added to the curriculum because mental health and mindfulness is key to staying productive and happy. Having good grades and being physically healthy is definitely important but being mentally healthy is just important. If that is taught to students I believe everyone can improve their mental health by simply becoming more aware and educated about it.
I agree that awareness of mental health in school is a valuable tool that can teach us firsthand strategies to overcome intense emotions like breathing exercises or counting to ten; learning these lessons at a young age can establish a basic foundation of long-term help for mental struggles such as anxiety or depression. While I believe that learning mindfulness in school holds value, this type of meditation alone cannot suffice the complex stress and pressure that young adults face as they grow in adolescence. True, simple tactics of breathing exercises may benefit manageable cases like random sparks of nervosity, but complex struggles such as ongoing bullying, OCD, or internal phobias may require less independent exercises and more deep discussion with others from counseling to therapy. Ultimately, mental health programs in schools teach students how to handle their emotions independently when other forms of assistance may not be readily accessible- this is especially important when young adults enter the intense pace of the workforce. However, excessive time spent addressing mental health may cause students to become dependent on the constant help; this can be potentially harmful when we leave school and enter a relentless and hard-hearted society. There must be a balance between discussing mindfulness of “thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations” and mustering our own courage to face the harsh world that lies ahead.
Mental health is crucial to every living person. For our entire lives in school, we have taken Physical Education to equip ourselves with methods of staying physically healthy in the future. This class trains students to get up and be active for long-term continuation, but there is not significant attention being put toward mental health. Especially in high school, students (often) feel pressured to do their best, receive the best grades, be the most social, win the most competitions and maintain a happy persona. In reality, these pressures are incredibly detrimental to our mental health as we begin to focus our efforts on perfection over improvement. I believe that we should learn, early on in life, how to balance stress. A mental health class in high school can 1) help improve our mentalities in the present moment and 2) teach us how to cope with difficulties later on in life. After we graduate high school, we are practically on our own without the structure or guidance that high school provides. Therefore, a mental health class may provoke vast improvements in society and help people receive the assistance that they may need.
I think that mental health issues are becoming increasingly more common among kids in middle school through high school. It seems as if the number of kids being diagnosed with anxiety and depression each year is on a constant upward trend. Including a class in school that would focus on becoming overall more aware of who you are as a person, or even just a time to relax and think could benefit many kids across the country. Most kids are in continuous motion throughout the day going from school to sports to other activities, they never get a chance to slow down. Having a class like this could be that time where kids get a break in their never-ending schedules to think and become more mindful of how to handle the stress they encounter each day and the hardships that are spring upon you throughout your life.
I feel as teenagers in high school from students who are beginning Freshman year by adapting to the high school "style" to completing college applications and thinking about your future Senior Year could benefit from learning mindfulness. Mental health is important to understand and embrace, and help students become conscious of your surroundings. When people are taught mindfulness, they will understand their place in the complex world. If we better understand the complex world, it is more difficult for us to "make it" and maybe even help the world. If mindfulness were to be taught in schools, whether if be through meditating or focusing on mental health in a class, even if students do not directly benefit, they should be able to see results in the long run.
I think that every school should be teaching mindfulness. There are so many minutes in a school day, and if only 15 or 20 minutes are taken out of each day to teach mindfulness it can result in similar academic progress while also improving mental health of students. If my school offered a course on mindfulness, I would love to take it because it would give me an opportunity to learn more about myself and what I can do to preserve good mental throughout the rest of my life.
I think every school should teach mindfulness. The reason I like this program is because of the negative behaviors that are becoming more common in our society. Regularly, I watch both these ude actions and unnecessary drama affect a variety of ages. It's a little disheartening to see this, that's why I want a change.
Mental illness would be less of a grey area if classes start addressing it rather then shunning it like its a disease. As mentioned in the article, mental disorders are increasing, going from “11.2 percent in 2017 from 9.7 percent in 1999”. I believe if this program starts, then we can better express our emotions and be more open to ourselves and others about our mental health.
My elementary school had a class similar to what the article was discussing. It was a weekly class were the teacher talks us through how to handle certain situations about bullying, being aware of others feelings and being able to talk about what's affecting us. From these classes, a foundation was created to be mindful of others and to be comfortable about talking with them. With these skills, I became an aware and comforting person to chat with about mental health problems. Hopefully, others will see my efforts and learn to do the same.
In summary, I believe starting core classes like this will benefit our society's youth. It will teach them to be more careful with their actions and to be more open to expressing themselves like these classes have shown me to do.
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As much as I would love to approve teaching "Mindfulness" to kids in school, The reality is not that sweet. Kids lack the attention span to calm their mind long enough to have any lasting effect. Also when students are surrounded with their friends they will tend to goof off and have begin to ascosiate "Meditation" with a waste of time, as well as negitive stimulations when the teacher tells them to be quiet and possibly punishes them for it.
school ruins kids innate curiosity with subjects they find interesting. If meditation becomes mandatory in schools kids will build resentment towards it, and after school ends they will drop the habit.
True mindfulness should be the child's decision not the schools. the child should have an urge to better themselves, not have it forced upon them. alone In a quiet room is where the Child will find mindfulness.
I agree with the idea presented in this article because schools have a responsibility to help every student be aware of themselves and their mental health. It's very important that schools teach mindfulness because a lot of students are facing problems that induce a lot of stress and they may have little understanding of how to deal with it. Talking about mindfulness is especially essential considering many people have stigmatized mental health problems. Schools should have an obligation to address this and other mental health topics relating to social media and school early on in a child's education, not just a high school health class. Topics of mindfulness should be brought up as early as grade school and expanded upon in middle and high school, considering the growing influence of social media and the need to do well in school on children. For these reasons, I believe that open discussion and class activities about serious mindfulness is definitely something that should be a top priority in education.
