Teachable moments and 4 Mindfulness Tips to use in Classrooms

Before we get started, let's mindfully crunch some numbers... this really is the most simple math you'll do:

As teachers, our students come first and foremost. We strive to meet the individual needs of all our students through a balance of differentiated curriculum that ensures every child is seen, nourished and developed as a whole being. We consider each students unique family background (a spectrum from privileged to disadvantaged) and predispositions, working every day to build their confidence, celebrate their identity and shape their social, emotional and moral beliefs towards a peaceful humanity. At the same time, we strive to empower them with a deep, intrinsic knowledge and understanding about the world.

Yep… it’s really not that straight-forward or simple though, and it takes a complete investment of our entire being as teachers to deliver the best to our children. To achieve these outcomes immaculately we require a cluster of attributes including patience, compassion, empathy, meta-cognitive thinking, non-judgement and grace:

Patience… in accepting what is not in our control, and giving time for success to unfold.

Compassion… in being sincerely concerned for how our students struggle and picking-up on the innocence behind mistakes, and leading them to success through gentle, humane love. This is using a softness in speech, softness in eye contact, softness in conflict resolution, and generous forgiveness. 

Empathy… in understanding how our students feel, and being sensitive to these in our manner and content of communication.

Meta Cognitive Thinking… in thinking about our thinking, evaluating the value our thought process is delivering our students, and changing our thoughts in time so that our actions reflect the student’s best interests.

Non-Judgement / Reserving judgement… in maintaining a compassionate predisposition that believes in each student’s potential as a creative being. Not labelling the child or undermining their capacity, but instead celebrating the child for their unique contribution to the world as themselves.

Grace… in the elegance and smoothness of our thought, encompassing all the above as not just integral to, but AS our natural behaviour and mindset.

Is it possible to be this way all the time in the classroom?

we can get pretty close to it by using the gift of mindfulness. Yep, it is possible… moment-to-moment teaching in the present moment, full attention single-tasking in the moment now: Mindfulness Teaching.

As Educators, when we decide to be mindful in each teachable moment, we find our mind in a space of clarity, our emotions in a state of calm, grace in our thoughts and empowering choices resulting. This makes for a safe environment conducive to deep learning for our students, which is what we’re all about.

Here is a list of 4 reminders to help you be mindful in the teachable moment where you might otherwise respond re-actively:

1. Clear your mind of actionable thoughts out of your control at that moment e.g. to do lists, difficult conversations, meetings, planning, correcting, reporting, deadlines...

You can’t do anything about any of these when you are with the student in the classroom, all you can do in that moment is empower them by using your teacher judgement to shape their learning and support them. Use that time to shape them as that moment will not return). Instead, look into their eyes, read their body language, notice their innocence and naivety, truly listen to them both verbally and non-verbally. Be present in the moment with them and their needs.

2. Remind yourself this child is trying the best they can, with the understanding and resources they have, and that if they intrinsically knew how to make a better choice, then they would.

That’s where we come in, gently, patiently and faithfully building this understanding where it needs further development, so it may manifest as a paradigm shift within the student and inspire effective decision making.

3. Consider the state in which you want the student to leave your classroom at the end of the day.

What experiences have you associated yourself with into his life? Ones where he has felt empathy vs judgement? Compassion vs. condemnation? Patience vs. Reactivity? With every experience we give our students, we are endorsing the emotion we engaged with on that occasion. We are modelling what relationships look like, the face of problem solving, the image of acceptable communication forms. It is paramount to display, as natural predisposition, the humanitarian attributes, moral and values we seeks to inspire and imbue in our students. Have you build your student up? Or broken their confidence because of being overwhelmed by frustration? For every negative/constructive comment we should reinforce at least 3 positive comments.

4. Acknowledge the power of nature and the miracle that you are.

Be grounded, connect with nature, feel yourself connected to the ground as you sit or stand or walk. We are all interconnected in a miraculous way. It is marvellous, phenomenal, and inexplicable, it is life. Breath. Life form. Creativity. Cellular intelligence. Our students are the same. They are more than their writing, drawings, attentive listening and responsible decision making, they are an expression of cellular intelligence as are we. Let this connect us on a higher level.

When you engage in your teachable moments with these 4 mindfulness considerations, may you experience a beautiful transformation in not just what your students take away from that lesson and how you connect with them, but how you come away feeling as an accomplished teacher and into your life beyond the classroom.