Detention replaced with Meditation

Meditation is starting to gain momentum as it becomes a more familiar form of stress reduction and ease of anxiety, depression, and pain. The overall theory behind it is that when you sit with your emotions and focus your energy on yourself, you are able to combat stress and improve attention. You are then able to make healthy decisions about what to do with your anger or stress, rather than simply acting on it impulsively. Meditation on an individual basis is gaining popularity, but the movement as a whole has not necessarily reached the masses. So how can this principle be applied systemically?

Robert W. Coleman Elementary School in Baltimore, MD has put meditation into practice, and replaced detention rooms with meditation rooms. Consider the reasons that students get sent to detention: altercations, stress- or anger- induced outbursts, disrupting the class, being hyperactive, etc. Detention (or one step further: suspension) is used as a form of punishment to remove the student from the environment and hope that they “think about what they’ve done” and come back a better student. Yet this does not necessarily address the problems that cause the actions, and is not conducive to the student changing their behavior. That is where meditation steps in. Students that are sent to the “Mindful Moment Room” at Coleman Elementary School engage in deep breathing, stretching, and yoga, and build their ability to be mindful and calm. They are then sent back to the classroom feeling better and ready to contribute positively to the classroom experience by being peaceful and doing their work. Sound skeptical? Well, since the implementation of the program, the school has had zero suspensions, and the principal rarely sees children for disciplinary reasons anymore.

This program has the potential to set a precedent for other schools to follow and hopefully change the school system in a positive way. A high school in the Baltimore area has already followed suit and created a room for students to do yoga and decompress after the day. The full article is available on CNN here: http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/04/health/meditation-in-schools-baltimore/http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/04/health/meditation-in-schools-baltimore/