Think of Mindfulness as “ fasting of the mind”.
Yes, it definitely helps. It has been practiced through different religions, cultures for thousands of years.
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Schools should teach mindfulness because it is a safe escape of reality. Many students are bombarded with a lot of work daily and need some time to focus on themselves. It can result in better work considering it results in having a mental break and gives off a moment of relaxation.
Mindfulness may be helpful in focusing and being being less overwhelmed by the school work to follow, however it should be a slow and diverse process of implementing it. Schools often consist of diverse populations so there should always be a variety when it comes to mindfulness, maybe even having a 20 minute session where students can pick from an array of practices. One of my teachers has started the practice and the only flaw is that its one specific practice that's meant to appeal to 30 different kids, which could cause for immediate drawback from some. Mindfulness could be helpful in some students being less stressed and ready for whats to come during the day. Most people are often calmer after these types of practices, so it could also help encourage a more teamwork-efficient and supporting learning environment, being more relaxed, less moody, and maybe a bit more alert and prepared.
It is imperative that schools teach mindfulness and raise awareness to mental health issues. In a recent poll asking tens of thousands of students how often they were stressed "45% said 'all the time'", and many of the problems that cause this stress stem from school. Many students struggle to manage themselves when are faced with high expectations, hours of homework, numerous tests every week, and low sleep schedules. This problem is magnified when students have never been taught how to deal with this stress. This stress can leak outside of the school environment and cause family problems as well. A recent study that combined data from 15 other studies showed the benefits of meditation "Students who were taught meditation at school reported higher optimism, more positive emotions, stronger self-identity, greater self-acceptance and took better care of their health as well as experiencing reduced anxiety, stress and depression." Many of the problems in student's lives are caused by school so it should be the schools responsibility to address these problems.
I believe teaching mindfulness will help us as students. I think it will help relieve stress in outback body and help us to relax a little bit. I do believe they should teach this at school like they teach our regular fore classes because I do stand by my opinion once again that I believe it will help us as students and I think it will teach us a lot. Teaching mindfulness could teach students to be more attentive in class and to focus on their studies more than their social media.
While having a mindfulness class may seem like a great idea, the real question is will it actually work? There has been multiple times that myself and others at my school have become so overwhelmed that we just have to put our mental health the the side and focus on our academics. In my opinion this is not okay. If schools genuinely care about their students mental state then I don't think only having a mindfulness class is going to be the correct solution.
As a high school student I don’t think schools should teach mindfulness, because I don’t think it can really help students with stress. Yes us students do suffer high stress levels, but personally mindfulness hasn’t given me positive results. I’ve found other ways to deal with stress that are more productive then mindfulness, such as exercising and sleeping enough. I can’t speak for everyone, but personally I believe schools should NOT teach mindfulness. And if they do some students will benefit while others won’t.
I absolutely believe that every school should offer and teach mindfulness. As a student that likes to practice mindfulness occasionally on my own, and also a student that has a class that teaches a small mindfulness session once a week, I think it’s a wonderful tool to help students de-stress and re-focus. Time after time, mindfulness has never failed to relax me or ease my worries. I would take a “mindfulness course” if it was offered at my school, and I know many peers that feel the same. There needs to be a stronger emphasis on how important mental health is in schools (and everywhere!)
I don’t think it’s valid to say that mindfulness won’t help with pressure from exams or personal social media problems. Clearing your mind and being present in the moment is a tool that therapists use to help people combat stress and depression; why shouldn’t we do it on a larger scale and in where most students spend half of their day?
Studies have shown that mindfulness benefits well-being, physical health, and mental health. Bringing mindfulness as a practice in schools will be a powerful tool to improve the schools overall learning environment. It will make school a more positive, stress-free, and happy environment for students to grow. It is crucial to learn mindfulness at a young age so we can carry this important practice on and imply it to our daily lives. Instead of putting academic studies as first priority, schools should create a balance between mindfulness and academic studies. By creating a balance, school could be made into a happy environment where there is a change of behavior, concentration levels, and self-esteem. Not only will this benefit students but it will also benefit the entire school as well. Statistics have shown that schools that have included mindfulness sessions in a school day have a result of 50% fewer rule infractions, 38% fewer suspension days, 25% fewer absentee days, and better performance on attention tests like the ADD-H Teacher-Ratings scale. We all lead extremely busy lives where we are constantly being pulled into different directions, struggling to balance school work and personal lives, but with mindfulness it could help students manage the stress.
Essentially yes mindfulness is a good concept to pratice in school but I feel like kids have to be at a certain mature level to actually practice mindfulness.
@Melanie
I think if implemented young enough, kids can practice mindfulness as it becomes a daily routine like math or reading. In your opinion, what would be a mature age for kids to start practicing it?
As a high school student, I think that instituting mindfulness as a core class is a great idea!
One in five teens today suffer from mental health issues. Anxiety, depression, and stress originate from a range of causes including academic pressures, social anxieties, and home life.
Although it would be great if society were proactive against these issues, it is not apparent that anyone is taking a stand to actively decrease the causes of mental health problems, so the effects need to be acknowledged not ignored.
Notice that the majority of students who are living with or around others with mental illnesses want a mindfulness class implemented at their school.
Not only are the people around me suffering from mental disorders, but we are also growing up in an environment where it feels unacceptable to talk about anything regarding our own mental health. As a result, very few people know how to manage the stress and anxiety they go through, and if they were to have a mental health class within their schedule they could learn how to deal with their emotions and illnesses in a healthy way.
