Mindfulness in School Project at the Tsoknyi Gechak School for

Mindfulness in School Project at the Tsoknyi Gechak School for young Nuns

October – November 2016

By MBSR & Mindful School Teacher: © Rikke Braren Lauritzen 2016

Preface When I met the Tibetan Dharma teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche in England during a ten days Silent retreat in Easter 2013, I asked him if I could come and visit his new School for young Nuns that I have heard so much about. He immediately answered, that I could come and teach the nuns Western secular mindfulness. I was both surprised and delighted for this opportunity and the three times I met Rinpoche after, we were again discussing this possibility, uptil this day where I am now staying as a residental teacher at the Tsoknyi Gechak School for seven weeks. This report is a summary of how the mindfulness school project has been planned, effectuated and evaluated, taken the conditions into consideration that with school holidays we ended up with a total period of five weeks teaching program, comprising Teacher Training and a student curriculum with five sessions of 40 minuts for all the 8 classes. The report can serve as an inspiration to other international schools, on all levels and for different students, as it is in English and based on a non-‐religious and scientific-‐based approach, highly inspired by the adult intervention Mindfulness-‐based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and the Mindful School curriculum. My own background is that I am trained and certified in MBSR from The Center for Mindfulness, University of Massachusett’s Medical School, I have attended training in the Mindful Schools curriculum and I have founded a scientific based Mindfulness in School curriculum in Denmark. Moreover, I am a graduated M.A., therapist and teacher with over 18 years teaching experience and just as long meditation practitice. It is my hope that this report can be of benefit of others and contribute to spreading mindfulness in schools, locally as well as globally. The Tsoknyi Gechak School In autumn 2010 Tsoknyi Gechak Line Nunnery Chobar Kathmandu was founded by Tsoknyi Rinpoche to maintain the precious Tsoknyi lineage as practiced in Gechak Nunnery in Nangchen Tibet. In the spring of 2011, 82 little girls arrived at Tsoknyi Gechak Ling. That year 2-‐part time teachers were hired and morning English and Nepaly classes were started. In the autumn maths was added. As it was Tsoknyi Rinpoche’s wish to offer TGL’s young nuns a full mordern education as well as traditional buddhist training in January 2013 Rinpoche appointed a school Director, Ms. Fionnuala Shenpen who is originally from Ireland, and as of March 2013 the school day was expanded, the number of teachers and subjects taught were increased

and Tsoknyi Gechak School was born. Since then the school has been growing from strenght to strenght incorporating moderne teaching methods while keeping Buddhist ethics at the core. Tsoknyi Gechak School runs classes LKG, UKG and Classes 1 to 7. Following Nepal’s Government curriculum Tibetan, English, Nepali, Maths, Social Studies and Science are taught. The school follows modern educational style popularized by the Bank Street School New York & Rato Bangala Foundation Kathmandu. The School aims to integrate aspects of buddhism into the curriculum which includes dharma theme project work and school wide mindfulness training. The School is run on the third year by director Ms. Fionnuala Shenpen and has today 13 teachers employed, here among two residental teachers, one part-‐time teacher and two monastic teachers called Genlas. Vision and mission Education has the power to cultivate our basic goodness, the human potential for compassion and wisdom. Tsoknyi Gechak School combines modern education with buddhist spiritual training, harnessing their power to enhance students’ basic goodness in a very practical way. This combination helps our students to live happily and serve humanity effectively. Number and age of students: Level: Number students in class: Age of students* Lower and upper Kindergarten 14 4-‐10 Grade 1 8 8-‐10 Grade 2 13 8-‐15 Grade 3 12 9-‐15 Grade 4 16 11-‐18 (1) Grade 5 15 12-‐24 (1) Grade 6 22 11-‐18 (1) * the children are 1 year younger than they are registered, which is normal in Nepal. (1) indicates that there is only one student of the highest age, as this may be a student who has entered the class later and has been placed on the grade that corresponds to her school level. Aim of the mindfulness training:

All students will learn the basic mindfulness practices:

• Mindful bodies /sitting still with straight and relaxed back • Mindful listening (bells and sounds) • Mindful breathing • Awareness of body (scan) • Awareness of body in movement (yoga) • Mindfulness in daily activities • Awareness of thoughts • Mindful walk • Use of ”STOP” and ”Mindful moment” in everyday life

THE TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

In order for mindfulness to become a daily practice among the students, the teachers must be trained in mindfulness themselves and continously practice and support the cultivation of mindfulness in the classroom. A teacher training program was offered as an introduction meeting (2,5 hours) with presentation, practice and assessment questionnary, followed by two weekly afternoon meetings (1,2 hours each) over the span of three weeks, another teacher training meeting (2,5 hours) and a final closure meeting (1,2 hours), totally 12 hours of theory, practice and shared learning. All teachers were asked to fill a questionnary (MAAS) before and after the training program (see appendix). Introductory and theoretical presentation for teachers (see powerpoint in appendix):

• My background with mindfulness. • Why mindfulness? • Mindfulness origins: Four Noble truths – the Eightfold Noble path – The four foundations of

mindfulness. • Eastern traditional vs. Western secular mindfulness? • What do we know? MBSR for adults – Mindfulness for childen/adolescents? • Stress physiology – what happens when we are stressed? How does mindfulness help? • Neuro-‐science – what do we know about the brain and mindfulness effect? • Genetic – how stress affect our genes/DNA • Social Emotional Learning – emotional regulation • Empathy and compassion – bringing kindness into the classroom • Mindful Communication – mindfulness in daily life and activities • The Mindful teacher – guidelines for good practice • Elements and timetable for the Tosknyi Gechak School project.

Overview of Teacher Training plan: Oct 16 half day teacher training (2,5 hours) You can not teach without practicing mindfulness! Emphasizing the importance that all teachers experience the practices themselves and (hopefully) engage in daily practice and learn how to guide the students (in their own style) and support the practice as an ”awareness culture” in the whole school. The teachers were given four mindfulness recordings in English by Jon Kabat-‐Zinn: Body scan (30 minuts), breathing meditation (15 minuts), sitting meditation (10 minuts) and mindful movement/yoga (45 minuts).

