Can Yoga & Meditation Help Children Succeed in School?
Yoga and meditation practices have spread all over the world — from the depths of India to local fitness studios, and now, even to classrooms. Some schools have even begun to incorporate yoga and meditation into their curricula, while 37% of yogis in the US have influenced their school-aged children to get into the practice as well. But when talking about school, one can’t help but wonder: does practicing mindfulness help with academic success too?
LET’S FIND OUT...
It boosts concentration
Corporate wellness programs use yoga as a way to increase employee focus and workplace productivity. In the same way, these mindfulness techniques can help boost concentration in children, which then contributes to their academic performance. It’s the main idea behind the meditation mobile app Calm, which provides free exercises to school teachers globally.
With the app, the 41,000 educators in the US who have signed up as of last year — and 13,000 more all over the world — can help their students stimulate connectivity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This region of the brain is most associated with executive control, an umbrella term that involves cognitive processes. These include attention, decision-making, memory, critical and abstract reasoning, and problem-solving skills. By participating in meditation regularly, children can develop these cognitive functions that are all essential but too often ignored in the learning process.
It develops self-awareness
Practicing yoga and meditation trains the mind to become more self-aware. This skill is often said to be the key to becoming a successful leader, but in children, it can simply mean learning how to navigate their own emotions, thoughts, and actions. Self-awareness also pertains to the ability to understand how your actions affect others. This means that a kid with this level of consciousness can recognize his or her strengths and weaknesses. And when children are aware of these, they can work on enhancing their capabilities and filling their achievement gaps.
It reduces stress
Yoga is widely used as a tool for stress management, even for children. Significant childhood stressors include separation anxiety, problems at home, fitting in, puberty, and academic pressure. We previously looked at ways to help your child navigate their way ‘Back to School’ along with these stressors, including helping them come up with intentions that combat back to school anxiety. Statements like “I am smart and I can learn anything I put my mind to," can help them manifest this reality. However, if left unchecked, these stressors may increase their risk of mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety. disorders. In Maryville University’s overview of the significance of psychology studies, they point out that mental health and success are intricately connected in the learning process. When children are emotionally challenged or unstable, their ability to perform and succeed in school can be compromised. Fortunately, yoga is widely accepted as an effective outlet for tension, which can calm even the youngest of minds.
It manages behavior
Instead of reprimanding students, an elementary school in Baltimore opened a meditation room to help kids with behavioral problems. One student said that he goes into the room to take deep breaths whenever he starts to get angry. Children who tend to act out often come from difficult backgrounds, and principal Robert W. Coleman stated that his goal was to create a safe space for students.
Indeed, children with behavioral issues don’t only disrupt their own learning, but the rest of their classmates’ as well. But when managed through techniques like breathing exercises, these students can contribute to a peaceful atmosphere in the classroom and focus on their studies better.
Through our various programs, we hope to offer students, teachers, and parents an opportunity to practice mindfulness and introduce them to the concept of meditation. From personalized workshops to classroom management tools and group meditation, it is our hope that every individual discovers the self-awareness and inner peace essential for success in all avenues of life.
If you or people you know have children, aged 4-13, please check out our online kids’ classes! They’re fun, full of life tools, and are more important than ever for our kids with their lives turned upside down this year. If you’re interested in donating, volunteering, or sponsoring a Worthy Beyond Purpose event, please contact the team at info@worthybeyondpurpose.com. 100 percent of your donations will go towards funding our school, summer camp, and after school programs. Thank you for your support. It truly does take a mindful village.
Written by Amy Hendrix for WorthyBeyondPurpose.com