Inclusion

A Mindful Approach to Resilience in Children

Julie Pearson considers mindfulness and how it can be used in schools to support children’s well-being.

At a time when resilience in children, teachers and families is reaching crisis point, a school in America hits the news by replacing detention with meditation with amazing results - it was reported that since setting up the programme two years ago, the school has not issued a single suspension! (1)

What is Mindfulness?

There are many definitions, but the most widely accepted in the West is Jon Kabat-Zinn’s famous definition of mindfulness: (10)

“paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgementally.”

At the same time mindfulness has an association with resilience, where the Oxford dictionary defines resilience as:

“The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness” and “The ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity.”

There are many factors associated with resilience, but we have summarised them into four main categories;

  • The capacity to make realistic plans and take steps to carry them out
  • A positive view of yourself and confidence in your strengths and abilities
  • Skills in communication and problem solving
  • The capacity to manage strong feelings and impulses

<--- The article continues for users subscribed and signed in. --->

Enjoy unlimited digital access to Teaching Times.
Subscribe for £7 per month to read this and any other article
  • Single user
  • Access to all topics
  • Access to all knowledge banks
  • Access to all articles and blogs
Subscribe for the year for £70 and get 2 months free
  • Single user
  • Access to all topics
  • Access to all knowledge banks
  • Access to all articles and blogs