I do not think that every school should teach mindfulness and that teaching it should become a core curriculum, I think this- not because it isn't important- but because this is something someone should learn on their own, or from their parents.
I'm not sure mindfulness is the solution we need to alleviate students' stress. Yes, practicing mindfulness has its merits, and I think there is value in having a class dedicated for that, but there are limitations. My school has an ultracompetitive atmosphere, sometimes toxic and cutthroat. Mindfulness can help with symptoms of stress, but the root cause should be tackled as well.
To be honest, practicing mindfulness doesn't seem to be for me. I don't find my stress levels to decrease or for my wellbeing to be, at the very least, okay. College, homework load, jobs, family obligations, and socializing -- these things are not disappearing when I'm meditating.
@Eugene
It is not always possible to address root causes. The following recent study demonstrated that mindfulness leads to less distress when faced with social rejection, which further demonstrates its value:
Martelli, A. M., et al. 2018. When Less is More: Mindfulness Predicts Adaptive Affective Responding to Rejection via Reduced Prefrontal Recruitment. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 13: 648-655.
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Mindfulness gives us the ability to ground ourselves and gain an awareness of our own mental state. The stress experienced by students in America is intense and universal, and (especially in higher grade levels), students tend to neglect their mental health. A five-minute mental check-in at the beginning of the day may not seem like much, but it could force a student to examine their own state. Are they hungry? Have they been neglecting breakfast? Did they sleep? With the amount of work, responsibilities, and social obligations most teens face, we often don't get a moment of rest and self-reflection until our head hits the pillow at the end of the day. Mindfulness and the ability to take a second to be aware of our physical presence and mental state are important. It's also a skill that takes time to develop. School making an effort to emphasize mindfulness could be helpful if they do nothing to reduce the stress students are put under.
Less is more. If schools are concerned with students' mental health and with mitigating anxiety, working to lighten students' workload and restructure the school system, as well as provide a greater variety of options and offers to suit various students would go much farther than adding a minor element to each day which students would struggle to focus on.
Mindfulness should be a crucial component of curriculums. I believe mindfulness allows students to stay in touch with themselves, amongst the chaos that schools environments can create.
Teaching mindfulness is an essential addition to every school's curriculum. Learning to reflect and understand one's self is arguable more important than perhaps a physics lesson. School's bombard information, most of the time useless, that has absolutely no purpose in the future. Why learn the fundamental theorem of calculus then complete hours of challenging homework when no, I am not going to be a math professor or teacher. Why learn chemistry equations when I could be spending my time pursuing and developing what I am actually passionate about. But a class in mindfulness has life-long benefits for all. Girls, guys, doctors, teachers, performers, lawyers, accountants, you, and me would benefit immensely, taking a pause during our crazy lives to live in the present and reflect upon the moment.
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I think that teaching mindfulness would exponentially benefit the student body. I'm currently in a psychology class for which the teacher teaches mindfulness as a part of his daily curriculum, and although I thought I'd find myself annoyed and bombarded with mantras I'm already familiar with, I'm actually really enjoying the lessons. I've learned a lot about myself just by listening and I've had realizations about the mental/emotional states of my friends as well. Listening to his lectures has helped me so much, and I hope that other people can someday experience mindfulness lessons.
If a mental health class was offered at GBN I would definitely take it, and I would even propose the idea of it being required. By having this class and making the difficult topics of mental health be discussed more, the stigma around mental health would definitely be reduced. It is always easier to push problems away, but active conversation are the only ways to solve anything. At GBN, I'd say we have a pretty stressed student body, as people are constantly competing with their peers, both in an academic way and in a social way too. My life would find a sense of calamity and balance if I had the option to take this class, and I feel like the school environment would be improved overall.
I think practicing mindfulness in schools would help students with mental health issues become more comfortable talking about it and the stigma surrounding it won't be as prevalent.
Yes! As a high school student, I know that so many teenagers suffer from some form of mental illness and are not getting the help they need. My neighbor recently was hospitalized for depression and was taken out of school for a least three weeks. She, like too many others, reach this breaking point because we aren't taught how to take care of ourselves mentally. Most of us just push all the stress aside and continue with our lives, because there really isn't any other option. The words "stressed" and "high schooler" come hand in hand. I know that some amount of stress is healthy but I've talked to countless fellow students who are well beyond that normal stress range. The question isn't "should" schools have a mindfulness class; it's "why" we don't have one already. To be honest, if schools really cared about their student's overall wellbeing, then a mindfulness class is a no-brainer. We are not just learning sponges that suck up information all day. We are humans too. Just as schools teach us about the world around us, they must also teach us about ourselves. It's time to actually take action and find solutions to this ongoing mental concern.
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I think the concept of mindfulness is very important. Since students are increasingly becoming more stressed, it is important to integrate a way to cope with this stress and anxiety that other classes may be causing. Mental health is a very prevalent issue in society today due to expectations that are put on them. Having a class to learn how to deal with these expectations in a healthy way can increase the student's health and overall happiness. It also allows students to have a break in the middle of a stressful day, so they can talk about the feelings they may be having.
I think it is a really smart idea for schools to teach mindfulness because a major issue in school is stress and depression, and students need to learn techniques to help manage and keep their mental health healthy. I know that I am constantly running around every single day and barely have a moment to rest. I think it would be very beneficial for me and all students to truly take time out of the day to spend a moment on ourselves. So many students have mental health problems, and this is such an easy and quick way to help students manage. I think if mindfulness was turned into a core class, then there wouldn't be as many mental health issues among students. Mindfulness is as easy as focusing on breathing or reflecting on the day, and not only is it helpful and incredibly relaxing, but it would also keep students healthier people.
