Education builds knowledge and wisdom. Discover how contemplative practices help children reflect, focus, and deepen learning in everyday classrooms.
Contemplative education builds self-awareness alongside academic learning. By Manisha Nagpal, Ph. D., and Josie Lee, BA, Duquesne University A middle school English class is usually bubbling with energy, but today the air was thick with tension.
The teacher, Mrs. Adams, had decided to use a small group discussion approach to allow students to reflect on a social-moral dilemma posed by their novel:Marcus said, “If you do something bad but then do something really good, it should obviously balance out. ” A few students nodded, but across the room, Jada shook her head hard.
“That’s not how it works,” she shot back. “If you hurt someone, you can’t just fix it by helping somebody else. The harm still happened. ” Liam jumped in before Marcus could respond.
“But people make mistakes! If they try to make up for it, shouldn’t that count for something? ” Students began debating over each other, voices rising as the class divided into sides. A couple of students crossed their arms, clearly frustrated, while some others shrank back into their seats.
“Let’s stop for a moment,” Mrs. Adams said gently. “Close your notebooks. Everyone take one quiet, deep breath. ” The students hesitated, but the calmness in her voice settled them.
“When we talk about social-moral questions,” she continued, “it’s normal to feel strongly. But if our emotions take over completely, it becomes harder to listen to one another, remain respectful, and think carefully about complicated questions like this one. ” “So,” Mrs. Adams said with a small smile, “let’s try again. Remember to notice how you’re feeling as you speak and as you listen.
” Hands began to rise again, more slowly this time. And in that moment, the lesson was no longer just about good deeds and bad deeds—it was about learning how to steady the mind and body so real thinking could happen.. Suitable for both teachers and parents, this approach transcends mere academic education by encouraging children to observe their"inside" and the"outside" as they learn .
And, over time, understanding how both—the “inside” and the “outside”—affect how we respond in life, not just to others but to various situations . To do this, contemplative education engages a range of present-moment awareness practices. This is important because while kids may be seated in the room with you, their minds may be elsewhere—on the recess field, in the lunchroom, or on their favoriteapplication.
There is promising evidence to show that strengthening kids' awareness of present-moment experience through contemplative education can support their cognitive functioning,, social competence, and physical health . More importantly, however, it aims to enhance kids' self-reflective capacity, which is a lifelong skill at the heart of learning . The question is, how can we seamlessly incorporate this into our curricula and daily lives?
The answer to this question will depend on a variety of factors, including the age of your children/students and the nature of the social, physical, and cultural landscape that you find yourself in. By considering your unique context, you can select an activity that feels natural and supportive, as there are contemplative practices for everyone and every setting.
During a quiet time, invite your kids to lie in a circle on their backs and place their favorite stuffed animal on their belly. Then, ask them to “rock” their stuffed animal to sleep by taking deep belly breaths, guiding them with instructions to “breathe in….and breathe out” for five minutes. After this exercise, ask your kids what sensations they felt in their body and what thoughts they noticed. Choose a tree with a generous canopy to sit under.
After everyone has found a comfortable seat, invite the kids to close their eyes and “open” their ears. From there, explain that you all are going to spend five minuteslistening. Offer that there’s no “right” thing to hear. After this exercise, take some time for everyone to share what they noticed.
Then, ask the kids how the activity made them feel"on the inside.
"It’s a common misconception that contemplation means remaining quiet and sitting still. But there are countless sound- and movement-based practices you can try. If you think your kids would resonate with music, turn the volume up! For this exercise, clear a space where you can move.
Then, explain that you are going to put on music and spend three minutes moving. Tell the kids that it is perfectly acceptable if their movement looks like dance or like something else . Share that everyone is welcome to keep their eyes closed.
Then, select a song and let it play. Sometimes it takes kids time to “warm up. ” After the first song, pause the music and ask the kids to reflect on how they felt, how they experienced the space around them, how they experienced the flow of time; Then, try again! As you might be starting to imagine, contemplative education can happen anywhere—gardening, painting, walking, cooking, volunteering, to name a few.
Just by inviting your little ones to “turn to” their inner experience with curiosity, acceptance, and care, you are planting a contemplative seed that will help them learn and grow. Cultivating this sense of awareness and reflection over time may help kids build better relationships and participate in cooperative spaces built on empathy, respect, and mutual understanding. Waters, L., Barsky, A., Ridd, A., & Allen, K. .
Contemplative education: A systematic, evidence-based review of the effect of meditation interventions in schools. There was a problem adding your email address. Please try again. From the power of pausing to the ability to ignore, we’ve culled 26 simple, actionable measures for gaining a sense of control and living a meaningful life.
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