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- Schools in Baltimore, Maryland are experimenting with meditation as a way to help students deal with the stress and trauma associated with high levels of poverty and violence in the area.
- At Patterson High School, a nonprofit called Holistic Life Foundation has established the Mindful Moments Room as a place students can retreat to when they feel stressed or angry.
- By practicing mindfulness, students learn to avoid conflict and negative influences through stepping away from tense situations and reflecting inward, instead of letting things escalate.
- Patterson High Principal Vance Benton sees mindfulness as a way to save lives by teaching students how to resolve conflicts without resorting to violence and says fights in school have gone down.
- Third and fourth grade students at Coleman Elementary also practice yoga and meditation, and Principal Carlillian Thompson said she has also noticed improvements in behavior.
Class discussion questions
- Essential question : What does it mean to be mindful?
- What kinds of factors outside of school can cause students to feel stressed and act out?
- Do you think practicing mindfulness has applications outside of school? Explain your answer.
