3 Mindful Practices for Teachers in Chaotic Times
(4 minute read)
Introduction:
In today's fast-paced chaos and ever-evolving (frustrating) educational landscape, school teachers' well-being matters. We see you and honor you with all of the insurmountable challenges. The demands of your profession can be overwhelming, leaving you, our loved educators feeling stressed and burnt out. This article will explore three essential mindfulness practices tailored to you, school teachers, providing you with tools to navigate the chaos and find your personal inner calm. We kept this simple. We know there is enough challenge without making “to-do’s” more on your plate. Let's discover how these 3 practices for mindfulness can empower you and our teachers in their heart guided mission of educating the future generation.
Mindful Breathing Techniques for Teachers
Classrooms are not what they used to be! We know teachers can benefit immensely from mindful breathing techniques. This quick practice involves taking a few moments to focus on your breath, bringing your attention to the present moment and bringing you back to heart centered teaching. Mindful breathing is simply paying attention to the moment. The textures you can feel, the sounds you hear, the awareness of the body sensations with acceptance of what is. Here's how to get started:
Between tasks, find a quiet moment or two… step away from the doing to a quiet spot and simply honor the power of your role in all its challenges, you GET to help shape our future.
Deep, deliberate breaths: Take slow, deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth, paying attention to each inhalation and exhalation with closed or softened eyes.
As you breathe, release the tension in your shoulders, jaw and brows. Repeat this 3-5x.
Mindful breathing can be incorporated into your daily routine anywhere, anytime. It helps you center yourself and energize, making it easier to handle the chaos of all the changes as well as teaching your students a tool they can use for themselves.
Mindful Classroom Management for Teachers
Effective classroom management is vital for creating a secure, positive, and productive learning environment. It’s also well beyond our scope of knowledge as a trauma education organization.
We have been supporting school teachers with mindful practices for 20 years. We have received insights and studied neuroplasticity, the brain’s capacity to continue growing and evolving in response to life, so we can support the lofty goals we set out to share. Our future youth deserve to have teachers in the classroom feeling grounded, centered and ready to support the overwhelm of our youth. Never before have our kids grown up in this climate. It’s hard times that require us to be the best we can be. These recommendations might feel minor in the big picture, however the one thing we do know is how change begins with us at an individual level. When we can show up with a sense of confidence, with tools for nervous system regulation, we have the upper hand on how we model for our kids. Mindful classroom management can be simple. And in our ever evolving education system, you need SIMPLE!
Mindful classroom management involves staying calm and composed, even in the midst of chaos, and fostering a sense of mindfulness among your students. Easier said than done after a “code red drill”. This is a huge ask! We get this. Working with school teachers for 20 years, we understand and empathize. Creating a secure space for your students in light of how the school environment has changed feels monumental. What we do know well at Connection Coalition, is nervous system regulation and how to model these self calming practices. Here are practical examples of mindful classroom management techniques:
1. The Pause Technique:
When faced with disruptions practice 3 deep breaths before responding and remind yourself their behavior is a symptom of trauma.
Use this moment to remind yourself of your teaching goals and your commitment to creating a sense of peace for the class.
Respond to students with empathy and understanding, rather than reacting with frustration or impatience.
2. The Mindful Transition Moment
Incorporate a mindful transition ritual at the start of each class and invite your students to practice this with you.
Take a few moments to sit quietly, let them fix their gaze on one spot, and take a few mindful breaths together. You can use the breath practice we shared earlier!
Set a positive intention for the class, such as I/we will create a calm and engaging learning environment or let the kids take part in this as well. Allowing them the opportunity to feel a sense of control over their own experience is an empowering moment. Let the kids feel seen and heard!
3. Mindful Listening and Empathy:
Practice active listening when students express their concerns or emotions.
Give them your full attention, maintain eye contact, and avoid interrupting.
Mirror their body language to create a sense of safety and connection.
Acknowledge their feelings and perspectives and respond with empathy, understanding, and support.
Reflect their feeling states without judgment. Let their emotions be valid.
Encourage open dialogue and create a judgment free space for students to express themselves with no shame, guilt or fear.
Modeling mindful classroom management techniques foster emotional intelligence and self-regulation in your students. By modeling mindfulness and compassion, you encourage a culture of respect, empathy, and cooperation in your classroom, even in the face of chaos.
Mindful Self-Care for Educators
In the demanding world of teaching, it's easy to neglect self-care. However, taking care of your own well-being is crucial to managing your own overwhelm and help to prevent burnout and vicarious trauma effectively.
Establishing Boundaries: We know. It’s easier written than done. Especially if you didn’t grow up with this behavior modeled for you. Healthy boundaries is a big ask and it’s necessary work to prevent burnout. Set clear boundaries between work and personal life. For instance, avoid checking work emails after a certain hour, schedule time in your weekly calendar for rest and play!
A Gratitude Practice: This mindful practice for educators can shift your focus to the positive aspects of your job and personal life. Each day on your commute to work, it’s a healthy mindset practice to think of 3 personal things about yourself you like and value. You can also highlight the value of your career, the "lightbulb" moments in your students' understanding or the support of your colleagues; getting to teach from your heart(although challenging). Giving your classroom the best of you on a daily basis even if that means you show up tired, unprepared and real! You get to give them the full scope of what being an adult looks like in the changing times from a mindful perspective. You get the opportunity to break toxic expectations placed on the generation before them and give them a mindful approach to the world they get to impact and change for the better!
Self-Compassion Breaks: During stressful moments, acknowledge that it's okay to seek support and take breaks when needed. For example, if you're feeling overwhelmed, give yourself permission to step away from your desk, take a walk, or simply practice self-compassion by saying, "I'm doing the best I can”. “I give myself grace in this moment for showing up authentically.” Self compassion means break in the action. Add in some deep breaths, name the emotions and return back to gratitude. This practice will help rewire the processing in your thoughts and give you the opportunity to self regulate; to come back to your heart center.
Let’s wrap this up sweetly…
As you cultivate these practices in your classroom and at home, you not only enhance your own well-being but also create a sanctuary of positivity and support within your classroom. In these moments of chaos, your students observe the gentle power of your mindfulness, and they, too, begin to embrace these practices, nurturing their own hearts and minds. Let your classroom be a space where the heart, as well as the mind, is nourished. Through mindfulness, we become not only educators but also caregivers of the soul, fostering a nurturing environment where growth, understanding, and compassion flourish.
Be sure to leave your feedback on this blog, share it with others. Get more tools with us during our weekend at The Connection Course!
About the author:
Jodi has been an integral part of Connection Coalition, a trauma informed outreach organization since 2011 as a Board Member, Volunteer; Executive Director; Programs Manager and Volunteer wrangler. She has built communities, facilitated transformational training experiences, retreats, yoga teacher training and public speaking engagements. She lives in the NorCal area surrounded by fur, family, and as much nature as possible!