I think teaching mindfulness should be part of the curriculum in all schools. Depending on the curriculum, some schools may choose to have mindfulness be a seperate course, and others might decide to require teachers to include mindfulness in their classes. I think mindfulness is key to maintaining children's mental health while they're in school. Right now, many children and especially teenagers claim that they go through a enormous amount of stress and anxiety from school. Although we may not be able to physically see it, stress and anxiety are a big reason behind many problems that kids have: bad grades, poor relationship with family and/or friends, declining mental health, etc. Overall, if schools teach mindfulness, it could really help with improving the experience that children have inside and outside of school.
I think that a mindfulness course would be a great subject to offer for those who want to take it. Mindfulness has been proven to reduce stress and increase happiness, health, and positivity. In schools, students work themselves up about assignments, tests, and the grades they earn too much. A mindfulness class would teach students how to deal with the stress they find at school in a healthy and productive way. I think if schools were willing to offer mindfulness classes, students would be more excited to attend school every day and a great weight would be lifted from students.
The amount of students with mental health issues is currently off the charts. Instead of allowing students to take time to reflect on their values and self-worth, schools are piling on unmanageable amounts of work. Not taking this time to stop and reflect ultimately inhibits students' identity development. And, by this introduction of mindfulness techniques in the curriculum, it can help bridge the stigma of discussing mental health. Ignoring and suppressing an issue doesn't make it go away--it worsens it.
I think that schools should practice teaching mindfulness as part of the curriculum. The world is full of stressors and many people don't know how to properly handle what is thrown at them, so by having a class that focuses on how to be mindful and how to help your mental health students would be provided with the opportunity to better themselves. I personally would take the course because mental health is an important aspect of life.
Even though schools cannot eliminate all of the stressors that students face, they can help to teach children how to handle stress that arrises.
Every individual has more going on in their life that other's do not know about. Mindfulness is an important skill and lesson to teach at a young age because it will allow children to grow up less stressed. Highschoolers are constantly stressed and many are diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression. If teachers begin to teach mindfulness individuals would learn the importance of taking time to take a break from the stress that school brings and relax and enjoy your life. I took a yoga gym class that allowed for mediation and relaxation every other morning. I believed that this was very important because it allowed my mental health to catch up with my physical well-being. I also believe that this will allow people to look at the positives in their life and realize what they are grateful for.
Mental health is a topic that many still find taboo or unimportant. Most students struggle with making sure they get all their work done, being social, and at the same time taking care of themselves. In my own experience, taking care of myself did not take priority and my mental health suffered because of that. My school had never taught me how to deal with all of the work they were giving me, they just assumed I'd be able to handle everything even though I'd never had to before. Schools should begin including mindfulness in education, maybe not as a core class, but as something to think about. Some of my teachers now have meditation at the beginning of class for a few minutes where we think about our breathing and just calm ourselves down before the day starts. Just a slight change like that can make a huge difference. Making sure that parents, teachers, and students are all educated on mental health and mindfulness is really the best way to help students with their stress and anxiety.
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I believe that teaching mindfulness is a great idea, but shouldn't be required for all students to take. Core classes like math, science, social studies, and english are required for all students to take. If a mindfulness class was to be a required course, it may force students to see it as just another class to check off their list as opposed to a class where they can really benefit. This being said, if mindfulness was made into an elective course that students had the option to take, students who cared about their mental health and wellbeing would take the course. In this scenario, students who feel that they suffer from mental health issues or handle today's pressures of society well would not be forced to take the class. Personally, I took a Yoga class last semester and some mind mindfulness concepts were incorporated into the class. I personally felt that it was a huge benefit and I was able to be more relaxed throughout the day. It also helped me to keep my daily problems in perspective and not to let them ruin my day. Some of the major pressures I face as a high school student don't necessarily occur in school. I am more stressed out when I get home from school and have homework to finish, tests to study for, sports practices to attend, and standardized testing to prepare for.
I think it's important that schools teach students about mental health, how to recognize it in others, and how to help it. But, I don't know if mindfulness is a beneficial course at high school. I've been taught meditation and breathing techniques over the course of a few health classes but in terms of my personality they never really help. Mindfulness only works when people want it to work, and it's different for every person. If students don't think mindfulness techniques like meditation or others like that work for them, they shouldn't be obligated to take a class like that. What they should learn are some activities that may help reduce stress, like reading or music. If someone can deal with his or her stress in a positive way, maybe they don't need mindfulness. It really depends on the individual.
I believe that teaching mindfulness is essential because it will increase the emotional awareness of the youth. Low self-esteem has been an increasing problem in the youth of today’s world. Many young people, especially teens, feel like they are not good enough and that they have no worth. When we think of health, we mostly think about physical health. Just like caring for a broken bone, taking care of your mental health is just as important. When learning about and practicing the techniques of mindfulness, students become more aware about their emotions. They will better be able to gain control over their mental health. The school environment can create a lot a stress through peer pressure and daily studies. By making the practice of mindfulness a core part of the curriculum, students will find an increase in confidence and a decrease in negativity. Taking time every day in school to participate in relaxation exercises will help the pressures of our fast-paced world lessen.
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Mindfulness and meditation would be a great thing to be practiced in school. As a high school student, there is a lot of stress that you have to contend with. School, sports, clubs, friends - it can all be overwhelming. School, in fact, can be the biggest stressor out of all of these. I think that if we practiced mindfulness or meditation in school, this would be hugely beneficial to the mental health of high school students. We have gym class for physical health, but for our mental health, we are just left to figure it out for ourselves; Along with this, mindfulness and meditation would serve as a nice break period for high school students, as we are run constantly throughout the day with very little time for a break. As we become more open about our mental health, I think that the oncoming of new classes teaching mindfulness and meditation will become more prominent in our schools.
