Queensland school tackles classroom stress with mindfulness

High school can be a stressful time in a child’s life. One school in Australia’s Queensland state is joining a growing trend in offering mindfulness classes to help. Teachers say they’re being proactive in supporting students’ emotional health.

Lunchtime may have finished in Townsville High School, but students aren’t going back to class just yet. Every week, for the whole of last year, these students practiced mindfulness to quieten their minds in a busy environment. “Overwhelmed, anxiety, digital addiction, it is affecting the wellbeing of our next generation,” says Jasmine Healy-Pagan of Youth RESET.

Using techniques such as meditation, subtle movements, and deep breathing, the Youth RESET program focuses on giving students the tools to become more resilient.

“75 percent of people who struggle with mental health, this has begun under the age of 25. It’s essential today more than ever before that we are proactive in the mental and emotional health of our next generation,” adds Healy-Pagan.

Teachers say they have noticed students being more attentive and have seen behavior improve. “What we are finding is a much more settled start to the lessons and also just students interacting with each other in a much more positive way which is then de-escalating classrooms and allowing more learning to happen,” adds Bri Clancy of Thuringowa State High School.

Most education professionals agree that the impact of trauma on social cohesion and behavior in classrooms is negative. A lot of schools are now taking this issue into account in their daily practices, but experts say more should be done.

“Trauma-informed practice helps young people learn how to self-regulate and helps them feel safe and supported in the classroom,” says Dr. Tanya Doyle of James Cook University.

And for students, the effects are clearly positive. “It’s made me relaxed, calm, and not stressed a lot,” says one male student. “I feel less anxious in the bones, in the body, in the mind,” adds one female student.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.