Room to Breathe tells the story of a San Francisco public middle school that introduced students to mindfunlness meditation practice. We will view the film and then have time for reflection and discussion.The concept of mindfulness can encompass a number of practices and programs, most of which conceptualize mindfulness as a state of purposeful awareness, acceptance of what is, and being grounded in the current moment.
An explosion of research during the past decade or so has generated a long list of positive cognitive, physical and interpersonal benefits. Public schools across the US are seeing the potential of some of these practices to help their students manage stress, develop tools needed for emotion regulation and healthy interpersonal relationships as well as building cognitive strengths that allow them to focus and concentrate better, among many other benefits.
The founder and other members of the local non-profit organization, The Mindful Teacher Foundation, will share information about their organization’s efforts and to answer questions you may have about mindfulness.
Department of Statistics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
