Mindful Walking

Year 7 and 8 boys from Battye experienced something a little bit different during Mentor time last week.

In a world where young people are having to process more information than ever before, and dealing with challenges that did not even exist for many of us growing up, the real world benefits of mindfulness have been well documented.

Students who practice mindfulness have a greater ability to cope with personal and academic pressures, through learning to decrease stress and anxiety while increasing our ability to focus and think clearly.

Last week, the boys enjoyed some Mindful Walking, using the space around the basketball courts and the oval.

This culminated in some time to lie on the grass and pay attention to sensory information that they may have never thought about before (such as the way that blades of grass feel against their skin, or how the air feels in their lungs as they are breathing).

This quiet, independent activity, encourages students to become aware of themselves and their environment.

While this kind of thing takes getting used to for some of the boys, the effects are immediately visible in how they approach their learning on the days they do it. They seem visibly calmer and ready to face the complex challenges thrown at them each day.

We look forward to watching the boys develop their Mindfulness skills as they progress throughout their Secondary School years.

Mr Sean Pieper
My Summit Extra-Curricular Coordinator