BY JESSICA STEELEY
Clarkston News Staff Writer
Connecting with kids through mindfulness is a new form of instruction explored in classrooms throughout North Sashabaw Elementary.
“It always starts with building a relationship with kids, getting to know who they are, listening to their stories,” Kindergarten teacher Audrey St. Aubin said.
St. Aubin incorporates many tools inside her classroom to connect with kids, including mindfulness.
“It’s one of many things, not just the only thing, but we take breaks to calm our bodies down in different ways, just kind of give our minds a rest for a little bit,” St. Aubin said. “Then, we also will do things like have extra outdoor time to recharge ourselves.”
Knowing what kids love to do and what they’re interested in helps build trust in a classroom community, St. Aubin added. “Connect with kids, on a really personal level, knowing what makes them and what needs to be different and kind of altering that a little bit.”
Principal Jennifer Johnson said the staff knows the importance of knowing the kids personally and understanding how to support them and capitalize on their strengths.
“We’re more mindful of the fact we can’t just start our day at eight o’clock and plug away as little worker bees and not take into account there’s lots of different dynamics going on in an environment,” Johnson said.
She describes it as a predictable schedule, something the kids can rely on. Personalizing schedules and instruction to individual children is a practice the school is finding a lot of success with.
This personalized instruction allows teachers to help children decide how to properly engage in activities through specific feedback, Johnson said.
“The feedback is very specific, it’s very targeted and it feeds learning, whether it’s academic learning or social learning, forward.”
Johnson added mindful moments in the morning are helpful because a teacher has an opportunity at the beginning of the day to quickly notice if a students is a little off or isn’t feeling well.
“I sat in on one the other day where the discussion was about being happy for someone else, how do we recognize the idea there will be another opportunity for me as well,” Johnson said.
“We’re more mindful ourselves of the fact that it’s important to take breaks, it’s important to stop, center yourself, regulate your emotions.”

Thoughts on mindfulness

Ms. Hothems’ first grade class shares their ideas about mindfulness.
“It calms us down because mindful moments are calming you down.”-Larkin Boone
“Mindfulness helps your brain to get ready to learn, or if you’re really excited about something you could calm down.”-Gemma Perry
“It helps our brains grow.”-Stephen DeLoca
“It rests our brains.”-Jovani Gutierrez
“It makes us feel calm.”-Eastyn Hanes
“It makes me get ready for learning.”-Annabell Burns
“It makes us get ready for when we go to specials.”-Dylan Havens