PowerPoint Presentation

MindfulnessSarah Edwards & Hannah Kinchin-Frost (The Weald)What is it?Do we need it?A view from OfstedHow its being used in schoolsCase study of The Weald

Mindfulness is aboutTrainsEmotionsAnchorsSenses

SensesMindfulness is about being in the moment and experiencing that moment, not thinking about it.So, at this one moment in time, what can you hear? What can you feel? What can you taste?

AnchorsIn order to remain focussed and resist distractions you must anchor your mind onto a particular sense.By doing this you can re-focus your attention to experiencing your senses as opposed to following trains of thought.

TrainsThe best way to become aware of your mind wandering away from the anchor is to imagine yourself standing on a train station platform. When you become aware of suddenly thinking about your dinner, your marking etc, it is as if you have stepped onto a thought train which is taking you away from the station. When you become aware of this, you should step off the train and return to the platform by focussing your attention back to the anchor of your senses. Do not make yourself feel bad or over think this, just return your focus non-judgmentally.

EmotionsOnce you have practised mindfulness, you can try and focus on emotions. Isolate one emotion you are feeling at that moment and become aware of any physical effects this is having on you.Once you can do this, you can then move towards recognising these symptoms and perhaps working towards removing negative emotions from your daily life.

Katherine Weare, Emeritus Professor, Southampton Education SchoolPromoting Social & Emotional Well-BeingRise in all areas of mental health issues amongst young people11% increase in academic results in USA in social and emotional learning programmesTrain adults first - oxygen maskBalance of repetition in everyday opportunities, discrete curriculum and specialist teaching

Supporting the Brittle BrightMark Williams et al - Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy - found that using mindfulness as stress reduction was as effective as anti-depressant medication.

Zisook - American Journal of Psychiatry (Oct 2007) - found that the onset of depression is most common between ages 9 and 18 years. The levels begin to drop at around 19 years.

James - Affluenza (2007) - found that anxiety and depression in high achieving girls from the top social class rose from 24% to 38% between 1987 and 1999.

Mindfulness Behavioural Cognitive Therapy is recommended by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence).

http://www.mindfuleducation.org/ - Great article summarising research done on the benefits of mindfulness for children.T - teaching (3)A - achievement (4)B - behaviour & welfare (2)L - leadership (1)E - overall effectiveness (5)effectiveness of Sixth Form/EYFSOfsted up to September 2015:Effectiveness of leadership & managementQuality of teaching, learning & assessmentPersonal development, behaviour & welfareOutcomes for children & learnersOfsted from September 2015:Effectiveness of leadership & managementQuality of teaching, learning & assessmentPersonal development, behaviour & welfareOutcomes for children & learnersOfsted from September 2015:Effectiveness of leadership & managementQuality of teaching, learning & assessmentPersonal development, behaviour & welfareOutcomes for children & learnersOfsted from September 2015:Effectiveness of leadership & managementQuality of teaching, learning & assessmentPersonal development, behaviour & welfareOutcomes for children & learnersOfsted from September 2015:Effectiveness of leadership & managementQuality of teaching, learning & assessmentPersonal development, behaviour & welfareOutcomes for children & learnersOfsted from September 2015:Panel Debate - Schools: A Test of Life or a Life of Tests?(Combination of School and Business Leaders)Employability passportHeadteachers termly award for acts of kindnessThe hygiene factor (i.e. what cant we do without?)Relationships policy (our community framework)Anthony SeldonTeaching students how to be intelligentTraining self-aware and rounded teachersMindfulness in:examsassembliesmeetingslessons(Faith schools do this all the time - its called praying! - Jonathan Morris)Mindfulness How we trialled it at The Weald

The survey results from these questions suggest that students arent concentrating fully on their school work.

Mindfulness can help them become more focussed and should then be able to achieve more.

The last two questions here show that students need varying amounts of help to improve and maintain focus, perhaps suggesting that mindfulness should be targeted at specific groups of students rather than everyone.

The results from these questions suggest that students are worried, anxious and preoccupied and this will ultimately affect their learning and achievement.

Mindfulness will help calm them and focus on the present instead of the future or past.What the students saidMiss, this is the best behaved weve ever been. Hannah Durant 8C

Can we do mindfulness again Miss, its really nice. Lydia Payne WHKI

Wow that was amazing. - Angus Todd 8G

I feel weird now! - Tierney Beacher 8GWhat the students said

What the teachers saidNameWWWEBIWould you like to continue mindfulness next term?JoeStudents very positive and loved the mindfulness activities.Had a parent complain about the Buddhist meditation'Definitely.HannahMajority of students like it. I've had a number of students ask to do it and suggestions from them about when in the day they'd like to do it.Some students seem to be becoming annoyed with it and disruptive as it progesses to more active sessionsDefinitely.GrahamMost students like it. Their engagement and behaviour improved after the second session but not so much with the first.Can sometimes be difficult to focus the class back on to the task/aims of the lesson.Yes but maybe less frequently.VickyMost students really enjoyed it and felt more relaxed and calm. They said that they would like to do it more often.Some students really struggled with it and did not really enjoy it as they find it hard to switch off.Definitely.FrancesThe students responded well when Hannah came to take a session during form time.I would have felt more confident doing the exercises if I had seen them modelled or had an opportunity to practise on staff. I felt quite out of my comfort zone and didn't feel that I was doing it justice. It was probably a bit ambitious of me to trial with my sixth form tutor group that I'd only just taken on and I should have tried it with one of my teaching classes.Not with my form class.

Next Steps for The WealdT&L focus on memory & mindfulness

Train all staff on shift in focus due to change in curriculum pressures (character/grit )Train pilot group of staff to deliver mindfulness in normal lessonsRoot and branch overhaul of PSHE for delivery from September 2016Assemblies, meetings, parent workshops

Repetition in everyday opportunities, discrete curriculum and specialist teaching