Mindfulness is the quality or state of being aware of something. Speaking as a student, I think schools should be able to learn assets such as mindfulness. A common problem of students and adolescents is that we thrive on instant feedback and rapid change, which is not always so great. Social media brings about intense pressure from peers that can be easily avoided. With techniques such as meditation and breathing exercises, children will learn to cope with anxiety that will help greatly in the future, as adults.
Mindfulness would be extremely beneficial in schools in my opinion. Every school should have mindfulness as a core subject. Mindfulness and mental-well being would not only benefit you but everyone around you. Mindfulness would teach you how to respect and act in a mannerly way. Also how to stay happy, and live your best life. In my school, we do a program called Second Step. Second Step teaches us about how to deal with drama and everyday situations. Middle schoolers benefit from this because these days there is so much drama and rumors. In my opinion, every school should learn mindfulness and well-being.
I think that it would be really beneficial for students if schools started teaching mindfulness. Between school, extracurricular activities, and home life, students are more stressed than ever. The stress just builds up as the days and weeks go by. But if there is a class during the school day that taught mindfulness and meditation techniques, students would know how to cope with stress instead of holding it all in. With a clear head and less stress, students would be able to focus better in class and would most likely get more work done as well. Having a specific class dedicated to mindfulness would also bring up the subject on mental health in a more positive way. It would decrease the stigma around it and would help let students know that it's okay to talk about and they would feel more open to talk about it. Overall, having a class about mindfulness would be really beneficial.
Personally, I believe that mindfulness should be taught in school. Especially in our adolescent years, our minds are constantly changing, increasing the likelihood of the development of mental illnesses. In addition to the pressure to conform to today's social norms, children are working to balance their personal lives with their education. I feel that a class dedicated to mindfulness is very important. Taking a small part of each day to focus on yourself and relax as an escape from a heavy weighted schedule, can be a small step that can get someone through their day.
I believe that schools should teach mindfulness. We need to be taught that we should take breaks throughout the day without having to over-stress ourselves. Mindfulness teaches us the essence of peace and quiet. We relax ourselves and take time to just breathe. Think happy and peaceful thoughts and forget for a moment about whatever is stressing us out. With that being said, I do strongly believe that mindfulness can help ease stress and help students learn of different ways of handling stress. Because while in school we would have this core class, in the real world we would not. So it's key to have this taught for the purposes of becoming adults and having real life problems to deal with involving work, kids, family, etc. Especially since in the article, the editor uses a study done in the United Kingdom in their schools and how they are starting to address mental health. This is known as ethos because it has credibility and uses emotion by making us think. Do we want our kids to grow up stressful? This is known as pathos and logos goes along with the statistics, with a new study that shall start up in 2021 to see the effects of this.
I like your connection to ethos, pathos, and logos! I did not see the connection until I read your comment. The connection between school and the real world is one I often ponder a lot. Mindfulness would be able to help in our transition to the real world from high school, and will students get through their days so they can be a part of "the real world."
I think that taking a 30-45 minutes out of each day to practice mindfulness would be a very good addition to school curriculum. Mental health is very important and in the society we live in today, teenagers need help learning relaxation and coping mechanisms. Starting at a young age, learning mindfulness will help for the rest of their lives with any stress or anxiety they may develop. As teens, we need help controlling and calming our out of control emotions, and with a mindfulness course, that will help relax our minds. In my opinion, mindfulness is almost more important than math. If a teenager does not have good mental health, will it really matter that they don’t know how to do a calculus problem? For the children who maybe cannot afford a mental health professional for anxiety for instance, it would be very beneficial for schools to already have a course practicing mindfulness. With the stress of high school, it would be helpful to have mindfulness as a part of school curriculum.
I believe that schools should teach mindfulness early on in student's careers. The class would be integrated into elementary schools and could be an optional credit throughout High School. Mindfulness will improve a student's state of mind and can help reduce stress in a school environment. Most students are aware of mental health but never practice good mental health and I believe that this will motivate students to practice good mental health. If a mental health class is integrated into schools I could see it as an optional credit, seeing as though most students do not see mental health as a huge issue and function just fine. But, this class could be for the students who are always stressing over deadlines, tests/quizzes, etc. This class will overall improve the mindset of those students and could change the way that some students see school. As a student myself, I would like to see this class as an option to take, school can be very stressful at times and I would want to start going into classes with an open mind.
It is very important that schools teach mindfulness. Students are often stressed with many aspects of school in their everyday life such as homework, classes and the social aspect of school. Teaching mindfulness would help the students understand the feelings they may experience and teach them some techniques to deal with those emotions. Focusing more on the emotional aspects of students will give them real life skills that they can use to better their mental health throughout their lives. Students are often struggling silently with stress and pressure often because they do not how to manage the feelings that arise. This could be an opportunity to change that.
Mindfulness is a crucial topic that helps to improve on mental health issues by focusing on the student’s awareness to thoughts and feelings. Teaching this course in schools would benefit all students by teaching them how to handle many stressful situations throughout their lives. I think that this practice should become a core part of the school curriculum. School can be immensely stressful for many students and being able to handle the stress is a vital skill for success in all subjects. Being capable of dealing with mental health issues is an indispensable skill that I believe all students should learn.
Absolutely!
