Recently, I started a program of mindfulness and mediation within my classroom. I chose my most challenging group to start this project with. I chose a class in which I have dually identified students (Special Education and English as a New Language Learners). These students are SIFE Students (Students with an Interrupted Formal Education). Some have not been educated within their native countries, others have experienced periods away from school due to violence and safety concerns. They have all experienced trauma on some level. Additionally they are living at or below the poverty line. Finally, they all attend schooling within my district- a district in need. Therefore, the needs within my classroom are great and the resources are sparse. However, I chose to begin a meditation practice within this class (followed by a writing practice), some might say despite all of this, I would say in light of it. The results have been astounding.
Never before have I seen a class of students (reading four grade levels below their class) writing so voraciously... sounding words out phonemically, writing, erasing and then re-writing, all in the attempt to eagerly express the vastness of the ideas that lay within their imaginations. These meditations have helped ease their anxiety, helped them focus and then have also aided in lowering their affective filters. Ultimately, the meditations have allowed for the transfusion of knowledge from their heads onto paper and of the reverse. Additionally, this process has yielded the formulation of ideas and then enhanced the expression of these ideas via text. The process has been a beautiful work of creation.
I'd like to purchase classroom seating, in which my students can express themselves more comfortably. I’d also like to purchase snacks that are low sugar & high quality to nourish their bodies and spirits.
About my class
Recently, I started a program of mindfulness and mediation within my classroom. I chose my most challenging group to start this project with. I chose a class in which I have dually identified students (Special Education and English as a New Language Learners). These students are SIFE Students (Students with an Interrupted Formal Education). Some have not been educated within their native countries, others have experienced periods away from school due to violence and safety concerns. They have all experienced trauma on some level. Additionally they are living at or below the poverty line. Finally, they all attend schooling within my district- a district in need. Therefore, the needs within my classroom are great and the resources are sparse. However, I chose to begin a meditation practice within this class (followed by a writing practice), some might say despite all of this, I would say in light of it. The results have been astounding.
Never before have I seen a class of students (reading four grade levels below their class) writing so voraciously... sounding words out phonemically, writing, erasing and then re-writing, all in the attempt to eagerly express the vastness of the ideas that lay within their imaginations. These meditations have helped ease their anxiety, helped them focus and then have also aided in lowering their affective filters. Ultimately, the meditations have allowed for the transfusion of knowledge from their heads onto paper and of the reverse. Additionally, this process has yielded the formulation of ideas and then enhanced the expression of these ideas via text. The process has been a beautiful work of creation.
I'd like to purchase classroom seating, in which my students can express themselves more comfortably. I’d also like to purchase snacks that are low sugar & high quality to nourish their bodies and spirits.
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