As educators, we usually start right into our teaching at the beginning of class, assuming that students are ready to learn. But when my students arrive in class, they are more often than not extremely stressed out. They might have had to rush to class to be on time, have had login issues, be worried about the assignment they haven’t completed or need to complete, be stressed about an event or person in their private life—the list can go on.
The learner’s emotional state has a major effect on their learning, and a little time invested in ensuring that students are prepared to learn will greatly enhance the outcomes of our teaching (Flook et al., 2010). By acknowledging their stress and worry at the start of class, I often see a look of relief wash over their faces. Then they have a moment before engaging in intellectual work, to pause, collect themselves, tune in to their bodies and how they are feeling, and simply breathe. Often, I can feel the emotional climate in the room become less tense. It’s as if the entire class is letting out one collective, giant sigh. After taking some time to literally just focus on breathing or pausing one’s activity, students seem emotionally ready to learn. While it is ideal to close the class on a mindful moment to send them off to their next activity in a calm manner, I don’t always have the time. In this article, I will explain two brief research-based, mindful breathing activities that I implement to help de-stress and calm students.
In an online teaching environment, I have implemented a mindful moment successfully and have found that students have naturally started using mindful moments well beyond the classes I teach. Students have discussed using them before starting exams in their other classes, before having to give oral presentations, and before entering many other stressful situations that might not be in a classroom (e.g., large group social settings or professional meetings or conferences). In short, students have discussed how they have used mindfulness breathing activities whenever and wherever they feel stressed. They have taught family members, friends, and roommates these social-emotional skills too.
Preparing for mindful breathing
Before actually implementing mindful breathing activities in my classes, I let the students know what to expect. Here is a brief checklist concerning preparation.
- Make sure you (the facilitator) have practiced the mindful breathing activity and feel comfortable doing it yourself.
- Invite students to participate; do not force them to participate.
- Provide a brief overview of the research-based physical, social-emotional, and physiological benefits of mindfulness (Siegel, 2015).
- Let students know that while mindful breathing is used in a number of religions, you are not advocating any particular religion.
- In rare instances, breathing mindfully can increase a person’s anxiety. If this happens, tell the student to stop, open their eyes if closed, and feel free to get up, leave the room, and get a drink of water.
- Tell students that a bell, chime, or some other sound or visual will mark the beginning and end of the practice.
- Ask students to put away all phones, computers, and electronics.
Implementing the mindful breathing activity
One you have prepared the students for what to expect, you will be ready to implement the mindful breathing activity. Because you have practiced mindful breathing on your own, you will experience various sensations, feelings, and other somatic events that you can share with your students. While it is possible to teach mindful breathing to students without having tried the technique itself, this is ineffective and could be problematic. It is crucial that teachers understand and feel the effects of various breathing techniques on their own bodies, so they can effectively instruct students and prepare them for the various responses they might have to various kinds of breathing activities.
- Ring the bell and start by telling students to settle into their environment and settle into their bodies. Ask them to listen to the sounds in their environment but not analyze or think about them, just notice them.
- During this time, demonstrate the breathing activity while also facilitating it.
- Next, discuss posture, assuming that most students will be in a sitting position and likely in a chair; ask them to make sure the soles of their feet are touching the ground, their back is straight but not tense or rigid, their shoulders are loose, and their hands are resting gently on their knees, palms up or palms down.
- Remind them that their eyes can be open or closed and they can open or close them at any time during the practice.
- Ask students to bring their awareness to the breathing and simply notice their breathing, again, without analyzing or judging it.
- Have them notice, for example, the temperature of the air as it enters their nose or mouth.
- Ask them, if possible (i.e., no stuffed noses), to inhale and exhale through their nose or to inhale through their nose and exhale through their mouth.
- Tell them that their mind might wander, which is common and to be expected, but to gently return their attention and awareness to the breath.
- At this point I introduce two techniques to help students focus their attention on the breath. The first technique is to count each breath and give them some time to practice focusing on their breath by counting their inhalations and exhalations.
- The second technique is especially helpful for visually oriented students. A ask them to visualize their breath in their favorite color.
- Tell students to choose their favorite color and in their mind’s eye watch their inhalations in their favorite color as the new, clean, and pure air enters their nose and mouth and starts to travel all over their body—up to the head, sinus cavities, behind the eyes, ears, and so on while simultaneously traveling down their throat, arms, hands, chest, belly, hips, legs, ankles, and feet.
- Tell them to imagine, with each exhalation, ridding their bodies of any stress, tightness, anxiety, or worry along with the stale air.
- Give the students time to observe their breath as it travels through their body.
- Cue students to be aware of any emotions, feelings, or sensations during this activity and to not dwell on them but simply notice them and then let these observations go.
- Before ringing the bell or chime to mark the end of the practice, tell the students, “When you hear the bell, don’t feel like you have to suddenly come back to the room. You can slowly open your eyes if closed and make small gentle movements, such as wrist or foot circles, or move and stretch in any way that makes you feel comfortable.”
- Then, ring the bell and wait for a few seconds before debriefing the practice.
The post–mindful breathing activity
Once the mindful breathing activity is finished, I conduct a quick debriefing or reflection session for the first two or three times I implement the practice with students. I want to get their feedback and comments, make sure everyone is okay, and answer any questions. After a few weeks of class, I do not conduct these reflection sessions (due to time constraints), but I might solicit feedback in another manner, such as in an exit slip at the end of class.
When first introducing mindful breathing to a class of students, it will take more than a minute, but as we all become more comfortable with what to expect and do, it takes literally only a minute or two. Depending on how the class feels or what is happening, I might adjust the practice. For example, if the students are about to take an exam, I might have a longer mindful moment. If the class session is a regular one, the mindful moment might last only a minute or less. The beauty of the practice is that it is adjustable.
In the eight years that I have been implementing this technique, students have received it overwhelmingly well. Teaching students how to be aware of their bodies and how their bodies and breathing react to stress and anxiety as well as to know how they can respond in an effective and healthy way to various stressors is a solid first step in developing their social-emotional competency and improving their lives.
References
Flook, L., Smalley, S. L., Kitil, M. J., Galla, B. M., Kaiser-Greenland, S., Locke, J., Ishijima, E., & Kasari, C. (2010). Effects of mindful awareness practices on the executive functions in elementary school children. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 26(1), 70–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377900903379125
Siegel, D. (2015). Brainstorm: The power and purpose of the teenage brain. Tarcher Perigree Publishing.
Penelope Wong, EdD, is an associate professor of education studies at Berea College.
