Deena Jewers, Nicolle MacIntyre, Rob MacDonald July 24 th, 2015

Learning to Breathe Yay for mindfulness in schools! Advantageous for teenagers Bring curriculum to life! "Don't worry about it. Don't stress out about it." Feeling the experience.

Learning to Breathe Message for Teachers and Therapists Walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk. “It makes no sense to ask someone to eat your food for you; you must eat it yourself to derive both pleasure and benefit.” (p.4) Recommendations for successful implementation Training is important. Practice what you preach. Expertise = Success Implementation of the ‘ingredients’ of this book Moment by moment

Making a Case for Mindfulness As teachers, we want our students to experience academic success but we also know that social and emotional well-being play a critical role in achieving that success. The implementation of social emotional learning programs over the past number of years has been steadily increasing. Data has shown that programs that are well designed and well implemented have been successful in reducing problem behaviour, improving overall mental well-being, and enhancing achievement. In recent years, scientific advancements have deepened our understanding of the brain and human cognition. No longer is the prefrontal cortex considered the center of only higher order thinking it has now been proven to play an important role in emotion processing and regulation.

Making a Case for Mindfulness This recent shift in thinking now forces us to look more closely at the relationship between reason and emotion. Social emotional skills and academic learning have now been proven to be inseparable. “When feelings are not well managed, thinking can be impaired...In terms of basic brain functioning, emotions support executive functions when they are well regulated, but interfere with attention and decision making when they are poorly controlled.” (p. 7) SEL programs are very successful in teaching students about feelings and to help them identify strategies to cope with these feelings. Often this information is delivered to the students using “didactic, top-down methods.” The research connected to the L2B program suggests that “there is a difference between knowing about emotions and knowing your own emotions as they are experienced”(p. 9) and this is the focus of the L2B curriculum.

Learning to Breathe – Objectives and Theory “The major program goal, represented by the “E” at the end of the word “BREATHE”, refers to “empowerment/gaining an inner edge.” Addresses two of the major domains of SEL – self awareness and self-management Supports other SEL competencies such as empathy, relationship building and responsible decision making

Learning to Breathe – Developmental Assumptions Cognitive and emotional development are inextricably linked Constructing identity and autonomy Abstract reasoning and introspection Emotion regulation Stress Social Conformity and Sensitivity Active participation

How the Program Works BREATHE (body, reflections, emotions, attention, tenderness, habits for a healthy mind, empowerment) 6 session and 18 session formats (lots of flexibility) Each lesson reviews the theme, has lesson (including scripts), in-class mindfulness practice and outside-class practice Best setting quiet comfortable environment Workbooks, online resources, online audio clips

Breathe - B B - Body Key point: Listen! Your body is trying to tell you something. Essential Message: Mindfulness is a way of paying attention, and mindlessness is inattention. Mindfulness increases calmness, balance, and inner strength, and reduces stress. We can start our practice of mindfulness by paying attention to the body. Activity: Body scan

Breathe - R R – Reflections Key point: Thoughts (reflections) are just thoughts. Essential Message: The mind constantly chatters. We can work with the chattering mind by paying attention to thoughts and watching them come and go. We don't need to believe everything we think. Activity: The Big Event / The White Polar Bear

Breathe - E E – Emotions Key point: Surf the waves of your emotions Essential Message: Emotions are like energy surges. We can handle them by paying attention to them and watching them come and go. Activity: Emotion in 3 Acts

Breathe - A A - Attention Key point: Attention to body, thoughts, and feelings is good stress reduction. Essential Message: Stress comes from external and internal events. Paying attention to how the body feels, what we think, and what emotions we experience prevents the buildup of problems that can harm the mind and body. Activity: How much you can handle?

Breathe - T T - Tenderness Key point: Learn to be kind to yourself. Essential Message: We can not only reduce distress by learning to be mindful, but also train our attention and practice healthy habits of mind, such as kindness and compassion, to improve inner strength. Activity: What I wish for myself?

Breathe - H H – Habits Key point: Practice healthy mind habits to reduce stress and increase inner strength. Essential Message: Take these mindfulness tools and use them in your life. Activity: Breathe Beading

Further Questions How can one measure effectively the outcomes of this mindfulness curriculum? How do we get staff buy in? How can we get staff to value it so that students value it? After the program is implemented what does the program look like in year two? How can the program be incorporated into different subject areas?

References Broderick, P.C. (2013). Learning to breathe: A mindfulness curriculum for adolescents to cultivate emotion regulation, attention and performance. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications Inc.