At first it will seem odd; perhaps taken lightly as kids will be kids, but starting in preschool- 1st grade, it will have a positive impact & the meditation, in my opinion, will be looked forward to.
An entire new generation will benefit & it will be passed on. Young minds are the key & answer. This will not be an awful thing.
This is a spiritual excercise & not in a religious sense. It will be looked at suspiciously by those who don't understand mental health issues or meditation itself; & that is to be expected, but parents, along with the child, will need to set the example by participating at home. At least I'd hope so.
Enough from me.
Peace, All...
As a high school teacher, I wholeheartedly believe that integrating mindfulness practice as part of the curriculum would provide lifelong benefits to students. Adolescents struggle to control their emotions and practicing mindfulness would teach them directly how to have an awareness of and control over these powerful emotions. Implementing mindfulness can help all students, especially those at higher risk. Students are vulnerable to mental health issues regardless of race, gender or socioeconomic background, although students who experience trauma or LGBT youth are most at risk, and ignoring their needs would be irresponsible. Mindfulness is also a practice that has proven positive results, as neurologists recognize the neoplasticity of the brain – our brain’s ability to create new neural pathways. Even outside of the scientific benefits, making this practice part of the curriculum would also communicate to students that educators prioritize both their mental health and their academic development.
All schools should teach mindfulness. Schools, over the years, have become buildings that breed stress, much to the dismay of the students and their families. According to the NHS, five out of nine students suffer from at least one mental illness. Along with this, the mental disorders in children has risen an estimated 2% since 1999. According to NAMI, increased risk for mental health issues comes a directly correlated increased probability in physical medical issues arising. With increasing stress and competition comes vast issues with mental health and compensation. I know that I could have really benefited from a mandatory mindfulness class my freshman year, yet I feel I had to "find my own way" in terms of learning to rationalize my feelings and emotions. With students suffering more and more every year, especially with colleges becoming more and more competitive, mindfulness classes are more important than ever. Overall, all STUDENTS can benefit from a wellness class. It will help them prevent mental-based medical issues (ulcers, migraines, etc.), learn to compensate with their stress in the presence of a facilitator, and will build a stronger student body in all schools.
I think teachings mindfulness to students, especially high school students. As a high school student I find that I’m often stressed out because of the amount of school work I have on top of a busy schedule filled with sports practices and games. I think starting the day with a mindful relfection on life could be very benificial to students mental and physical health.
I believe that every school should teach mindfulness in one way or another. Schools should allow mindfulness to be taught as it could help these children throughout their early and later life. With a program that teaches mindfulness comes the ability for children to develop healthy thoughts and ideas, relieve stress, and even have feelings they do not understand explained to them. For high school students, mindfulness could be a great way to relieve stress from classes and get help for other problems. A program teaching mindfulness could help to open kids up to emotions and provide ways to cope and an outlet they could use for help. Mindfulness should become a core part of the school, but not specifically the curriculum. It should be a part of the day, but not like a class, just another thing for kids to deal with. Mindfulness should be a place to escape from the stress and negative emotions that occupy one’s day. Teachers specific to the subject should be in schools, and have a part of the day where teenagers and children are able to decompress and work on themselves, not their pile of homework. If it were a graded class, it might stress students out. Therefore, it should be important in schools, but not overwhelming. In the long run, teaching mindfulness in schools could help students throughout their lives, and is a subject that should be required.
Courses on (or that include) mindfulness should absolutely be offered at every school. In this “world of rapid change”, I agree that it is crucial to teach our youth about mental health problems. Most classes on mental health seem to be taught at the high school level which, for some students, may be too late in the progression of a mental illness to help or teach them something they haven't already learned on their own. The idea of introducing this at lower levels of education could make all the difference - especially for the number of kids who don't show symptoms of mental illness at that point in their lives. They will be taught how to not only manage the difficulties of life, but they could be taught how to prevent over-stress in the future. But, even if this initiative is at the high school level, it could be a great tool for any student seeking help but not knowing where to find it. Additionally, the more that mental health issues are discussed and universalized, the less of a stigma there will be. I don’t see any downside to teaching kids about their mental health, as it will only act to promote a healthier lifestyle!
I believe schools should teach mindfulness as an everyday course. It is useful in our cases because it is very easy to become stressed and let anxiety get the best of us during the school year. Meditation would give students the time of day to relax and lessen our stress. We spend five out of seven days at school for eight hours each day. After school, students have other responsibilities such as homework, jobs, and sports. This may not give us enough time to take for ourselves. Mental health is a huge problem teen-agers and adults are dealing with these days. It can be transparent with people around us, even with friends, family, and teachers. We need to take accountability of not only our own physical health, but also mental health. Mindfulness would decrease the levels of anxiety and may help with other mental disorders such as depression.
In my personal opinion I believe that schools should teach mindfulness. So far, in my high school experience, I have witnessed and seen so many people try different ways to relieve stress. However, they still continue to struggle with stress, and other problems because they can't find the perfect technique to help. I remember in elementary school we used to be able to have nap time, and snack time, and now we don't have any of the options. I feel like as kids we didn't really stress as much, or understand the whole concept, where as now we now plenty about it because most of us have dealt with it. I think that schools should teach us about mindfulness to help us enjoy school more, and even our lives. Additionally I think that there wouldn't be any problems with having the class in schools, and I think it would be more beneficial for the students lives.