They were encouraged to practice at home, in the bus back home or when and where it is possible. A personal practice logbook was given as support. My present from DK was a mindful drawing book and crayons to copy/give in the classes, 4 different coloured glitters for Mind Jars, Danish paperart with H.C. Andersen fairytales and Danish flags, for use in the classes. The powerpoint presentation was given in the staff room and after we found a bigger room for 1,5 hours of short practice sessions: Mindful bodies, Mindful listening (bells), Mindful eating (raisins), Mindful breathing (finding your anchor spot), Body scan (guided lying down). My notes: A very nice and interested group of 12 teachers. Some understood more than others. Some seem very motivated. Others more politely follow. It’s ok. The questionnary may be too difficult as they answer quite randomly, it seems. All practices went well but they do not communicate much, as they are shy and polite (cultural difference). Their abstraction seems poor as they tend to answer on the concrete but without abstract reflections e.g. eating the 2. raisin and reflect on how we get bored after 1. experience. Response after the bodyscan: ”more relaxed”, ”many thoughts”, ”distraction from a mouscito”. Oct 17: Afternoon meeting 15-‐16.20pm. Practice mindfulness and slowly learn how to introduce it to the students. Sitting and check in. Lying down for a 20 minuts bodyscan. Sharing about how they feel after the bodyscan? How to introduce mindfulness in the class? Mindful bodies and bells. Awareness of breath. Discussions. My notes: The teachers received the lesson very openly and engaged in the practices. After a full bodyscan 20 minuts lying down, a few fell asleep, others told they were tired to begin with but then they focused and became more awake. Some of them complaining about pain in the back and neck. We talked about how bringing awareness to unpleasant sensations is also a part of the practice and that we will continue with mindful movement and body awareness next time. They need some cushions to sit on which I will try and find for next time. The yoga mats can also be folded in the end and used as a support for the back. We practiced a short AOB, finding the anchor spot and discussed how this can be adressed to children. They do not say much but it’s still new and the culture is more discrete and polite. The home practices were given as MP3 downloads to use on their mobiles. A nice session, everyone was happy and more relaxed. Oct 19: Afternoon meeting 15-‐16.20pm. Sitting and check-‐in. How was the home practice? Sitting meditation starting with awareness on mindful bodies, sounds, awareness of breath, awareness of body (pleasant, neutral, unpleasant sensations), ending with the breath and full body. Everyone seemed to engage fully in the practice, some were more relaxed and thankful for the pause, others complained about the back when sitting, but now trying to fold their yoga mats which works much better. Discussion about how to guide according to the curriculum: Mindful breathing and Body scan. Finding you own way! After introducing a 30 minuts mindful yoga session, the adult version and talk about how the different poses can be adressed to children in a funny way like animal poses. We also did some poses in pairs. Ending with a short relaxation 5 minuts. They were happy with the excercises. Tsoknyi Rinpoche came in on a short visit and he applaused the practice and gave a small talk about mindfulness as the foundation of the everything and that in Nepal it is mostly important to bring mindfulness into daily activities so that things are done properly, like keeping the washing room nice in order, like being mindful of how the children are using the water and electricity and the ressouces in general. Good that the teachers heard the advices from Rinpoche himself.

Ending with encouraging to use the MP3 sound files for home practices + logbook. My notes: I was told by an English colleague that the teachers talk about the mindfulness classes in a very positive way in the staffroom, which was good to know. Oct 24: Afternoon meeting 15-‐16.20pm: Sitting and check-‐in. How was the home practice? We did 20 minuts of mindful lying down yoga and ended with sitting with awareness of breath and body (total 40 min). Sharing about the practice now and home. Short resume of the first student sessions. They went very well and both students and teachers are engaging so fine. My notes: They liked the lying down yoga very much. Some are struggling with back pain when sitting. Only 1-‐2 have done their home practice. We talk about the hindrances and why the practice at home can be a good decision, but they must do it themselves voluntarily of course. It was mostly a practice session. Not much feedback from the teachers but they seem to like the class. Oct 26: Afternoon meeting 15-‐16.20pm: Sitting and check-‐in. How was the home practice? Introducing Awareness of thoughts. How to work with thoughts in the class? Past-‐future-‐present. Awareness of body and breath and thoughts (15 minuts). Sharing. Repeating the practices that we know by now. Introducing Mindful walk (10 min). Sharing. Mindfulness in daily activities – find examples. Give worksheet to fill. Continuosly observe if and how you own mindfulness presence effects the classroom environment. Plan for teacher day Nov 6. Now start to plan how to perform/guide an excercise for your colleagues, as if they were your students. Encourage to continue the home practice. Only a few express that they try to practice at home. My notes: A very nice session and the teachers seem to engage more and more in the practice and enjoy it. Now it is interesting to see how they will plan their own short session on the last teacher day. A note will hang on the staffroom whiteboard for all to put their names on and which practice they choose. Mindfulness Teacher Training Nov 6 at 12-‐14.30pm

• Todays topic: How to introduce mindfulness to the students? • Your own mindfulness practice is your most important tool as a teacher! • How can we offer a room for inner awareness to different classes?

I will make a small introduction and repetition of the practices we know by now and how we can communicate them to the students. Then we will do a practice session together with all the elements included as we know by now. Please engage in the open conversations so we can learn from eachother. It’s important that this becomes your practice for you to deepen, learn and continue it for yourself and for the students. Finally you have all prepared a short practice that you will offer us as if we were your students and we will talk and give feedback. That’s the program for the next 2,5 hours. Introduction (20 min): Write on board. Remember: You are the most important tool as a teacher. Mindfulness depends on your presence, calmness, willingness to be open and curious, to be able to help yourself in difficult situations – because otherwise you can not help the students either. So your own practice is the most important. And remember: You do not have to be any other than yourself, just be autenthic and find your own way to offer mindfulness as it fits you and your students the best. The practices are inspirations but you may find other ways in from your own creativity. Please trust yourself.

Which tools do we have – what have we learned up to now? Good sitting instructions, Mindful bodies. Silent surroundings (ok with sounds but too much noice prevent space for deeper listening). Objects for the mindfulness training:

• Senses – always open (listening, seeing, tasting, smelling, sensing etc.) Our first perception of the world comes through the sense doors. We can examine this in many ways.

• Breaths – always available, the most important tool in mindfulness – bringing together the body and mind. Let the students find their breath (anchor) and steadily train them in bringing awareness to the breath – a new habbit that is so important. Can follow us the rest of our lives!

• Body – always available. Noticing sensations. Bodyscan, body sitting, lying, standing, in movement. Walking.

• Daily activities. Whatever we do, whereever we are, we can always bring attention of how we sense, think, feel, perceive ourselves and others.

• Awareness of thoughts – when we forget the present moment because we are lost in thoughts of the future or past – we can observe the mind and go back againg and again.

• Good tool is to STOP! Or take a mindful moment. We can do that any time and also in the classroom.

Discussion:

• Give examples when it is most needed for you when you teach? High/low arousal? What can you do in a situation to bring low arousal in the class? Which tools do you have with mindfulness?

• With own stress? Own emotions – when do you feel yourself most challenged? This is where your own practice can help. Patience, non-‐striving, non-‐judgmental, open, currious – is that possible? You must be able to help yourself before you can help the students.

Practice session (30 minuts): Now we will do a session of mindfulness in silence. We call it Nobel silence because when we do meditation in silence it can open up to a kind of holy place in ourselves. Our own inner temple. So please give yourself the opportunity to really enjoy and engage in the practices, as it is a unique chance to give yourself some selfcompassion. As this is not just relaxation – but mindfulness – make sure that your engage in the practices with awareness of how your sense, feel, think – how both the body and mind responds. When we sit in silence, and thoughts arise, can we just observe and go back to the present moment through our awareness objects, when the body hurts or feels well, can we again observe and when we move and maybe gets impatient, can we bring awareness to that and again bring ourselves back to the present moment. We will start with some standing movements, then sitting, then walking and finally lying down. Standing as mountain, stretching to the sun, bending to the ground, sitting in chair, turning to each sides, tree pose, warrior pose. On the floor, cat/cow, dog, child. Sitting in silence. Noticing sounds, breath, body, thoughts, silence, bells. Walking. Sitting in silence. Lying down relaxing, body scan. Selfcompassion and gratitude. Teacher training – mindfulness performances (12 teachers each 5 minuts/60 minuts total): All teachers have 5 minuts to perform a short guided excercise for us (pretending we are the students. Please tell which class and practice.

