Integrating Meditating
Teachers incorporate meditation as means for relieving stress
Students in Mr. Bunton’s class practicing meditation. Physical education teachers have been incorporating meditation in their curriculum for years now, but they feel that finding a way to relieve stress is now more important than ever.
Freshman Birdie Brereton is an active meditator, meditating every day. She started exploring meditation in order to connect with Wicca, her religion. She sees meditation as a tool that many teenagers could use to effectively relieve their stress and even become more connected to themselves.
Stress is something that many teenagers deal with. With loads of homework, sports, clubs, and for some students jobs as well, It can be hard to find a way to properly relax and deal with the stress of daily life. With an increase in stress over the last 18 months, many students are having an even harder time coping and releasing their stress. Now more than ever new ways to relieve students of their mental stress need to be found.
Michael Bunton, a physical education teacher, details why he decided to incorporate meditation in his classroom.
“Mental health has always kind of been a big thing in my life,” Bunton said. “So five years ago when I started this, I realized kids don’t know the techniques to actually relieve themselves and how to have a stress reliever.”
Physical education teachers have been having students practice meditation in their classrooms for years now, but now Andrew Carter feels it is more important than ever for students to be able to find relief.
Brereton said meditation helps her calm her mind and take a step back from what is bothering her.
Many times stress can cause us to think about things differently. When you are too overwhelmed you can make a decision without thinking it through causing you to regret it later. When we take the time to relax and evaluate our thoughts we can come to a proper solution.
“[Meditation] gives me the time to think [my problems] through in a calm manner and come to a conclusion that’s not rushed, but instead in a contemplative way that I won’t regret in the future” Brereton said.
Meditation is not just good for lowering stress levels but can help students academically as well. Studies show that meditation can not only benefit mental health but can help our brain cells communicate faster and improve concentration which can help students focus on homework and perform better on exams.
“Pending failure with their school work, especially those that are taking high-level classes or stressful classes,” Coach Carter said. “By doing this it kind of allows them to get themselves rechanneled, refocused, and gives themselves a little bit of a mental break.”
Physical education teachers have been receiving positive feedback from students for awhile now. With such positive feedback, the question is, why not include it in other classes?
Brereton thinks it is important for teachers to try to incorporate meditation into their classroom.
“I think it would be great to include meditation,” Brereton said. “Maybe when there is a lull in the class or they finish something early, the teachers can let the students meditate for a bit.”
With many students enjoying learning about meditation, Coach Carter is finding new ways to educate and engage students in the topic.
“I want students to find a healthy way to deal with and cope with stress,” Coach Carter said. “Giving ourselves time to meditate allows us a way to deal with coping with stress, that’s a big thing, to try to reduce that stress and come up with another way [to handle it].”
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