The practice of mindfulness promises a number of benefits for both students and teachers.
For example, there is growing evidence that mindfulness training improves our ability to:
- Regulate emotion (which also helps us think more clearly!)
- Improve attention
- Enhance executive function (a set of mental operations that involve focus, attention, problem solving, planning, and working memory)
- Increase motivation and learning
- Enhance empathy and promote prosocial behavior
- Reduce stress and improve wellbeing
While studies that look specifically at the effectiveness of mindfulness in a school setting are still somewhat limited, it is clear that the skills listed above offer advantages for increasing teachers’ efficacy and students’ academic success.