How we help children move from anxiety to hope

One wonderful benefit summer vacation delivers is family time observing how we refresh and renew. In a recent post on edutopia.org I read an interesting argument about why we must help children move from anxiety to hope. The author, Dr. Lori Desautels, is an assistant professor at Butler University, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Education. 

Desautels observes, “The traumatic conditions of isolation, chronic unpredictability, and physical and emotional distance over the past year(s) are affecting everyone, but children and adolescents are experiencing these effects as they are still developing. Toxic levels of stress can wear out their nervous systems, and they find themselves in elevated states of anxiety, depression, and sometimes hopelessness.

“When students can achieve a calm state, they can think clearly, problem-solve, and create stronger memories of what they are learning with increased attention. Focused attention practices prepare and prime our brains and bodies to create and hold a state of relaxed alertness.” 

It is reaffirming when I read perspectives such as Desautel’s because they reinforce the validity of the Walden approach to making good people. One reason our students managed the difficulties of COVID-19 isolation was because of our devotion to wellness. We also did our best to minimize the duration of on-line/remote learning because we recognized how critical it is for students to enjoy intimate human connection.

Proactive in fostering student achievement, we recognize wellness as an essential pillar of education. Students take part daily in mindfulness activities, which is a mandate of our program. Evidence suggests that introducing mindful meditation into the classroom is an effective means of improving attention and emotional regulation. We recognize the importance of encouraging and modelling a healthy lifestyle that includes mindfulness, which will prepare students for success.

Here’s what science** says about the benefits of this approach:

More Kindness - Grade 4 and 5 students who participated in a mindfulness and kindness program showed better social behaviour than their peers, were less aggressive and better liked. 

Better math scores - The mindful group had math scores 15% higher than their peers. In a separate study, 41% of meditating middle schoolers gained at least one level in math on a state-standardized test.

Fewer ADHD symptoms - Even Grade 3 students can get Zen. Eight weeks of mindfulness and yoga resulted in fewer ADHD symptoms and less hyperactivity - and the effects last for months after the program ended. 

Less depression - Just nine lessons of a mindfulness program led to lower depression scores, less stress and improved well-being in British kids aged 12 to 16 compared to students who did not take part in the program.

Improved focus - At an elementary school in California, teachers reported better focus, self-control, class participation and peer respect in kids who followed a mindfulness program, compared with their levels before the program. 

Photo credit: Don Kerr

As we approach the end of summer vacation, it’s a good time to prepare for a return to school. As part of the preparation, why not take some time to work on a few simple mindfulness practices (breathing, focus, living in the present moment) and find quiet space and time to build a relaxed sense of awareness. You can find a few simple exercises by following this link. 

And, even better, why not ask your children to lead you in a mindful practice? What a great way to connect and prepare a foundation of hope.

*https://www.edutopia.org/article/10-new-focused-attention-practices

**Statistics Source: Mindfulness: The New Science of Health and Happiness, TIME Magazine Special Edition 2018