I do not believe that mindfulness should be a course in school. I believe this because mindfulness is different for everyone. When two people are stressed or have issues mentally, each individual needs something different to help them. Brains are different from each other so I don't think it would be as beneficial for a student body as a whole to have a mindfulness course they have to take. Some do not feel comfortable sharing their problems with mental illness, so to go into a class and have to be helped for your problems with your peers all around you can be a very terrifying thing. Kids with anxiety this may even have the opposite effect on them. I do believe mindfulness is a very important thing and mental illness is something that people need help with, but I believe that someone should have help with that one on one. This way, that person can get the help they need specifically and in the end, have it be more beneficial for them. They also won't have to worry about their peers judging them in the environment since this would again be a one on one thing. This is why I do not believe that schools should have a mindfulness course that students need to take.
I believe that mindfulness is a great idea for schools. Having a 10 minute break of peace and quiet out of a student's life. Being able to calm your mind, heart and body is always needed, and sometimes you don't have a second of quiet to calm yourself.
I think that schools should teach mindfulness. In recent years, I've noticed that mental health has become a more talked about subject. It has been addressed more in the media, and it's something that more kids are becoming educated about. I don't know if I've only realized it because I'm getting older, but I've noticed that more teenagers are opening up about their mental health, and supporting others with mental health problems. This has reduced the stigma around mental health greatly, and I think it's assured more kids that it's okay to come forward and talk about how they feel. I think a mindfulness class could only benefit students, and would do no harm for them. Students face so many stressors during the day, this class could be an opportunity for them to relax and process their thoughts.
I think it would be a cool idea for schools to start teaching mindfulness, because, in the end, it would benefit the students. School life can be very stressful for most students, especially juniors and seniors. A block of time reserved in the day for a simple break from the stresses of everyday life would do wonders for students. I’m not super into meditation; I’ve done it a few times around midterms because the stress just became too much for me. There is an app called “Headspace” for meditation and it really helped me. I felt really weird at the beginning, but when it was over, I felt refreshed and ready to get back to studying. I think the whole point of meditations is to clear your head and get in touch with you body instead of your thoughts, which is very hard for a high school student to do. However, I think this is a very subjective topic and that it depends on who you talk to, but I don’t see any reason not to. I’m not advocating for it, but I don’t think there would be any harm, only benefits. Personally, I tend to get all caught up in my own thoughts because we only get a four minute break between each class, which isn't enough to get your thoughts back in order. All in all, I think it is a good option for schools to have and keep thinking about.
In my personal opinion, mindfulness is a technique that should be taught. As a student, I witness not only myself, but my peers constantly staring into the eyes of fear and worry throughout a single day of school. This could be provoked by anything such as a quiz, a test or even interactions with others. Anxiety is not only a mental illness, but it is also a normal and frequent emotion within everyone. The only downfall is, we are so busy being highly educated on the "prime" subjects to our futures, that we completely forget to educate ourselves on the vital strategies that we need to cope with ourselves as people. Being educated on the idea of mental illness and mindful techniques applies to everyone. It creates an awareness within the school system, which quite frankly is the number one place where these anxieties can be set off. This course will hopefully decrease the overwhelming stress and "butterflies" that students experience by teaching techniques to be aware of the mind and body, overall creating a more peaceful and calm school environment where students are able to succeed.
Students and teachers have a tendency to ignore mental health as a concept entirely because there is no room for it within a rigorous academic curriculum. In my opinion, a class focused on how to deal with stress rather than suppressing it is just as important as a class focused on developing study skills. Because most schools indirectly encourage competition over collaboration, students are more reserved on both an academic and mental standpoint. We need to start an ongoing discussion about mental health to show that people who feel they can't properly express their emotions are not alone. Encouraging a mindset in which mental well-being is more valuable than receiving an A on a test is pertinent, especially for teenagers with developing brains.
I think that adding mindfulness to a school's curriculum would benefit students in many ways. Many students, especially high school, often find themselves stressed out and it causes a decrease in their academic performance. I think that allowing students to practice de-stressing methods and go through their day with a bit of a clearer mind would possibly help them to get through their day a little bit easier.
Mindfulness is vital to positive human interaction. If taught at a young age, children will grow up with the idea that practicing mindfulness rewards everyone around them. If this were to be embedded into the current school system, positive and hopeful changes would be made visible, and mental health would become more important to students. If my school offered this class, I would take it without a doubt. I know that a lot of us are aware about the importance of maintaining our mental health, but unfortunately due to the rigorous environments we are placed in with our classes, we choose to neglect it and focus on what we find to be "more" important, our grades. Having this class will be extremely beneficial for all students, including our teachers. Even if it is taught for one semester, it gives us the break and the education we desire so that we can keep on pushing in our current situations.
On the car ride to my elementary school, through learning the alphabet, eating lunch, and running around during recess, my exhausted six year old self looked forward to nothing more than nap-time. It was a break, time souley designated for me to let my mind wander in the middle of my tiring day. As a highschooler I would very much appreciate nap-time in between any of my classes. Classes are challenging and difficult, the SAT’s are stressful, college seemed lifetimes away but now is the only thing that I think about, essays are being written the same night that they are due and an insane amount of other examples, these are all struggles that teens go through every single day. Sleep is something that has now turned into a prize for after I finish solving the next math problem, or turn in yesterday’s history assignment, when it should not be something I have a right to. Time in the day to put my mind at ease, especially during the most chaotic seven hours of the day would make a huge impact on my mood, grades, energy, and desire to function in general. I feel that schools setting a time for mindfulness and meditation classes is a great idea, one that many students would appreciate and find helpful.
The mental pause in between studying for tests and analyzing writing would help in countless ways some for me personally being; more energetic, happier, less stressed, and better management over my schoolwork and grades, all making this practice time an even better idea.
