If you’re a teacher, or if you’ve ever sat in a classroom, then perhaps this post is for you.
Has a teacher ever used such a command with a pupil? First may come “just relax” and then, perhaps, “It’ll all be okay”. And thinking s/he’s done her best to handle the pupil’s current lack of relaxation, will move on to the next restless pupil, and offer the same piece of advice, and then continue on to yet another pupil with super-sensitivity to the actions or voices of others, and who seems to be losing any chance of coping, again the magic words (or so it’s believed): “Just relax”.
Nope, no good. Surely we’ve noticed. “Just relax” works just as poorly on a child as it does on us, ourselves, if someone with all the best intention uses a voice that radiates anything but calmness to suggest that we “just relax.” No! The order does not magically induce the condition.
Looking into the trend of Mindfulness, the teacher might try, “Just breathe” and without offering a model of what that entails, again will move on to the next pupil.
And so it goes. Our hopeful teacher moves from one node of noise to the next, hoping to soothe the general atmosphere sufficiently to be able to carry on with instructions for the classroom task scheduled for that lesson.
The truth is, however, that “Just relax!” and “Just breathe!” offer abstract commands, representing skills that haven’t been taught to most of the pupils in the room. Therefore, the words aren’t effective in transforming a nervous child into one more calm and ready to listen.
So, let’s all just stop.
A good intention needs a better method
What, then, instead? What can we do when pupils occupying the space that we’re calling our classroom are unable to stop talking, stop fidgeting, stop yelling at their neighbour to stop whistling, blowing, tapping their desk, etc.
What can we, as teachers, realistically do to orchestrate a lovely few seconds of silence?
Well, this teacher of mindfulness for kids, has a few ideas. Guaranteed, no matter what? I cannot promise 100% success, but I can offer you something pro-active to do instead of turning your back on the class, examining the wall or whiteboard and thinking non-politically correct thoughts, or even letting tears of frustration fall.
So, let’s get started.
Listen to the Room.
Get their attention for a second – either by turning on and off the lights, or using a short whistle, or a Tibetan Singing Bowl if you’ve got one, or Tibetan gongs (easy to buy online and very lightweight to carry). After that second of silence, go into action. Tell them to “listen to the room”. After 30 seconds or so, make the sound or lights on/off again and announce “End of the exercise”. Ask them, “Who was able to hear sounds in the room? Put up your hand if you could.” Then acknowledge that they could hear or not, both responses are perfectly fine. Tell them you’re doing it again – and this time, they might want to close their eyes. Give them the signal and tell them to “Listen to the room.” After 45 seconds, signal the end of the exercise and ask again who was able to hear the room. Usually more pupils have been able to hear things (voices, air conditioner, breathing, whatever – it’s all good. ) If you like, if you want to, teacher dears, you may try it for a 3rd time. When I do, I say, “We’re going to do it for a 3rd time, but this time, I’m going to give you an added instruction.” I give the signal and suggest that they can close their eyes or not. “Listen to the room”. After about 30 seconds, I invite them to notice how their shoulders feel, if there’s any tension. Then to notice their hands and their backs. I signal the end of the exercise. And ask them to raise their hands if they want to share something about the exercise. One at a time, and maximum 5 or 6 – after that, the attention goes down. Upside: You’ve had a few consecutive seconds of quiet in the room – you’ve enjoyed it, and maybe others have as well. The memory of that quiet is something you can build upon! Downside: Actually, I haven’t found a downside – those few quiet seconds are always an ‘up’ for me.
2. Offer a guided meditation
If the pupils experience it once, they will ask for it again. I have some on the Class Relax site here. The shortest is The White Horse (adapted from the marvellous Prof. Elliot Eisner who always advocated the inclusion of art in the classroom, may his memory be blessed), but I also have Guided Imagery Golden Light (taken from Osho) and Guided Imagery in Nature with soothing background music.
Guided imagery is an invitation to leave the current situation, put their heads down on their desks or just to close their eyes and follow the voice. For a few minutes, they can allow their imaginations to take hold and help them take a short trip into a quiet space, a restful space.
Upside: a few minutes quiet. If you’re guiding them yourself, allow yourself to travel with your own voice, have a script ready. If you’re allowing yourself the privilege of joining them while listening to my voice (or another voice if you find a favourite), enjoy. Teacher, enjoy, rest, take this delicious break. Even if you’re the only one in the room to let yourself be guided, you will benefit and therefore, the pupils will benefit.
3. Sensory Delight
Lavender eye cushions, or little bags of scented lavender. Pass out these scented little bags (easily made or available for order online) and instruct your pupils to sense the weight in their hands, to feel the size of the cushion/pouch – how large, how small. Then to smell it and allow themselves to close their eyes and enjoy the fragrance.
That’s it – a fragrant moment in life. No strings, no tests, no tension. Simple, delicious fragrance. Why lavender? It seems to be mostly universal in its delight. You are welcome to try other scents like mint, or jasmine, or lemongrass.
I wish you luck, dear teachers, in using these suggestions to offer you a path towards hosting a ‘Relaxing” moment in your classroom. Wishing for relaxation is the first step, but here are things you can do to make your wish come true! You can offer a simple task to ease your pupils into a more relaxed space, internally.
And once there is internal quiet, your pupils just might enjoy the experience sufficiently to want to repeat it.
I hope you can use these suggestions. Please write me if you have questions.
This site is about life and bringing up babies 3 kilometers from the Gazan/Israeli border. There will be Kabbalah lessons and voices from the other side of the border. Hear and share
Class Relax 