The teacher performed in pairs or groups:

• Mindful eating Nepali very sour/salt snack ”bechi pau”. • Mindful walk, listening to bells, stop, breathing, listening to sounds inside and outside, walking. • Mindful yoga, guiding different stretches/poses with mindfulness. • Mindful yoga, guiding some animal poses. • Mindful listening to a story in Nepali. • Mindful guided meditation, awareness of breath, sounds, body. • Mindful seeing, excercise with bringing fingers together.

The performances were really nice, as the main thing was, that they had all engaged in the practice and performed with great entusiasme. Of course there were some small mistakes in the guiding that we discussed. The yoga could need more pauses. The Yoga animal poses was found in a magazine and quite difficult to understand as the teacher did not practice the poses beforehand. The guided meditation was a little confusing jumping from one part of the body to the next, mixing several awareness objects. The mindful walk was mixed with listening which gave some confusing with different objects at the same time. Mindful listening to storytelling a good idea. Mindful eating the sour/sweet/salt ”pau” was really an interesting experience! All in all the outcome of the session was very positive and the teachers were given a lot of credit for their positive and social group spirit and engagement. Sharing and feedback procedure:

• How was it for you to perform the excercise? Challenges? • What worked well (group feedback – only positive)?

Some of the teachers are reporting that they are starting to practice in the classroom with succes. One was doing mindful walk before a presentation of some difficult things and observed that the class was much more focused and understood the class better than expected. Others have done mindful breathing and mindful listening. They say that the practice is helpful in the classroom. Last mindfulness teacher session follow-‐up on Wednesday Nov 16 at 15-‐16.15pm.

• Sitting and Check-‐in. Guided meditation on all the objects of awareness + silence (15 minuts). • How does you own mindfulness practice go? • What did you observe in mindful classes with Rikke? • Any observations in your class? With the students? • How would you like to continue teaching mindfulness in your class/classes? • Sharing of Best practice / good examples / nice moments or other things? • Follow-‐up. How can we integrate mindfulness in the future at our school? Any good ideas? • Teacher evaluation form. • Teacher assesment questionnary again. • Certifications of teacher training. Group photo.

Teacher training day 1: Introduction, assesment questionnary, practices.

Practice day 2: Mindfulness fundamentals, awareness of breath and body scan.

Practice day 3: Awareness of breath and body, Mindful movement, relaxation, discussions.

Teacher day: Performing mindfulness sessions

Mindful School Teacher Certificate at Tsoknyi Gechak School 2016

Meeting and presentation for the School leaders and Tsoknyi Rinpoche

A meeting took place with Tsoknyi Rinpoche and his leaderteam about the project, presenting the benefits and scientific evidence of mindfulness and how to work with it in schools. The school leader team gave their 100% support for the project and stressed the importance of mindfulness practice to all the students. Tsoknyi Rinpoche was expressing his wish also to bring more awareness to the students’ daily activities such as keeping the school and nunnery nice and clean, saving on the ressources like water and electricity, being mindful of our daily behaviour instead of taking things for granted. Especially school books are a big expense for the school as they are not reused. It was decided to integrate 10 minuts of mindfulness to the daily morning prayers and maintain the practice among all teachers and students as our school’s culture.

Five (40 minuts) CLASSES MINDFULNESS CURRICULUM FOR TGS STUDENTS

1. Class: Mindful bodies. Mindful listening. Mindful eating.

Introduction / how to be together in the mindful class a. Mindful bodies b. Mindful listening til bells c. Mindful eating (raisins) Home practice: Noticing sounds + noticing how you eat. Worksheet: eating 1) + mindful listening 2)

2. Class: Awareness of breathing – staying at your base. Mindful Bodies + listening to bells Repetition from class 1 – how was the home practicie? (listening + eating?) d. Mindful breathing (guided 5 minuts) (explain anchor + picture) Making mindful jars with glitter (young students) Home practice: Noticing the breath several times a day Worksheet: mindful breathing 3)

3. Class 3: Body awareness. Body Scan. Mindful Bodies + listening to bells Repetition from class 2 – how was the home practicie? (mindful breathing?) e. Body scan 15 minuts – what did you notice this time? Draw/write on worksheet or board together 4) Home practice: Mindful breathing + awareness of body. Worksheet: Body scan map 5)

4. Class 4: Mindful movements. Mindfulness in daily activities. Repetition from class 3 -‐ mindful bodies – listening to bells – mindful breaths. How was the home practice? (breathing + body) f. Mindful movement – yoga session (15-‐20 minuts). If time, group back massage. What was the experience like in the body? Home practice: Mindful movements – when you do daily activities + mindful breaths. Worksheet: Mindful activity chart 6)

5. Class 5: Thoughts – past, present, future. Mindful walk.

Repetition from class 4 -‐ mindful bodies – listening to bells – mindful breaths. How was the home practice (mindful movement / daily activity) g. Awareness of thoughts (10 minuts) Worksheet: Thoughts 8) h. Mindful walk – introducing (10 minuts) What was the experience? Worksheet: Mindful walk 7) Wrapping-‐up the practices – how to continue in the class? To end the curriculum we will do a session together the whole school in the school yard: Mindful bodies, listening to bells, awareness of body, mindful breathing, mindful movement (few yoga stretches), mindful walk, sitting with short mindful breathing, sensing the body in the room, smell, sounds, listen to bells.

Mindfulness for students – logbook for 5 sessions

Session 1: What is mindfulness, mindful body posture, listening to sounds, eating raisins. All in all the students of all the classes received me with much joy and interest as their new mindfulness teacher. We talked about what mindfulness is and how it can be learned. The focus was on experiencing how bringing attention while sitting still is felt. The first practice on how to sit with a ”mindful body” was very easy for all to learn, as they are used to sitting doing prayers. They always sit on the floor on cushions in the school, so their bodies are used to the meditation posture. It was a delight to watch them sitting so diligently from the first moment. We started by bringing attention to the sounds of different meditation bells. When they got used to raising their hands when they no longer hear the sound of the bells, it was easy to use this method everytime as a help to deepen their focus. Listening to bells continued to listening to sounds in the classroom, outside of the classroom and inside their own bodies. This practice they liked very much and many expressed that they experienced many new sounds for the first time. Eating raisins with mindful awareness was very learning and funny for all the classes. They really appreciated the experience of eating slowly and they found the raisins ”so tasty, so sweet, so delicious”. The teachers were encouraged to repeat the practice and help the students fill their worksheet about ”mindful listening” and ”mindful eating”. The students were also encouraged to try for themselves in their freetime. All were given workbooks with their name and grade, the sheets were different for the oldest classes and the youngest who had less text and more space for drawings. With the teachers good help it was not difficult to communicate with the students in English. The teaching was based on learning-‐by-‐doing with less words and more practice. Still, the more simple everyday examples I could give, the more comprehension about mindfulness they seemed to get. The youngest students were very talkative about their experiences whereas the oldest students were more shy and had their ”ambassadeurs” who spoke the most. This is very normal for teenagers.

