School has been in session for over a month now, and students are
busily working on their studies. Teachers have dug into the content of
their curriculum for the year, and everyone has had time to adjust to
the new routine. As a former teacher, curriculum was an integral part of
my day; and working with students with special needs could be very
challenging, especially when trying to pull from so many different
pieces of curriculum. I did my best to look at each child's unique
needs, and best match their capabilities with the curriculum options I
had available; however, I still found myself struggling with what I had.
My students needed extra practice and a slower pace, which most
curricula today do not allow. I also wanted to see my students learning
to think and process information instead of learning static skills.
While pondering this issue about mindfulness and curricula, I found
myself creating opportunities during the day for thinking and problem
solving. I continued to use modified forms of curriculum with my
students in order to meet their academic goals; but, I found that
providing my students with opportunities to think and do problem solving
made a tremendous impact in all aspects of their education and
livelihood. Here are a few suggestions for adding moments of
"mindfulness" to your day with students.
- Allow your students to get the materials they need instead of doing it for them. For many teachers, it is easier to get the materials that we need before inviting our students to join us. However, asking our students to get the materials themselves gets them thinking ahead to what it is that you will be doing, and to prepare for the activity themselves. This allows for a great deal of thinking on the student's part, which is very important. You are not only teaching them how to think but also how to plan, which is a necessary life skill that every child should have.
- Include a "Surprise Bag" in your daily routines. I have used a "Surprise Bag" for many years now, and all of my students have enjoyed it. When undertaking this activity, you need to have a fabric bag that closes and that cannot be seen through. Each day, pick a student to help you put into the surprise bag something that no one else knows about. They can pick an item from the classroom, or take the bag home and put an item into it. Have the child stand up with you and share three clues about what is inside. You can also pass the bag around and let your students feel the item without looking into the bag. Once the clues have been shared or everyone has felt the bag, you can allow your other students to guess what is inside. This activity is a lot of fun for everyone, and fosters great cognitive thinking and problem solving skills.
- Make mistakes intentionally in front of your students, and have them correct you. It is important for children to see adults in their lives making mistakes, and even more important to discover how adults handle mistakes. As you are teaching, feel free to make simple mistakes that you know your students will catch. When looking at the number 3, for example, you could refer to it as "the number 5" and then wait for a response. When your students correct you, it will be important for you to model how to handle the mistake. For example, you could respond by saying, "Thank you, John, for correcting me. I made a mistake, but that is okay. I am so glad I have a friend like you to help me."
By providing my students with more opportunities to be mindful and do
problem solving on their own, I saw a dramatic change in their academic
skills as well as in their functional skills. It is very exciting to
see children begin to think and problem solve on their own. The
possibilities are endless! I look forward to sharing more about
"Mindfulness in the Classroom" next month.
Deepa Singh
Business Developer
Web Site:-http://www.gyapti.com
Blog:- http://gyapti.blogspot.com
Email Id:-deepa.singh@soarlogic.com
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