Mindfulness in the Classroom: Strategies for Promoting Concentration, Compassion, and Calm

by Thomas Armstrong

In today's schools, students and teachers feel unprecedented—even alarming—levels of stress. How can we create calmer classrooms in which students concentrate better and feel more positive about themselves and others? Author Thomas Armstrong offers a compelling answer in the form of mindfulness, a secular practice he defines as the intentional focus of one's attention on the present moment in a nonjudgmental way. In Mindfulness in the Classroom, Armstrong

- Explains how mindfulness affects the structure and function of the brain.
- Provides an overview of mindfulness as both a personal practice and a classroom methodology that aligns with such educational models as Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
- Shares and explains the extensive research that shows the positive effects of mindfulness practices in the classroom.
- Describes how to adapt mindfulness for different grade levels, integrate it into regular school subjects, and implement it schoolwide.
- Offers guidelines for teaching mindfulness responsibly, without religious overtones. Dozens of observations from teachers, students, researchers, and practitioners provide striking evidence of the power of mindfulness and offer hope to anyone who wants to make classrooms more productive places of learning.

Genres: Education, Professional Development, Teaching

160 pages, Paperback

Published July 18, 2019

About the author

I am the author of 20 books, including my latest The Power of Neurodiversity: Unleashing the Advantages of Your Neurodivergent Brain (Completely Updated and Revised Second Edition), which is a complete rewrite of a book I wrote with a similar title but slightly different subtitle in 2010.

My other books include: The Myth of the ADHD Child, 7 Kinds of Smart, Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, and The Power of the Adolescent Brain. I've also written for Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal, and the AMA Journal of Ethics.

I see myself as a reader as much as, or even more than, a writer. Some of the books which I've enjoyed recently include Joseph and His Sons by Thomas Mann, The Story of the Stone/Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin, the complete Arabian Nights (3 volumes), translated by Malcolm C. Lyons, The Studs Lonigan Trilogy by James T. Farrell, and From Here to Eternity by James Jones.

Beyond literature and writing, my hobbies and pursuits include improvising on the piano, doing mindfulness meditation, watching great movies on The Criterion Channel, doing yoga, and cooking Mediterranean cuisine.

Married for twenty-five years, and now divorced, I live in a cute Victorian style home on a hill in Sonoma County, California with my dog Daisy.

Reviews

[Barb Middleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very general so I didn't get much out of it. There are good resources at the end so one can dig into the topic in more depth on his or her own time.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to add in a few books that I finished recently, so it's tough to give this a really long and thoughtful review. Here's my short take on a short book; it's a fine overview. Solid 3.25, rounding down to the 3-star review.

Like many books on this topic, it's heavy on the 'why' and stories, but a bit less useful when it comes to real strategies, and perhaps importantly, data. While it's useful to read about 'Jane the teacher once did...', followed by a list of possible ways of carrying out mindfulness, I'd like to see some better research on how this changed classrooms, and which of the possible strategies might be most effective. Let's start to zero in, as a profession, on what really works.

All in all, though, I'd recommend it to teachers and administrators I know. It's clear about mindfulness, and makes meaningful connections about why you might want to try some of the strategies in the book.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear and concise little book on how to incorporate mindfulness secularly into a classroom or school community. It also stresses what type of practices come from religious backgrounds and should definitely be omitted in a public school setting. Research based with a massive reference section for how short this book is. Covers any criticism, issues, or questions that teachers/administrators or parents might have upon hearing the word "mindfulness" and how to address them in a secular way.

I recommend it for anyone interested in mindfulness as a scientific practice with promising results. Also good for people interested in or practicing mindfulness that want to incorporate it into their pedagogy but perhaps personally practice a more spiritual/religious type. The book very clearly states what should and should not happen in respect to the religious aspects of mindfulness.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid reminder-resource about how mindfulness impacts wellness and school outcomes. Some sections are geared toward public schools -- there is a big emphasis at the end about how to maintain separation of church and state by not invoking yogic religious terms and practices.

I liked the organization and length of this resource. Easy to consult and compile ideas from.

[Heather Terrill Stotts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve respected Armstrong’s work for many years as an educator. This book gives educators a lot to think about in general terms around mindfulness practices for our learners. I think it’s really helpful to consider as we plan for a strong classroom community.

[Anna Berbary · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed this book! i used it for my graduate thesis and really appreciated the way the author wrote about a subject that gets a lot of eye rolls in the education system! Very straight forward and day to follow, as well as backed up my scientific evidence. a grest resource for teachers!

[Sharanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good introduction to mindfulness, but being in a school that has been using these practices for many years I have read other titles that I may add to my reread list.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

This text is filed with great ideas to promote mindfulness in the classroom. The strategies are easy to adapt to almost any grade level. Good stuff!!

[Sara S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this book for PD - didn’t like it at all. Felt it barely addressed it’s purpose and was aggressive and preachy at times.

[Mark]

Overall, this is pretty thin gruel. However, in his final chapter, "Anticipating Future Challenges," the author's critically insightful remarks about the pitfalls mindfulness practice faces in the essentially mindless environment of schools in the United States goes some distance toward redeeming this otherwise banal, tedious book.