Findings from the Boston Charter Research Collaborative about the impact of mindfulness in the classroom are featured in the following HGSE Usable Knowledge blog post.
Not knowing the answer to a question, when you’re called on in front of the entire class. Forgetting your homework. The kid behind you pulling your hair. School poses a lot of stressful moments, but how children (and teachers) react to them can make all the difference.
A new study suggests that mindfulness education — lessons on techniques to calm the mind and body — can reduce the negative effects of stress and increase students’ ability to stay engaged, helping them stay on track academically and avoid behavior problems.
While small, the study of sixth-graders at a Boston charter school adds to a still-growing body of research about a role for mindfulness in the classroom. In recent years, the topic has excited researchers and educators alike as a possible tool to help students face both behavioral and academic challenges by reducing anxiety and giving them a new way to handle their feelings and emotions.
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Continue reading at gse.harvard.edu
Learn more about CEPR's involvement in the Boston Charter Research Collaborative