Session 2: Awareness of breath & mind jars It was a great pleasure to see how well they remembered what we learned in session 1 and how they had all worked in their workbook with either notes or drawings about mindful bodies, mindful listening and mindful eating. We spent some time to talk about their experiences and they were very actively telling what they had heard and what they had eaten. Todays topic on awareness of breathing was delivered as a metaphor on how our breath is our base and socalled anchor that keeps our boat from drifting away on the open sea where there sometimes is turbulens and stormy waves. Some of the youngest students did not understand it fully so the metaphor was explained in other ways, like with the mind jar. All the classes made a mind jar of different colour glitter and water in a jar, and I explained how our thougths (one colour glitter), emotions (another colour) and automatic behaviours (another colour) sometimes can make us all turbulent, confused and stressed. The students came up with many good examples of how it can feel, like when they had a fight in the school yard with someone, when they were scolled by a teacher, when they worry about their school test or results, when they were sad etc. We talked mostly about basic emotions in general and less in details, as it is not normal for them and difficult to express. The Mind jar demonstrated how the mind can be turbulent and when we take a pause and look at the glitter falling down in the jar, we can experience our mind and body to settle and focus again. This exercise was very popular in all the classes from the youngest to oldest. The mind jar was given to each classroom to use. The excercise in mindful breathing was offered to the oldest students sitting with a short guidance in sensing the breath in different parts of the body, ending with a full body awareness of breathing. They seemed to like it and all was encouraged to find their own special ”anchor spot”. The youngest kindergarten and class 1 were lying down on the floor on mats and each had a teddy bear on their tummy to tuggle and observe. It was a great joy for them and they became so relaxed.

After the breathing excercises they were encouraged to write or draw in their workbook about their experience and finding their anchor spot.

Session 3: Body awareness/scan It was very nice to see how all the students replied that they had practiced awareness on breath since our last session and that it is giving them relaxation and wellbeing. Today the topic is awareness in the body and I explained that the body is always available for us and easy to use as our focus of mindfulness

practice. The importance and benefit of sensing our body as our ”own temple” which we always can seek refuge in when we need to settle and finding balance and peace. All students were offered a 15-‐20 minuts lying down Bodyscan guidance, the younger it was shorter though, as they can and should not hold their attention for so long. Some of the classes were in the classroom on mats, other bigger classes were practicing in the school yard in the sun on mats and others were invited to a bigger room in the Shedra where there were carpets and mats on the floor. They expressed a lot of joy and relaxation after. Some fell asleep which is normal. The session was very successful for all classes with different practical obscurations such as insects in the face and noice outside, but they all handled the circumstances in a very cooperative way. Some of the older classes had time to practice mindful walk in a circle in the school yard. The session ended with an encouragement to practice on their own like at night if they cant sleep or in the daytime if to relax and settle. The workbook sheet on ”body scan map” was explained to all, either drawing or writing about their experience. The teachers were all practicing bodyscan together with their class. Session 4: Mindful movement/yoga, awareness of group dynamic/games/massage. Feedback on bodyscan practice from last session was positive and many had practiced on their own. We started with a sitting short bodyscan to repeat and integrated the mindful breathing and listening to sounds. Todays we learn about awareness in the body in slowly mindful movements, as a practice that can teach us to bring mindfulness into all our daily activities, when we sit, lie down, stand, walk, move… The program was offered to the oldest students as a teenage serie close to the adult program but only 30 minuts and with a lot of fun and excercises in pairs and the group.

The youngest students were introduced to mindful movement as different animal poses and metaphors, such as standing as a mountain, vulcano, chair, triangle, teapot, female warrior, sitting like a butterfly, mermaid, turtle, cat, cow, dog, child, fish etc. and together in pairs doing the boat and tree and in the group as a big house and bridge etc. They were enjoying the practice and had a lot of fun. Especially the games together in the whole group was a success. Some of the classes with extra time, made a group back massage in a circle, with a story of different changes in the weather (sunrise, warm, rain, snow, wind, sunset etc.). They liked that very much. Games in circles where all are attentive as sending secret messages through the hands or making body sculptures in the circle was also popular. They were encouraged to notice their daily movements and activities, and on request from Rinpoche also bring mindfulness awareness to how they remember to turn off the water and electricity, be awaren of use of paper and ressources and keeping their collective washing rooms clean etc. A sheet in their workbook served as a logbook on daily mindful activities.

Session 5: Awareness of thoughts, past/present/future, mindful walk, what did you learn?

We started all classes with a short mindful movement and stretching and repeating some of the poses, and this time ended with a ”bodytapping” all over the body and massaging our head and face. They experienced how only a short excercise can awake the whole body from dull to fresh and from cold to warm. In one of the classes the students seemed sad this day but after the movements everyone seemed happy and light again. Feedback on last session and how they had noticed mindfulness in daily activities with few examples and encouragement to keep on noticing. The topic today was on awareness of thoughts and their tendency to bring us in to the past and future and away from the present moment. This was illustrated in an exercise in couple where the first person is observing and the other is closing the eyes and observes thoughts arising and placing them into categories: Past (moving the body to the right side) or Future (moving our body to the left) and then bring our awareness back to the present moment by noticing our body and breath (moving into the center again). This excercise was only given to the oldest students, whereas the youngest were only asked to give examples of thoughts in the past and future. The young students were given a couple excercise where they should imitate their partner like a mirror which train their mindfulness in syncronizing, sensing and relating. They were very focused and enjoyed it and some felt it like they were ”dancing in the sky.” We also practiced mindful walk for a short periode, some of them knew already and others were introduced. It seemed that they all understand why we do this practice and they do it very diligently and also respect the silence when we walk. Very beautiful moments of walking together in the school yard or in the classroom. Today’s lesson was the final and the oldest classes were asked to fill the assessment sheet again and the student’s evaluation. The younger classes were given time to make a drawing of their favorite thing with mindfulness. Over 100 beautiful, touching and thankful letters and drawings were handed to me on the last day. I thanked them all and told them that each of their letters were so precious to me and that I will keep them all with each of their photos to remember them all.

The session was ended with a lot of gratitude and shared appreciation for our classes together. They were instructed in how to do a session the whole school together to end the curriculum with me as their teacher. Encouragement to keep up their personal practice and in the classroom with their teacher.

My classroom observations during the five sessions:

• The students were all interested and engaged in the lessons. They seemed to like it. The activity level has been high although they don’t always talk so much about their experiences. The younger classes on the other hand were very talkative!

