One of the first things you will want to do when teaching mindfulness is to establish clear guidelines and expectations. This keeps everyone safe and will help you keep your calm. Ultimately, you have to do what works for you. Here’s what I do:
I let everyone know that there’s really only one rule for mindfulness and that I expect everyone to follow it: respect. All the other rules really just come back to this one.
- Maintain silence. Mindfulness practice is not time to whisper to your friends, take a drink of water, or open a bag of chips. In fact, it’s probably the WORST time to do any of those things because our hearing is heightened when our eyes are closed. (For some strange reason, high school students think that if you can’t see them, you can’t hear them. They’re kind of like toddlers that way.)
- Maintain stillness. While you might feel a little restless from time to time, really try to notice this and work with it rather than fidget loudly and continually. I little foot tapping is something to be mindful of. Opening your backpack and rustling around for your pencil is both intentional and distracting—and therefore disrespectful.
- Be tech-free. Thank you for clearing your desk of all devices. Even if you do not feel like practicing today, a few minutes of tech-free time will do you good. (My students seem to think mindfulness practice is a good time to cram for an upcoming test. This used to really anger me until I made it a clear rule that students are not allowed to be on any devices during this time. I have to remind them of this rule at least once a week.)
- Respect yourself. If you do not feel like practicing today, or any day, you don’t have to. But you do have to respect others by maintaining the silence and stillness of the space. (I sometimes lighten the mood by joking, “If you want to sit there and think about all the stuff that is stressing you out, then be my guest.”)
All of these guidelines are important, and I have to remind students of them regularly. Sometimes I have to call individuals out specifically or even talk to them after class. This usually works—at least until the next time I have to remind them.
Ms. Hastings 