A deep breath in–subsequently followed by one out–could be the answer to the peace and serenity we all crave. When people are faced with a challenge, does breathing truly help?
Fortunately for them, Upper School Science Teacher Bernadette Kozlowski has implemented a new opportunity: meditations that allow students to wind down and rest for fifteen minutes every Tuesday in Upper School Learning Specialist Jennifer Hart’s classroom.
During one of the special outdoor break-time meditations, senior Philip Smack found himself in Dr. Hart’s room–unknowingly joining in on the meditation. He figured that instead of sitting on his phone, spending a few minutes with nature was the better option. “I decided, why not? I was just going to try something new for once… I felt like I was connected with nature more,” Smack said.
Not only do her guided meditations offer a safe spot for students and faculty to use the techniques given to them to help destress, but they have also contributed to students’ overall well-being and academic performance.
“Something about it calms your mind and body. It slows down the thought process when your mind is racing over a quiz. It makes you realize that you got it, and everything’s going to be alright,” said Smack.
The meditations themselves don’t only cater to students. Teachers and faculty themselves could also benefit. A study done by Frontiers in Education tested the effectiveness of a teacher development meditation program. The study showed that teachers can cope positively with stress and obstacles in their lives due to the implementation of meditation-based-in-school programs.
Knowing this information, Kozlowski said, “Teachers that are more relaxed in the classroom have a positive impact on academic outcome because, biologically, we are very tuned into people around us. When students sense that their teacher is stressed or anxious, they might not know it on a conscious level… [But] there is a direct impact on our students, so it’s important that we have some relaxation tools.”
Kozlowski’s meditations serve a greater purpose than being a harbor for students to rely on. They also allow her to teach her yoga practices to willing students, opening their minds to daily relaxation and the art of doing nothing.
Kozlowski said, “I knew before I got here that I wanted to incorporate it, but I knew it would take time for students to get to know who I was before they trusted me in that kind of setting.”
The weight of academic pressure seems to dissipate with every purposeful exhale, and the room shifts along with the students as the pressure of their lives gets released into the world.
Kozlowski said, “Feeling the energy shift in the room [is my favorite part]. You get several people in a room and everyone is hyped up, but within a couple of minutes, you feel the room shift.”
The fundamental part of her meditations relies on the biological need for human stress patterns to be interrupted. Because of this, it is imperative to understand that while meditation is not a “one-size-fits-all” method of stress reduction, it is worth trying to better understand your body and help channel your inner peace.
With his new experience in relaxation, Smack said, “Go Ms. K’s meditations!”
