{"id":4750,"date":"2016-03-24T14:34:25","date_gmt":"2016-03-24T20:34:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sunrisertc.com\/?p=4750"},"modified":"2024-03-05T11:39:21","modified_gmt":"2024-03-05T17:39:21","slug":"mindfulness-in-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sunrisertc.com\/mindfulness-in-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"Using Mindfulness in Schools"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/time.com\/3682311\/mindfulness-math\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Recent studies<\/a> tell us that teaching mindfulness in schools improves test scores and decreases anxiety. \u00a0Since <a href=\"https:\/\/sunrisertc.com\">Sunrise RTC<\/a> integrates <a href=\"https:\/\/sunrisertc.com\/dialectical-behavioral-therapy\/\">DBT <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/sunrisertc.com\/mindfulness\/\">mindfulness<\/a> into every aspect of our program, we figured we were the perfect school to test this research. \u00a0Our academic team has spent the current school year focused on more fully developing and implementing DBT skills and Mindfulness in our school. \u00a0Here&#8217;s how we did it.<\/p>\n<h2>Using Mindfulness in School<\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">1.\u00a0It Starts with Mindful Teachers<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>As an academic team, we\u2019ve read books together and implemented a DBT\/Mindfulness curriculum in our classrooms. \u00a0In particular, we found these resources to be useful:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/MindUP-Curriculum-Brain-Focused-Strategies-Learning\/dp\/0545267145\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The MindUp Curriculum<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Invisible-Classroom-Relationships-Neuroscience-Mindfulness\/dp\/0393707571\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Invisible Classroom: Relationships, Neuroscience &amp; Mindfulness in School<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Mindful-Teaching-Mindfulness-Teaches-Anything\/dp\/0861715675\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mindful Teaching and Teaching Mindfulness: A Guide for Anyone Who Teaches Anything<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">2. Teaching Mindfulness in the Classroom<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Each week students participate in lessons and activities focused on increasing mindfulness in the classroom. These lessons include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>learning about different parts of the brain<\/strong> &#8211; including the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus &#8211; that play a role in determining responses to stimuli and increasing emotional control. Students learn about the important role the amygdala plays in responding mindfully or creating a fight, flight, or freeze response.<\/li>\n<li><strong>mindfully practice using the senses \u2013<\/strong> \u00a0listening, seeing, smelling, tasting and movement can help increase mindfulness and decrease automatic emotional reactions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These lessons are specifically focused on how the amygdala\u2019s response to stimuli in the classroom impacts learning and academic success.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">3. Creating Space for Mindfulness<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>And, in addition to weekly lessons and activities, our students have the opportunity to practice different forms of mindfulness for 2-5 minutes in each class daily.<br \/>\nWe have now been implementing our mindfulness program for about seven months and are experiencing great results.<\/p>\n<h2>Our Students&#8217; Experience with Mindfulness<\/h2>\n<p>As students move toward graduation, each prepares a transition and relapse-prevention plan. \u00a0This plan helps our students generalize the skills they have learned and increases their chances of success upon returning home. In the last few weeks before graduation, I hold an exit conference with each student and work with her family to ensure the academic transition plan is solid.<br \/>\nThis week I had the opportunity to meet with a student (we will call her Kacy) who had a significant history of school-related problems and <a href=\"https:\/\/sunrisertc.com\/coping-with-failure-a-critical-developmental-skill\/\">failure<\/a> before she arrived at Sunrise. During her time at Sunrise, we\u2019ve had many conversations about the changes Kacy has made and have set intermittent goals toward a successful transition back to her previous high school.<br \/>\nIt wasn\u2019t until this meeting that I was able to see, first-hand, how paramount the DBT\/Mindfulness program at Sunrise Academy is in helping students achieve <a href=\"https:\/\/sunrisertc.com\/academics-at-sunrise\/\">academic success<\/a> while at Sunrise; and the significant role it plays in preparing our students for future academic success.<br \/>\nFor part of Kacy\u2019s transition plan, she and I decided to write a letter to her previous principal, outlining her individual needs and what has helped Kacy create such a positive academic experience during her time at Sunrise.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Identifying Triggers<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>As I sat down with Kacy, she was able to identify the academic triggers she anticipates upon returning to her previous school \u2013 including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>past negative experiences with teachers and administrators<\/li>\n<li>previous drug use at school<\/li>\n<li>being arrested on school property<\/li>\n<li>a system of unhealthy friends that await her return<\/li>\n<li>being called on in class when she isn\u2019t raising her hand<\/li>\n<li>and being given corrective feedback in front of other students<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Using Mindfulness to Make a Plan<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>She then proceeded to identify her old, automatic reaction to these triggers (both fight and flight) and her new, adaptive ways of mindfully responding to these triggers \u2013 including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>using mindfulness to take a break in the classroom<\/li>\n<li>using her five senses to focus on being mindful<\/li>\n<li>deep breathing<\/li>\n<li>and using the DBT skills of GIVE, <a href=\"https:\/\/sunrisertc.com\/dear-man\/\">DEAR MAN<\/a> and DISTRACTING<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Kacy was also able to identify visual cues to share with her future teachers so they will know when she is feeling shame or frustration; and provided feedback regarding what teachers can say to offer support, direction and encouragement during these moments. A list of things teachers can do to show care was compiled, as well as a list of three school personnel to whom Kacy can reach out to if she\u2019s feeling particularly upset or dysregulated.<\/p>\n<h2>Effect of Mindfulness in Schools<\/h2>\n<p>At the end of the meeting, Kacy and I reviewed her transcript and identified that her grade point average (GPA) was a 1.52 upon admission at Sunrise and is 3.89 for the credits she\u2019s completed during her current year at Sunrise Academy; with an overall GPA increase of 1.30 points.<br \/>\nThis conversation led to the most powerful and touching part of this meeting \u2013 when she exclaimed:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u201cI just have to remember why I\u2019m really in school and what I\u2019m there for, long term. I have learned that I am capable. I am smart! And all I have to do is put in the effort and use my skills to be successful and I can do it! I never thought I would feel this way\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What I observed this week is that teaching DBT and Mindfulness skills also helps increase confidence, problem-solving, self-awareness and self-advocacy. \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sunrisertc.com\/you-dont-have-to-be-a-monk-to-practice-mindfulness\/\">Practicing mindfulness<\/a> in school helps our students generalize the skills they\u2019ve learned to environments outside of treatment. Our DBT\/Mindfulness curriculum at Sunrise Academy &#8211; combined with our strong academic program &#8211; is truly preparing our students for bright academic futures!<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">References:<\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/?&amp;fa=main.doiLanding&amp;doi=10.1037\/a0038454\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enhancing Cognitive and Social\u2013Emotional Development Through a Simple-to-Administer Mindfulness-based School Program for Elementary School Children<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/time.com\/3682311\/mindfulness-math\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mindfulness Exercises Improve Kids\u2019 Math Scores<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&#8212;<br \/>\nBy Janette Thompson, Academic Director at <a href=\"https:\/\/sunrisertc.com\">Sunrise Residential Treatment Center. <\/a><br \/>\nSunrise Residential Treatment Center is a fully integrated DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) program that teaches and practices DBT skills at every level &#8211; clinically, residentially, and academically. This process begins with our therapists becoming Foundationally and Intensively trained in DBT through The Linehan Institute\u2019s Behavior Tech Program. This training is then passed down to all employees and practitioners at Sunrise RTC through a series of formal trainings. Each week our students, staff, therapists, and teachers learn\/review a new skill and we provide a variety of opportunities for practice and generalization.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recent studies tell us that teaching mindfulness in schools improves test scores and decreases anxiety. 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