Want to know what really irks me?

When I see things like “mindfulness” being taken out of schools, called “indoctrination”, and Mindfulness can kind of be over-thought. A lot of the time, we think it is this huge, serious thing that either you are striving for, or that you are running fmr as fast as you can. And when you hear that it is something you can use with kids and students, it can seem even stranger and harder to grasp. 

It can be seen as this religious or spiritual practice, when it is really a way to help your brain and body speak to each other a little better, and a way to help you move through your day and your experiences with more ease. 

And a way for your students and clients to do the same. 

Mindfulness is defined in a lot of ways, as a lot of things, and is a big buzzword in the last few years. I like to think of it as this – pausing in the present moment with more awareness and acceptance, to help you move forward.

For adults, this might mean feeling less stress and overwhelm, and more connected to your day, work and life. 

And for kids and students, it can mean this, too, but even more it usually means a way to help be more steady and ready for meeting each part of the day. It gives them a tool for working through the stress of their day, being able to regulate, and to help their bodies and brains be ready to learn, grow, and thrive. 

Exactly what we as school SLPs (and teachers) are all about. 

And with that thought, mindfulness is a perfect match for binging into our school day and speech sessions. 

So how do you do it?

It’s not like a yoga class or a 30 minute meditation are exactly feasible, or wanted, in the curriculum of the school day. And it can be really difficult to share ancient lessons and teachings, and they probably aren’t appropriate anyway. 

Instead, you can take the principles and ideas of mindfulness and use them in the ways that work for YOUR speech room or classroom, as little or as much as needed. It’s kind of the great high about mindfulness – a little goes a long way.

If you are looking to bring more mindfulness into your speech session and classroom, there are a few ways you can go about it.

Top 3 Ways to Bring Mindfulness into Your Speech (Class) Room:

Infuse it: Using mindfulness does not have to be a super direct or explicit moment of your day It can be infused into it, so that your entire day has the vibe, or feeling, or mindfulness. IN this way, it is incorporated into the foundation of your speech (class) room, and in all the things you do. You might have moments infused in your classroom whether you pause to breathe and get centered, have fidgets for them to use if needed, or check-in at the start/end of each session. With this, there are mindful practices and tools that can be used throughout the day and session, not necessarily as the session itself. (For me, this is the way I use it most. Play a straight up game of hungry, hungry hippos, using flashcards to drill articulation skills, and then have these mindfulness components sprinkled throughout).  

Make it your session: You could make it the main part of your session. Not using the teachings as a lesson, but using them for the lessons. Have a yoga game or poses that you use for your speech target words and then say them as you play them. You can plan your activity using some yoga poses or a game that incorporates mindfulness, and make it the session. Again, the teaching is not mindfulness or yoga – it’s speech and school, not yoga class – but the lesson activity is using them.

Use it as needed: Take it or leave it when you need it or don’t. There might be days when you don’t need to use it, and there might be days when you use a LOT of mindfulness tools for your session. These could look like having brain breaks (super handy during looooong evals) , breathing breaks (can help recenter and refocus a group that is getting rowdy), or maybe a calm corner (a safe space for your students to go to when they are feeling overwhelmed and need to step away to pause, breathe, or grab a fidget). 

Mindfulness can be a simple tool that gives you a foundation, that you can use as needed, or that can become part or all of your activity for the session. Find the way that works best for your needs and your students, and give it a try. 

Which one are you going to try? Share in the comments.

Want to bring some mindfulness to your classroom? If you are looking for some fun and out of the box ways to connect, that can help you to feel truly authentic and supportive of your students, make sure to sign up for the waitlist for my newest course “Mindfulness in Your (Speech) Room”. It is a course for SLPs and educators that will share who you can bring mindfulness and yoga into your classroom, as little or as much as you’d like, and how it can change everything – for the better. You can sign up for the waitlist here (and snag an exclusive discount when doors open later in September).

With Love and Light, 

Jessi