• The students that seem most weak, seemed to engage in the yoga very well. It might help them to

learn through their body awareness, concentration and focus. Science shows that it helps.

• Especially body scan and yoga was a hit. They seem to need more or better contact to their bodies. Many of them seem rather weak in their body (lack of strenght and endurance). Yoga or Tai Chi is recommended.

• Some of them were very ”fit” for yoga and did the poses very precisely and athletic. A few tell that

they practice yoga by themselves in a small group in the morning or in their room. They should be supported (by a qualified teacher). Important not to get any wrong habits when practicing yoga.

• They sit with much diligence (habit from prayers) and are so good in concentrating. They connect

the sitting to their religious prayers and find very much joy in sitting. The religious part of their daily meditations may be stimulating their motivation for the mindfulness meditation.

• To bring awareness to inner personal experience seems to be new for them despite their buddhist

practice. They have potential to train mindfulness on a deep level and it can bring them much inner happiness and resilience in their future private and monastic life.

• Many of them have practiced in their free time, which shows that they enjoy and find it helpful

(relaxed, happy, enjoy). Some even name mindfulness as their new hobby!

• They report that they feel their body (cold, warm, pain, tension etc.) which is very good and proves a new body awareness.

• They like to play. Exercises in the group is a big succes. They liked the group massage. It also gives

bodily and socially contact which is a basic human need.

• The teachers can use the painting book for mindful drawing as a ressource, also for the students freetime.

My recommandation to the teachers:

• Please keep up the practice and support it, as the students are very happy and enjoy it very much.

• Please don’t scoll them when they are trying to do the practice, as mindfulness can not be done wrong, as it is always our own experience that is essential.

• Be aware of your own stress/reactions when they do not do exactly what you tell them.

• Create a nice loving atmosphere for all – it is contagious. The more mindful, present and kind you

are – the more you will see it in the students and it will spread.

• Mindfulness is a gift for both you as a private person and profesionnal educator and for the students’ personal and academic benefit. Thank you sincerly for supporting this and keep the practice alive.

Last session in the school yard for 20 minuts mindfulness sitting and walking meditation.

The project evaluation The project has been evaluated by means of the MAAS-‐Adolescents assessment questionnaries to class 5-‐6-‐7, total 50 of the oldest students. The questionnary consists of 14 statements that the students consider about her normal daily habits and is given before the mindfulness training started and after it ends. The challenges with using this questionnary is that the students may not understand the meaning of all the questions because of language and cultural differences, although they have been translated by their teacher from English to Nepali. First of all some of the questions may seem too abstract to understand for a student who has not a tradition of being asked about their personal experiences. Secondly the result of the questionnary must be understood in relation to the Nepali school culture where your are likely to please your teacher and answer from what you think is expected from you. Therefor the result of the study must be taken with many precautions. How did the students benefit? The MAAS-‐A test was given to class 5,6 and 7 before and after 4 weeks mindfulness teachings. First of all, it seems that the majority of the students in class 7 have had an increase of their rating points (corresponding to more awareness on different criterias). 11 students have had an increase, one student had a decrease (1 point) and one student had the same result before and after. The average increase corresponds to 10 points (139 points divided by 13 students), which is very high and significant. The increase was very different from student to student like between 1-‐33 points. It seems that class 7, the oldest students generally experienced a development of more awareness during the teaching period. Please take the above precautions into consideration here. When it comes to class 5 the increase was smaller but still 9 students reported an increase of between 2-‐17 points corresponding to an average increase of 3,8 points. However, there were 5 students who had a decrease between 1-‐12 points, which means that the result is quite unpredictable. One of the reasons may be that they did not understand the questions fully, or that they now are more aware of how they are actually experiencing things. Finally in class 6 there were surprisingly 14 students who now rated their points (minus 1-‐14 points) lower than at the first test. Only 4 students had rated their points higher (plus 1-‐8 points) and one student had the same result. This may prove that they did not all understand the statements in the first test because of language or culture, or that their answers were based on a more collective response of what they thought was expected from them. It may also be the case that they now understood the questions better and have given a more realistic rating. Again precautions must be taken into consideration. All in all, the MAAS assessment test has not proven satisfactory to apply in a school project like this where the students’ language and cultural understanding is very different. Moreover it would take more weeks to really see a difference in their replies, as this project only included 4 weeks of practice and learning. However, the students personal evaluations have proven extremely positive. It was handed over to the students from class 4-‐5-‐6-‐7 consisting of a few easy questions and an encouragement to write or draw on the back of the page about their most helpful situation with mindfulness and/or their favorite thing about mindfulness. The young students in Kindergarten, class 1, 2 and 3, were asked only to make a drawing about how they have experienced the mindfulness sessions. The result of the student evaluations: Did you enjoy your mindfulness classes? Yes c 100% agree ? c No c Mindfulness has helped me: 100% agree

(Check all that apply) Be more aware of what I am doing c 100% agree Focus better in the classroom c 100% agree Be more happy where I live c 100% agree Be more happy in school c 100% agree Calm down when I am upset c 100% agree Avoid fights or arguments c 100% agree Be better at sport or music c 0% agree Fall asleep at night c 100% agree Make descisions c 100% agree All of the above c 100% agree Mindfulness has not helped med. c 0% agree Do you think you will use mindfulness in the future? Yes c 100% agree? c No c Have you told anyone you know about mindfulness? Yes c 100% agree ? c No c Do you think more children should learn mindfulness? Yes c 100% agree ? c No c On the back of the paper, please write or draw a time when you used mindfulness. What your favorite thing about mindfulness is?

• My favorite thing is yoga (35 agree) • My favorite is listening to sounds and bells (7 agree) • My favorite thing is mindful eating (10 agree) • My favorite is mindful breathing (5 agree) • My favorite is bodyscan (10 agree) • My favorite is mindful walking (18 agree) • My favorite is mindfulness on thoughts (2 agree) • My favorite is mindfulness meditation (6 agree)

The Student’s evaluations proves that the mindfulness sessions have been very beneficial and enjoyable for them. Especially they were fond of mindful movement/yoga, mindful eating, bodyscan and mindful walk. The oldest classes put their experience in a written letter, whereas the youngest in very expressive drawings.

• ”I want to thank you from the core of my heart for giving us your time and for giving us the precious mindfulness classes. We all know mindfulness in our class is very important for our life. Before you came I was not aware of what I’m doing or I can’t concentrate in my study in the classroom and I’m always in stress, but after when you came and taught us mindfulness, I was suddenly changed like I can feel better concentrated in my study, it makes me happy, peaceful and focused on my aim.” (Class 7)

• ”We it straight with our body 2) We close our eyes 3) We breath slowly 4) We keep our hands on the

knees 5) We feel our whole body 6) We listen to the bell.” I feel very relaxed. I found guidance, friendship, discipline and love, everything in one person, and that person is you. Thank you for your teaching.” (Class 7).

