Learners understand that meditation practice improves learning, concentration and focus.
Learners are able to spend 5 mins participating in silent and guided meditation practice. 
Learners value the quiet time and benefits of the practice. 

Students are introduced to three types of meditation. students discuss the intent behind the types of meditation. Students build their capacity to meditate. Students are aware of the benefits of meditation to self managements, stress management, emotional resilience, focus, mental health and procrastination / focus. 
Lesson 1-  Introduction

At the beginning of each trimester I receive a new group of students. We begin lessons in a circle, on the mat, sitting in the meditation chairs. Sometime high schoolers find this a daunting prospect and it is important to bring awareness to that. 

I introduce the concept of meditation and the variety of types and their benefits. As a class we concentrate on focused silent meditation and guided (compassion, loving kindness, joy). I use the app stop breathe think for all guided meditation. 

To begin Key points to highlight:
  1. Posture - to open the chest and align the spine
  2. Position - cross legs or legs straight, comfortable hands
  3. Eyes Closed - to facilitate a safe space
  4. Limit movement - power of focus and to not distract others (we do go into depth of ways of dealing with discomfort) 
  5. No Judgement - when distracted we acknowledge this with positivity and return to the point of focus. At the end of the judgement, not to make a judgement about how we went. It just was. 

Clapping Meditation
  1. I count to three
  2. group claps three times
  3. individual places their hands palms up where ever is comfortable
  4. the sensation and feeling on their hands is the point of focus
  5. generally I start with 1 min and repeat this 2 or 3 times

Stop Breathe Think App

Remaining Lessons

I begin all lessons with meditation. I build from 1 min to 5mins during the trimester. 

Each week I alternate between silent focus and guided meditation. 

Final lesson

Students are introduced around week 4 of the unit with the meditation reflection rubric. There are 3 rubrics below (for different age groups). The reflection is graded by their writing not their success at meditation. The reflection is about their openness to the practice not their ability to master it.