Mindfulness in Everyday Teaching: Ten Simple Ideas

Short mindfulness exercises are ideal for making everyday school life more conscious. Instead of rushing through the hours remotely controlled, you experience and control things with confidence. We have put together ten quick impulses for you - as uncomplicated mindfulness training for every day. Mindfulness in Everyday Teaching: Ten Simple Ideas.

Train mindfulness: It's very easy!

In this article, we have already revealed how much you can benefit from a more mindful (working) life you too: We haven't added any more mindfulness puns.)

For everyone who is already in the picture or who just want to get started right away, here is the right addition: ten little mindfulness impulses that are guaranteed to be easy to implement in your everyday teaching life. It doesn't matter whether you choose just one exercise or try several - the main thing is that you start. You will feel the good signs immediately.

Just try to consciously taste your lunch break (or your muesli or salad). Instead of devouring what you have brought with you between the door and hinge, take the few minutes to actually eat mindfully. Which spices or other ingredients can you taste? Which flavors do you particularly notice? How is the consistency? Chew slowly and notice, for example, the soft bread dough in contrast to the crispy, salty crust.

Notice the many different colors and shapes in the classroom. Whether you look at objects or at the clothes of your students: Take a very specific look at the abundance of colors and shapes.

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"Paint" the next picture on the board with a lot of care. Plan a little extra time and build the board picture very consciously. You can write slowly and carefully watch every line, arc, and squiggle, notice the feel of the chalk in your hand, or concentrate on the movement of your arm.

Take a nose: Concentrate on the smells around you. From the scent of the green apple you brought with you to the perfume of your colleague, take a particularly close look.

Instead of talking to a student while you are filling out the class register and rummaging in your pocket, you are consciously aware of the conversation. Make targeted eye contact and devote all your attention to the person you are talking to - mindfulness instead of distracted multitasking.

Pay close attention to your thoughts. For example, what is going through your head on the way home? Are you already thinking about what else you need to buy or do? Think of these thoughts as cars on a freeway. Let them go by - and then concentrate fully on the here and now. Focus on how the steering wheel feels in your hands or concentrate entirely on the jerking of the train.

Stop for a moment and reflect: How do you perceive the teaching situation at the moment? Is it loud and restless or focused and productive? What feedback would you give or praise your students for? Come out of the "class sprint" and take a conscious look at the classroom situation.

Make yourself a cup of fragrant tea for evening corrections or preparation. Take it in your hand, consciously feel the warmth, look at the steam and smell it. You take the first five sips very slowly and carefully so that you can taste everything in a targeted manner. Only then do you start with your work.

When correcting work, choose your words carefully. Instead of writing down standard wording like on autopilot, think carefully about what you want to say and write it down slowly and carefully. If you don't have time to do all of the work, set yourself a goal of at least three.

The most important rule is not just in yoga: never forget to breathe. In the heat of the moment, however, breathing becomes fast and shallow again and again or we even hold our breath tense. Take a few seconds to watch your breath carefully. Breathe into your stomach and feel your chest and stomach rise and fall. If you like, you can listen a little deeper and pay attention to how inhaling and exhaling feel at which point.