Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

Tune In

Guided mindfulness practice

Find Out

The benefits of mindfulness

Take Action

Expanding your mindfulness practice

Tune In: Guided mindfulness practice

Preparation

Use this activity as a ‘mindful entry point’ for focused attention in your classroom. It can be used at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a lesson. Where possible, share these practices outside.

Step 1

Explain to students the purpose of mindfulness: Mindfulness is a method for nurturing our minds, understanding their current state, and making thoughtful decisions about how to engage with them.

Developing awareness is a learned skill that enhances our mental functioning. By becoming mindful, we learn to recognise what contributes to our well-being and happiness, enabling us to make wise choices each day. Engaging in mindfulness exercises involves paying close attention, which strengthens and cultivates a more resilient and compassionate mind. Additionally, observing nature provides limitless pleasurable anchor points for our minds and always reminds us that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. This helps put things into perspective.

Step 2

Ask your students to find a spot in the space you have chosen (outside would work best for this activity). Students will be standing for this activity.

Step 3

Lead your students through a guided mindfulness exercise using the audio recording below.

Cool Australia · The Nature of Mindfulness: Guided Meditation 1 - Secondary

Audio recording: The Nature of Mindfulness: Guided Meditation 1 (https://on.soundcloud.com/1ZTHmY7uzm2Uiu1s5)

You may like to simply play this recording for your students, or if you would like to run the guided mindfulness exercise yourself, you could listen to the audio in preparation for this activity, as it provides a model for how you can run the session yourself using the script provided below. You can modify this activity to suit your students and local environment.

As you are standing, take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth until you can feel your mind settle.

Now bring attention to your feet.

Notice the space between them and find the best space and place for your feet to be so that they can hold your body, becoming a solid foundation to support yourself.

Imagine your feet are just like the base of a young, strong tree, with the roots reaching far down, below the surface.

Let your feet be still and feel planted on the floor.

Bring your attention to your head now, and let it feel light, just like a cloud, floating over your body.

Imagine there is a breeze moving around you. With your feet anchored and still, let your body gently sway in the breeze to one side and then to the other side.

Rock forward, and tilt backward, just like a tree.

When the wind eases, ease your body back to the centre, finding your balance point, letting your whole body settle and centre your natural perfect alignment over your feet.

Let your body return to stillness and strength

Find Out: The benefits of mindfulness

Step 1

To maximise learning opportunities for students and to personalise their experiences, it is valuable to discuss with students how they feel before, during and after the activities. It is also wonderful to acknowledge personal insights and discoveries.

Conduct a class discussion about how students felt before, during and after the meditation.

Did their attention wander? Were they able to bring their attention back to the meditation practice?
How did they feel emotionally? What did they think?
What did they see, touch, smell, feel and hear?
Have they noticed any changes within themselves, in others or in the class as a whole?
Would the activity feel different if it was conducted inside the classroom?

Mindfulness is a way of life that involves paying attention to the present moment, non-judgmentally. It is a state of awareness that provides an opportunity to tune in to your thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, the environment and other people. Research has shown mindfulness can help develop resilience, kindness, empathy and compassion. You may like to check out this factsheet to learn about the benefits of mindfulness and the importance of mindfulness for young children to help guide your discussion.

Take Action: Expanding your mindfulness practice

Step 1

You may like to expand this practice by bringing some breathing exercises into the standing meditation. This can be completed standing or sitting. Use the following script to continue on from your initial meditation.

Bring awareness to your body.

Find your alignment with a strong, straight spine, feeling stable and settled, either seated in the chair or standing on the floor.

Bring awareness to the hands

Letting all your fingers lightly touch in the space in front of your heart.

Imagine your fingers are like the quills of a sea anemone … opening and closing through the water.

As you breathe in … let your fingers part and slowly, smoothly open

As you gently let a big wave of breath roll up through you … opening your hands with this wave …

As you breathe out … let your hands smoothly and softly return to touch.

As the wave of the breath rolls out … … Move your hands fluidly and smoothly with the breath … flowing in and out … back and forth.

Opening your hands to the count of four… (pause for 2) … Closing (4) … Pausing (2) … Opening (4)… Pausing (2) … Closing (4) … Pause (2).

Now … just let your breath return to its own natural rhythm.

Pause to notice sensations and feelings in your body in this moment.

Step 2

You might like to invite students to share their reflections with the class if they feel comfortable doing so, fostering a sense of community and shared learning.

Naturally Mindful: Standing Meditation

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Summary

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