• ”In these few weeks we learn so many things. It help me to concentrate and focus in my study. Mindfulness is very useful in my life. When I was sad and feel very strange, then I do mindfulness and it makes me fresh and relax.” (Class 7).

• ”I wish that your teaching mindfulness will be all over the World” (Class 7).

• ”I have enjoy mindfulness excercise very much. It has help me to focus in my study. Now I can calm

down when I am upset and I can make my decisions. My favorite thing is mindful yoga. By doing yoga I felt very light in my body” (Class 6).

• ”Some like one excercise. Some like two excercise. But I like one excercise. That is mindfulness

excercise” (Class 6).

• ”A flower cannot blossom without sunshine. A people cannot live without my mindfulness excercise” (Class 6).

• ”When I am upset, then I can do mindfulness” (Class 6).

• ”When I get up I will do mindful yoga. In boring time then I will use mindful excercise” (Class 6).

• ”We will teach mindfulness then we all are happy and learn. I like mindfulness becase it makes med

happy and great, feel better and teach me, thank you very much” (Class 5).

• ”In mindfulness class I like mindful walking very much. In mindfulness class we do many mindfulness and teach us many good things. We are very happy and interesting when we do mindfulness” (Class 5).

• ”Mindfulness helped me to focus on things” (Class 4).

• ”My favorite thing about mindfulness is Mountain position”. ” I feel very happy when in mindfulness is the Mountain”. ”My favorite is the Tree”.(Class 4).

Here are some of the students’ testimonials in letters and drawings.

How did the teachers benefit? The MAAS-‐Adult test result: All the teachers were asked to fill a 15 questions sheet before and after they started the teacher training and the five weeks of regularly meeting with mindfulness practice and discussion about the practice in school and while they were practicing at home. The result of the questionnary is quite difficult to anything from as the teachers seem to have answered quite randomly and may not have understood all the questions because of the abstract expressions. It seemed that the first test was hardly understood by all and they had put very high ratings for their own mindfulness awareness. The later test showed more realistic ratings and the total number of points were therefor lower after than before, which is why it is difficult to evaluate them. But one thing that is remarquable is that the three teacher who actually had most classes with the mindfulness instructor with the students are actually the teachers who have shown increase in their rating. One teacher’s ratings went 17 points up, the second teacher increased her points with 13 and the last third teacher increased her result with 7 points. This may show that the teachers who benefitted the most of mindfulness for themselves personally were those who had had most attended classes which is logic taken their motivation and stimulation into consideration. The results from the Teacher evaluation given to 12 teachers and the school leader: 1. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate: a. The program overall? 8 (7) 9 (4) 10 (2) b. The curriculum and lessons presented in your class? 8 (10) 9 (3) c. The skill of your mindfulness teacher in presenting the program? 8 (8) 9 (6) 10 (2)

2. Which of the mindfulness lessons were the most successful for your class? a. Introducing Mindful bodies / sitting posture? c 10 b. Mindful listening to bells and sounds? c 11 c. Mindful eating? c 8 d. Mindfulness in daily activities? c 4 e. Awareness on breath? c 6 f. Awareness of body? c 6 g. Awareness of thoughts? c 3 h. Mindful movement (yoga)? c 8 i. Mindful walk? c 8

3. Least successful and why? Some has marked: Awareness of thoughts as they think the students are too young to be aware of their thoughts. Others mentions bodyscan as they think they are to young to concentrate for long and because sometimes they are tired and just want to lay down. 4. What percentage of your students benefited from the mindfulness program? 8 persons have answered from 70-85% 5. How helpful was the mindfulness program Very helpful Somewhat helpful Not helpful a. In your student’s relating to one another?

X x x x x x x x x x x

b. In their ability to pay attention in class?

x x x x x x x x x x x

c. In their ability to settle down?

x x x x x x x x x X x x x

d. In their impulse control?

X x x x x x x x x x

e. In their emotion regulation?

x x x x x x x x x x x

f. in their general wellbeing?

X x x x x x x x x x x

6. Has mindfulness created an environment where you can get more teaching minutes in? Yes c 11 sc No c 7. If yes, can you estimate how many minutes per day? 0 min. c 5-10 min c (10) 11-20 min c 21-30 min c (1) more than 30 min c (1) 8. Did you benefit personally from the mindfulness sessions? Yes c (10)sc No c If yes, in what ways?

• I feel relaxed and capable to start any work immediately after practicing bodyscan, listening and breathing.

• The mindful yoga is very beneficial for my back pain and I like it. • I will care more for what I am doing;; eating, thinking, so it is very useful. • Mindfulness practice helps me to relax and refresh. It is due to reduced stress. • Mindfulness helps me to reduce stress and I feel better. • I can control my emotions. • Because it helps us to concentrate, but also being a good person and good human being. I will practice as often as possible.

• I feel relaxed and refreshed after doing it. Not regularly but sometimes I try to be aware of my daily activities.

• While doing mindful walk it helps me to keep my mind and body in the present moment. • It is very nice for our daily activities and easily to control our mind.

9. Do you intend to keep up the mindfulness practice now that the project is over? Yes c (7) sc No c Why and how will you keep up your mindfulness practice?

• Because mindfulness practice makes our health sound and I wil have a sound mind to start any work.

• During my morning circle time I want to practice 5 to 10 minuts as a routine. • As much as possible I will manage to practice 10-15 minuts. • In morning time and before going to bed, and sometimes before eating. I feel really comfort to myself when I am going into stress. I really manage to take some time and just be aware of my thinking and feeling and getting comfortable with myself.

• It is a good way to keep active and reduce stress. So I will practice this excercise when I am not able to concentrate in my work.

• It is a good way to keep active and refresh. • In the morning meeting or in between the teaching, maybe I will do the practice. • When I get hyper, 5 minuts mindful body help me to calm down. So I want to do it. • I will do mindful bodyscan and mindful walk because i personally find these very helpful to relax my body and mind.

• Actually I use mindfulness before I eat something, after I go to bed, when I am alone and walk and feel mindful walking. When I go home by bus and sitting a long time, I feel breathing in and out.

• It helps me to run the daily routines smoothly for running the class. • Yes, I practice mindfulness every morning with some of the nuns, because it is very nice for everyone to practice.

• Our mindfulness classes are really effective and beneficial for all. Thank you so much for giving your precious time with us. We have learnt a lot.

10. Please feel free to offer a short personal comment or story from your teachings.

• It is really a nice way to make the students listen to the speaker after the mindful listening. It makes the students concentrate.

• Before I start my new chapter, I let them do a mindful listening. After that I start my new topic. They get the ideas very quickly. I really like to de mindful sitting and listening before I start every new class which make my student concentrate and it is fruitful for my teaching.

• When sometimes my students are irritating me asking many questions at once or they make a lot of noise while I am teaching them, then immediately I stop teaching and start to clap my hands and even I let them clap along with me for some concentration and make them free some time from teaching. Then when they are all concentrated on clapping I ask them if they are all ready to start over and then I let them stop clapping and continue my teaching.

