Many schools have experimented with incorporating mindfulness programs in their curriculums to boost focus and lower stress levels, but one Baltimore school is taking mindfulness a step further, making meditation a central part of the students' everyday lives.
Patterson High School is looking to adopt mindfulness programs in their daily schedules. The Mindful Moment program, developed by the Holistic Life Foundation, is engaging the school's faculty and students with a 15-minute yoga and mindfulness practice at the beginning and end of each day. The goal of the program is to help the students and teachers release stress and create focus for a better learning environment. A mindfulness room will also be available throughout the course of the day for student usage, as well as before and after school.
According to the Holistic Life Foundation (HLF), the high school currently hosts a number of at-risk students and has a four-year graduation rate of only 86 percent. Of the more than 1,100 students who attend, more than 60 percent of the students are absent at least 20 days per school year. The HLF program hopes to changes these statistics at Patterson and in other under-served communities.
Studies have shown that mindfulness in schools can fight burnout in teachers and reduce stress and increase happiness in students. Practicing mindfulness has also been linked to increased brain activity in the regions associated with positive emotions.
Check out the video above for more on the Holistic Life Foundation's campaign to introduce mindfulness into schools.
For more on the Third Metric, click here.
Related
Before You Go
