Being Meaningful and Mindful

The classroom is supposed to be an environment where discussion is encouraged. It would be a very boring lesson for both teachers and learners if the teacher talked to him/herself the whole lesson. This stresses the importance of learner involvement – it is vital for an effective learning environment. After all, the learners are the ones who need the knowledge and therefore their involvement through questioning and discussion is essential. The work by Wills was very interesting to me and her idea to focus her learners was very effective. By allowing students to do tasks that involve mindfulness is very important in my opinion. Learners have many things on their mind all day and they could definitely benefit from completing a task in which they have full control over and feel calm, peaceful and organized (as Wills’ learners did).

This topic now brings to mind a story of when an old teacher of mine did a mindfulness task with us. It was after a Physical Education lesson and we all had to lie on our backs on the floor. She spoke to us as we breathed in and out slowly while relaxing different parts of our body one at a time. Besides the fact that I think some people fell asleep I enjoyed the task and it helped us to focus and redirect our energy in a more positive way, especially after an energetic physical education lesson.

In my opinion, some teachers may mistake learners’ attitudes as being disinterested when in actual fact it may be that they do not feel involved or included in their own lesson. As Wills stated, her learners enjoyed having their own words instruct their activity. I believe that all learners would love to have more involvement or say in how their classroom is structured and conducted. This will create a positive environment where learners feel welcome and appreciated. This idea connects to the video by Foley where ‘pastoral care’ is described as a positive atmosphere where teachers are always accessible to learners; there is open communication and a relationship between teachers and learners. I think this is very important to heighten the well-being of learners and increase their self-efficacy and sense of responsibility. Foley stresses the importance of having empathy and understanding the context of the learner. This includes knowing which teaching practices and learning styles are best for them and which resources are available and accessible to learners.

In my classroom I would use these techniques as I strongly believe that these aspects will encourage meaningful learner involvement with the added benefit of promoting self-confidence and creating a mindful atmosphere.