• I used to do meditation in my class when my students don’t want to listen or not able to focus in the classroom. I do 2-3 minuts meditation and tell them to raise their hand when they are ready to listen. From this I found they listen and are happy and participate in the class properly.

• I will start to do it in my classroom now.

• Almost all my students get benefit form this program. Now they become more attentive in the classroom.

• While I am teaching whenever students get bored or not concentrating, I used to do mindfulness sitting. That time they were aware and more attentive than before. For me mindfulness practice is more useful to control the class and create a wonderful environment inside the class.

• I get silence and can control the classroom. It helps us all to relax the whole body.

• Once in a class 5 I tried it. The topic of the day was about the SAARC countries. Before, introducing the topic, I just wrote SAARC on the board and let the students see it. Then I asked them to sit with their mindful bodies. They sat for 10 minuts and after that I got some points and we discussed it together. It worked as a brainstorming.

• Sometimes I can’t handle the students when they start talking at the same time and start walking here and there. That time when I say to them to stay in a mindful body they quietly stay in a mindful body which helps me a lot.

• It was a pleasure to learn mindfulness in our school, including both students and teachers. Also we are going to continue this mindfulness session. It works a lot in our life.

Tsoknyi Rinpoche evaluates the mindfulness project:

Conclusion and perspectives: The mindful school project at Tsoknyi Gechak School for five weeks has proven succesful both for teachers and students which appears from their evaluations and commentaries. Their experience with mindfulness has brought them helpful tools both for their personal wellbeing, their professionnal and educational development and also for their group and school dynamic. It shows that it is possible to integrate mindfulness in a whole school culture both among teachers and students in only five weeks, if the entire school from leaders to teachers are truly motivated and gives the project a hundred procent commitment, as seen here at TGS. It has also shown me as a teacher that teaching mindfulness can be very simple and does not demand many ressources, and maybe even the simpler one can communicate it, the better it is transfered to the students, as mindfulness is our shared human inherent experience. By walk the talk, through presence, authencity, engagement, kind relations and goodwill, it is possible to transform a school into a mindfulness-‐based environment over even a short period of time. The ground is now soiled to cultivate the mindfulness practice as a shared culture in the whole school and the willingness to keep up the practice both in the teacher group and in the classroom proves it to be sustainable. The interesting discussions that the project gives rise to now is: What can we say in general about mindfulness in schools from this specific school which belongs to a Nepali culture and language and which has it own specific school culture? Is it possible to transfer the succes of the project to other international schools, and does it provide any know-‐how to also Danish schools? First of all the Nepali culture is a collectivistic culture where it is the tradition to adhere to the majority rather than having a individual focus. This is of course also a part of the school culture af TGS, for which reasons the students are used to learn from what the teacher is dictating rather than learning how to produce own opinions, like we learn it in a Western cultural school environment, and certainly in the Scandinavian/Danish democratic and student-‐oriented tradition. In the Nepali school culture there is disciplin and a remarkable thankfulness among the students. Their school culture is with politeness and respect for the teacher. They stand up when the teacher comes in the classroom, they say goodbye and thank you after each lesson. In that way it has been both easy and pleasurable to teach them. This is very opposite to the scandinavian school culture, where the student is in the center and sometimes almost is dictating the teachers. This cultural difference may be an important factor for the easy adaption of mindfulness into this Nepali school as they are more likely to accept and appreciate what the teacher is teaching. On the other hand it is also interesting that the mindfulness approach actually offers a whole new experience for the students to bring awareness of how they feel, think, experience themselves, on an individual level. As mindfulness is about our whole fundamental experience of sensing our body, breath, emotions, mental constructions and behaviour, it opens up to a world of inner awareness that all people, across culture and language, can benefit from. It may be that the TGS students and teachers for that matter really have benefitted from this new experience and that this is also a reason why the transmittance of the teachings has been so successful. It is also interesting to discuss whether this specific school which is founded as a school for young nuns and based on a buddhist tradition has made it easier to integrate the mindful school program. Of course these nuns know meditation from their buddhist practice but it seems that mindfulness has not been really introduced before, but more meditation in relation to prayers, mantras, visualizations etc. Despite the fact

that the student as TGS are young nuns, their meditation practice was quite new, which means that the teaching of mindfulness may work for other groups with the same success. The teachers were also all new in meditation and as this project was presented in a secular and scientific approach it was offered in an open way where the teachers had the chance to discover for themselves if and what they found beneficial, both privately and professionnally, regardless of religion. The positive and sustainable results of this project may give rise to reflections about how the traditional and secular meditation training can be integrated in a new way, as it has potential to build bridges between traditional Eastern buddhist schools and modern Western Schools. The students at TGS have now become aware of a Western secular mindfulness meditation which can be helpful not only for themselves personally but also in their future ”careers” as female buddhist teachers who may go to the West to teach some day. We see a growing interest in the West for learning meditation and buddhist philosophy and these nuns will grow their practice and insights based on their own experience with mindfulness meditation and not only on the more intellectual understanding of the buddhist teachings. This Mindful School project has demonstrated three essential points: With the Mindful School curriculum one can bring mindfulness to all international schools around the world if the specific national culture as well as school culture is taken seriously into consideration. The success of the Mindful School project relies on the motivation, engagement and training of the school leaders and teachers in order to offer it genuinly to the students and make it sustainable. Mindfulness is our shared human experience. It is our universal, inherent and experiental skill and it can be understood and cultivated by all, across ages, gender, culture and language, and religion. Acknowledgement: I wish to acknowledge first of all the Tsoknyi Gechak School for all their commitment and support to the project. My deep thankfulness to the founder Tsoknyi Rinpoche for giving me the great pleasure and experience of teaching at his school and to the school director Fionnuala Shenpen for her positive backup and engagement. I also wish to thank all the teachers and students for our shared experience and great joy of training mindfulness together. In addition I wish to acknowledge the Mindful Schools organization in the USA which is the oganization that has started the Mindfulness in schools program, first in the US in 2007 and since then it has spread to all the 50 states in the US and in over 100 countries all over the world. As this project has been very much inspired by the Mindful School curriculum in English it is also an endorsement of the materials and scientific background that Mindful School has developed over the years. As I am the founder of the Danish Mindfulness in Schools curriculum for teenage students in Denmark, I am grateful to have gotten this unique chance to develop and deliver my first English and international program here in Nepal. I also wish to acknowledge the founder of the adult Mindfulness-‐based stressreduction program (MBSR) which was developed in 1979 by Ph.D. Jon Kabat-‐Zinn, as it is thanks to him that mindfulness has gotten a secular version that is spread all over the world today. As I have met Jon Kabat-‐Zinn personally and exchanged about our love and devotion for Tsoknyi Rinpoche, it is an immense joy to bring the secular mindfulness founded by him to his old teacher and the Tibetan buddhist lineage which I know that he highly respects.