While I do think that teaching mindfulness in school can be beneficial, I think it's more important to get to the route of why young people are so stressed and fix that. We have been brought up in a world that has seen 9/11, constant wars, a large financial crisis and now an uprising of nationalism and hate across many countries. Helping students becomes more mindful may make us feel happier, but unless we get to the route of the reasons why our generation feels so stressed, however mindful we become won't fix our world.
I believe we should absolutely teach mindfulness. The point of education is, at its most basic function, to help us process the world and understand it. How do we understand the world accurately, if we don't even understand how we interact with it? In my experience, it is absolutely vital that we understand ourselves and explore our own identity and truly understand how our experiences change our perceptions, and more importantly how our perceptions could differ had we been born differently. This attempt at empathy, understanding, and in-depth exploration of our own humanity is a key component of learning to become a responsible, engaged, and concerned citizen. If I hadn't been pushed to do this myself by an impromptu identity crisis, I 100% believe that many of my opinions could've had the potential to harm others and perpetuate modern day issues.
I do not believe schools should teach mindfulness, as students many students could be resistant, and would gain very little from the class. It would also take up class time.
If my school offered a mindfulness class, I would take it in a heartbeat. I believe that mental health should be emphasized just as, or more than the regular academic classes. In my school experience with AP classes, honors classes, after school activities, and crazy outside lives, we could all use a break to step back and focus on ourselves. I understand the concern with making mindfulness part of the mandatory curriculum because some people may feel uncomfortable sharing about their mental health. However, this course could give students the ability to accept themselves and their own mental health.
Adding mindfulness to a school's core curriculum would not only benefit students' daily state of mind, but would also help them approach multiple subjects (academic or not) with a clearer mind. No matter the level of their classes, all students should have equal opportunities to practice self awareness and care. If my school were to offer a class focusing on mental health I'd definitely take it. While the class alone cannot make stressors go away, having a space dedicated to mental health may help everyone involved reset and continue their days in a better mental place. Additionally, the stigma around mental health isn't going to go away on its own. Increasing mental health awareness will inform more people so they can't base their opinions on stereotypes and assumptions. Not taking action would mean actively ignoring the increasing need for mental health awareness, which would be worse than any perceived drawbacks.
Absolutely. Mindfullness is an important skill to cope with both everday stresses and bigger life challenges. I think that before schools have serious conversations about mental health they need to create an environment where students feel comfortable talking about their mental health.
I think every school should teach mindfulness because mental health is so important. People cannot properly function without knowing how to maintain their mental health, and with our rapidly changing society, school's should help students navigate how to deal with their stress in a healthy way. I think if my school offered a course on mindfulness, I would take it because I know that I could improve how I deal with stress. I think it would help improve my life because it would help me be more calm, which would improve my mood but also my performance in academics and extracurriculars.
I think that school should introduce the idea of mindfulness. In a very high-pressure world, in order to achieve success, it is necessary to be calm while working on high-level tasks. Life is not easy. There are going to be lots of difficult tasks. Psychology shows that for more difficult tasks, there needs to be a lower level of sympathetic nervous system arousal in which mindfulness should be able to achieve. However, while I think mindfulness should be a part of school, I believe it should not become a core class because that takes a huge time out of the important things we need to learn. Being from the USA, the United States is far behind education wise from the rest of the world. We need all the time to absorb knowledge and become a more powerful educational force. We can introduce mindfulness but instead of making it a core class.
I find it disappointing that we live in an age where kids are so stressed in school that mental health has become such an issue. Mindfulness is an important concept to master, however, it should be mastered on the students own time. I think that a whole class on the topic would be too much, as anytime removed from learning is wasted time. That having been said, I believe that meditating for a few minutes at the beginning of each day, or during a gym class could be helpful.
More than mindfulness, what needs to be changed is the amount of pressure put on students to succeed, and what needs to be taught is how to manage expectations.
I definitely think mindfulness is a valuable lesson to teach in schools. As the article says, it can ease anxiety, stress, and inspire relaxation. I do not think, however, that mindfulness is something that can be forced onto students. I took a mindfulness class in middle school that was an optional class as an elective. Since it was religion-based, it wasn't my favorite class, but there were some pieces that I could take away. It is so nice to have a break during a rigorous school day and being with a group of people who also want that same relaxation is a great way to be thoughtful.
With the increasing pressures of today's world, I think that it is a great idea for schools to be incorporating mindfulness into their curriculum. As a high school student I know first hand how much pressure is on us to get good grades, participate in extracurriculars, and give back to our communities. We are under constant pressure whether it is coming from our coaches, teachers, parents, friends, siblings, ect., but many people don't recognize that this constant pressure could actually be causing us to struggle with maintaining good mental health. I think that it would be great for schools to start incorporating mindfulness into the curriculum, because it will not only help students manage the constant pressure, but it will also lead to more conversations about the importance of mental health.
I think it's important that schools teach mindfulness in school. In recent years, mental health has become a big topic and I think it's important that schools don't dance around the topic. I think it's important that schools teach mindfulness to avoid issues of stress that might arise in schools. I would take a class in mindfulness because I think it's important to take time out of my day to take a breather especially with all the stress of pressures. I think some people might believe this might not be efficient since people won't want to share things personal to them, but I feel that the class will teach important ideas and teach people the power to open up.
Mindfulness and awareness of one's self is incredibly crucial to a student's growth, especially during high school. Mental health is entirely common and so important not to be taken lightly. Being aware of yourself at such a young age, like high school, since a lot of students repress their feelings, thoughts, and aspects of their identity in order to fit the norm. Being taught mindfulness is so important to not lose yourself in a world so over saturated with societal pressures. Implementing mindfulness in the classroom would make everyone more in-tune and stay true to themselves. This could aide some mental health concerns.