It is my wish that the Mindfulness in School project will flourish as a daily practice here at Tsoknyi Gechak School and in many other schools around the world. Our children belong to the next generation and they deserve all the beneficial tools from mindfulness for their personal, interpersonal and educational integrity. I look very much forward to coming back to The Tsoknyi Gechak School and wittnesss how all the students and teachers one day will practice silent mindful walking meditation in the new temple garden under construction, as I know is Tsoknyi Rinpoche’s wish. May we all be happy and well. Rikke Braren Lauritzen Tsoknyi Gechak School, Chobar, Nepal, November 19, 2016.

APPENDIX

Materials Students: Workbook with frontpage/name Worksheets (different excercises according to age group). Questionnary (MAAS-‐A test) Students logbook Students evaluation questionnary Mindful jars: Glitter i different colour, jars and water. Mindfulness colour book and crayons. Teachers: Presentation / guidelines for good mindful teaching practice. 4 weeks mindfulness curriculum Guided meditations as textmanuals Personal practice logbook Questionnary (MAAS adult test) Teacher evaluation questionnary Home practice recordings: Jon Kabat-‐Zinn Body scan (30 minuts) Jon Kabat-‐Zinn mindful movement (45 minuts) Jon Kabat-‐Zinn breathing meditation (15 minuts) Jon Kabat-‐Zinn sitting meditation (10 minuts)

Guided sitting meditation with awareness on breath and body offered to the teachers. Welcoming this moment and the opportunity to take a pause. Relaxing the body. Accepting that there can be thoughts, sounds, feelings, sensations in the body. It’s all right. You don’t have to change anything. Just bring your awareness to what is, right here and now. Feeling the whole body, your own fullness. Now finding your base, your breath. Sensing how it is most present for you right now. Allowing your natural breaths to flow in and out of the body. Riding the wave of your breath. You may say to yourself as you breath in: Breathing in. And as you breath out: Breathing out. Noticing the variation of the breaths. The pauses after the inbreath and after the outbreath. Allowing the outbreath to be noticed for a short moment of absolutely non-‐doing. Just being here and now. (Sitting 2 minuts in silence). Now bringing awareness to the body. How you sense it rigtig now. Noticing sensations in the body, maybe pleasant, neutral or unpleasant. Allowing them to come and go without having to change anything. If wellbeing is present in the body, enjoy, but don’t hold on, just let any sensation be as they are. If unpleasant sensations arise, just let them be present, not shutting them off. Allowing them to be sensed, but without clinging to them. Meeting every sensations with an open mind, gentleness and kindness. Allowing space by breathing into to bodily sensations that may feel unpleasant, allowing space for their own transformation. Just letting be. Trusting this present moment to heal by itself. Riding the waves of your breath, gently as on the tidewater, coming and going in its own pace and time. Staying with the breath, letting it be your anchor that you always return to even in stormy waves. Expanding the sensations of the breath to the whole body. Sensing the whole body breathing as if every inch of your body is alive and breathing. Feeling your own fullness. Comming back to sitting here in this room, with sounds, letting the ear’s gate receive the sounds, without getting lost in thoughts or images, just observing how sounds effect your experience. Now listening to your own sounds, and the sensation of being here in this room. Together with other fellow human beings. Thanking yourself that your took this time to be present and silent, for the benefit of yourself and all other people you meet with more presence, calmness and kindness after this practice. Bells.

© Rikke Braren Lauritzen 2016

ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION TOOLS FOR THE TGS MINDFUL SCHOOLS PROJECT

Teacher Evaluation

Classroom Teacher Name ____________________________ Grade ___________ 1. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate: a. The program overall? b. The curriculum and lessons presented in your class? c. The skill of your mindfulness teacher in presenting the program? 2. Which of the mindfulness lessons were the most successful for your class? j. Introducing Mindful bodies / sitting posture? c k. Mindful listening to bells and sounds? c l. Mindful eating? c m. Mindfulness in daily activities? c n. Awareness on breath? c o. Awareness of body? c p. Awareness of thoughts? c q. Mindful movement (yoga)? c r. Mindful walk? c

3. Least successful and why? 4. What percentage of your students benefited from the mindfulness program? 5. How helpful was the mindfulness program Very helpful Somewhat helpful Not helpful a. In your student’s relating to one another?

b. In their ability to pay attention in class?

c. In their ability to settle down?

d. In their impulse control?

e. In their emotion regulation?

f. in their general wellbeing?

6. Has mindfulness created an environment where you can get more teaching minutes in? Yes c sc No c

7. If yes, can you estimate how many minutes per day? 0 min. c 5-10 min c 11-20 min c 21-30 min c more than 30 min c 8. Did you benefit personally from the mindfulness sessions? Yes c sc No c If yes, in what ways? 9. Do you intend to keep up the mindfulness practice now that the project is over? Yes c sc No c Why and how will you keep up your mindfulness practice? 10. Please feel free to offer a short personal comment or story from your teachings.

Thank you so much for your partnership in this program! Please contact me for any future support or questions!

Mindfulness-instructor Rikke Lauritzen [email protected]

Student Evaluation

Name: __________________________________ Grade: ___________ Did you enjoy your mindfulness classes? Yes c ? c No c

Has learning mindfulness helped you? Mindfulness has helped me: (Check all that apply) Be more aware of what I am doing c

Focus better in the classroom c

Be more happy where I live c

Be more happy in school c

Calm down when I am upset c

Avoid fights or arguments Be better at sport or music c

Fall asleep at night c

Make descisions c

All of the above c

Mindfulness has not helped med. c

Do you think you will use mindfulness in the future? Yes c ? c No c Have you told anyone you know about mindfulness? Yes c ? c No c

Do you think more children should learn mindfulness? Yes c ? c No c

• On the back of the paper, please write or draw a time when you used mindfulness.

• What your favorite thing about mindfulness is?

MINDFULNESS TEACHER and/or STUDENT LOG-‐BOOK This is for your personal notes to support you during your mindfulness training. Week 1 What practice? What did you notice? Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Week 2 What practice? What did you notice? Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Week 3 What practice? What did you notice? Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Week 4 What practice? What did you notice? Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Mindfulness MAAS – Adolescent version Please answer to what really is your true experience. Simply circle your response.

1 almost always

2 very often

3 sometimes

4 rarely

5 hardly ever

6 almost never

1 2 3 4 5 6

1. When I have emotions I am not aware of them before sometime later?

2. I break or spill things because I am not paying attention?

3. It is difficult to stay in the present moment for me?

4. I walk quickly without paying attention?

5. I do not feel any tension or pain in my body before they are strong?

6. I forget a person’s name almost as soon as I have been told?

7. I am ”running on automatic” without awareness of what I am doing?

8. I rush through activities without paying attention?

9. I get so focused on the goal that I forget what I am doing right now to get there.

10. I do jobs or tasks automatically without being aware of what I am doing?

11. I listen to someone with one ear, doing something else at the same time.

12. I think a lot about the future or the past.

13. I do things without paying attention.

14. I eat snacks without being aware that I am eating?

APPENDIX:

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION FOR TSOKNYI GECHAK MINDFUL SCHOOL PROJECT Copyright © Rikke Braren Lauritzen 2016.















Documents

Mindfulness in School Project at the Tsoknyi Gechak School for