Developed by Jai and Joy Luster of the Luster Learning Institute Calm classroom Developed by Jai and Joy Luster of the Luster Learning Institute

Learning objectives 1.What is Calm Classroom? 2. Why it was started at Dover-Eyota Elementary school. 3. How the program was started at Dover-Eyota Elementary School. 4. Where it is at now and what we want for the future.

Presentation This presentation will cover how the school and the mental health world partnered to bring a mindfulness program, Calm Classroom, into every classroom at Dover-Eyota Elementary over the course of one year. Join us to hear how a therapist and a behavior interventionist created interest and collaboration with the school to teach all students mindfulness, calming, and emotional regulation within their classrooms.

Introductions Tracie Bestor, MS, LSC is the Behavior Interventionist at Dover-Eyota Elementary School whose passion is mental health and children. Moriah Mueller, MSW, LGSW is the school-based mental health therapist at Dover-Eyota Elementary School. We both believe in the power of mindfulness to help children manage stress and regulate emotions.

Feeling the Breath

Dover-Eyota Elementary School Preschool-5th grade 535 students Four sections of all grade levels with class sizes ranging from 18 to 23 students.  Free and reduced lunch-22.3% of the school population Dover-Eyota Elementary Mission Statement The Dover Eyota Public Schools, in partnership with its community, will foster a safe, caring and respectful environment to develop well-rounded, high-achieving citizens who demonstrate character and integrity in an ever-changing world.

What is calm classroom? A mindfulness-based program of simple techniques to help students and teachers develop self-awareness, mental focus, and inner calm Developed by Jai & Joy Luster of the Luster Learning Institute Luster Learning Institute (LLI) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2007 by husband and wife team Jai and Joy Luster Simple, quick ways to manage stress and regulate emotions Two to three times per day, and takes about three minutes per technique

What is mindfulness? “Nonjudgmental moment-to-moment awareness. Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally” (Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, 2017). “The practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to- moment basis”(Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2018). “Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us” (Mindful.org, 2018).

Benefits of mindfulness-based and relaxation responses strategies Boosts Academic and Behavioral Outcomes Daily practice of relaxation response techniques and self-care strategies like those found in Calm Classroom leads to positive academic and behavioral outcomes. One study found that middle school students who were exposed to two or more semesters of classes that included these practices had higher grade point averages, better work habits, and higher cooperation scores than students who had less exposure. Similar studies have shown significant increases in self- esteem, greater improvements in levels of perceived stress and anxiety, as well as an increase in health-promoting behaviors. (Benson et al., 1994, 2000, Foret et al., 2011) Improves Executive Functioning in Students Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPS) improve executive functioning, which includes working memory, emotion regulation, and self-monitoring. Research shows that participation in a program that utilizes MAPS leads to improvements in behavioral regulation and overall executive functioning in elementary school students. (Flook et al., 2010 Mendelson et al., 2010) Manage Stress and Promote Wellbeing in Adults Relaxation response techniques and mindfulness-based interventions have long been recognized as effective strategies for managing stress-related illness and enhancing psychological well being in adults. Both modalities increase activity in the parasympathetic nervous system, deactivating the body’s fight-or-flight stress response. Esch et al., 2003, Brown & Ryan, 2003

Calm Classroom Mindfulness-based techniques provide skills needed to create a calmer learning environment for students and teachers. Self-Awareness Self-awareness helps us to better understand how our thoughts and emotions influence our behavior so that we can make more conscious decisions.   Mental Focus In a world filled with distractions, cultivating the skill of focused attention is more important than ever before. Emotional Resilience By learning effective emotional management strategies, students can self-regulate and achieve a state of calm in any moment.

Calm Classroom Calm Classroom is the largest provider of school-wide mindfulness programming in the U.S. They have served over 35,000 teachers, 900,000 students and 1,000 schools. They are committed to cultivating peaceful, engaged classrooms and school communities by empowering students and teachers with mindfulness skills that support mental and emotional wellbeing.

Quick Tense and RElease

Why Dover-Eyota Elementary School has no tier 1core social emotional curriculum The cost of each book is $25.00 The time to implement this program during the school day is 2-3 minutes for 2 or 3 times a day. This program is teacher led and student led. In Calm Classroom each technique is scripted. We both use mindfulness in our practices. We wanted to use it as a preventive measure. Stress is a part of the school day.

How we got it started National Conference on Advancing School Mental Health During the conference, mindfulness was discussed many times and other schools were using it. We had seen in our classrooms that students and adults were stressed, frustrated, overwhelmed, and anxious. We had wanted a mindfulness program that would help students and adults to manage stress and regulate emotions. During the conference there was a training on how to use this program called Calm Classroom a mindfulness program. This program is a simple and accessible way to integrate mindfulness into the classroom culture. The daily practice of breathing, stretching, focusing, and relaxation exercises cultivates a greater sense of self-awareness, mental focus and emotional resilience within educational spaces.

Collaboration of School and Mental health To build a relationship between the nonprofit and the school Met with the building principal about why this is important Family Services of Rochester bought the first round of books ADSIS (Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instruction Services) bought the books for the school year 2018-2019.

Pilot classroom Piloted Calm Classroom in one 2nd grade classroom for 11 weeks. Tracie and Moriah started facilitating the program in early January, 2018 We would come into the classroom morning after the students arrived, after recess, and right before they went home. The program was first led by the Moriah and Tracie, then the teacher, then once the students were comfortable with Calm Classroom they led the class. After the 11 weeks were done we looked at Fastbridge SAEBRS data.

Fastbridge-saebrs At Dover-Eyota Elementary School we use a universal screener of student risk for social-emotional and behavior problems called SAEBRS. SAEBRS (Social, Academic, Emotional Behavior Risk Screener). Teachers screen students 3 times a year, in the fall, winter, and end of school. This screener is used for students Kindergarten-5th grade. We looked at that teachers overall behavior score for each student. Higher scores are indicative of better student behavior and more appropriate functioning. The higher the overall score the lower they are for high risk.

Results from de elementary/2nd grade classroom January 2018-May 2018 May 2018 SAEBRS data shows that 50% of children receiving Calm Classrooms have increased social-emotional control in one classroom after 11 weeks “I like doing Calm Classrooms because the morning is crazy, after recess is crazy, and it helps us refocus” --A DE student “I like all the different activities and all the different ways to get calm”

So…. We looked at the data and saw how well it was going in the 2nd grade classroom. We then asked for other classrooms to pilot this program. We chose a 1st grade classroom, 3rd grade classroom, and 4th grade classroom. These classrooms started at the end of March of 2018 to May 2018.

Data from 1st grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade classroom Started End of March 2018-May 2018 1st grade classroom- 60% of children receiving Calm Classrooms have increased social-emotional control in one classroom 3rd grade classroom- 65% of children receiving Calm Classrooms have increased social-emotional control in one classroom 4th grade classroom- 47% of children receiving Calm Classrooms have increased social-emotional control in one classroom

Introduction of Calm Classroom to the elementary school Moriah and Tracie introduced Calm Classroom at a staff meeting in May 2018 to see if everyone was willing to try this program. Every teacher was willing so Tracie bought books for each classroom teacher preschool-5th grade through ADSIS (Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instruction Services) budget. Tracie trained staff the first week of the 2018-2019 school year and now the program has started in each classroom preschool through 5th grade.

Comments from teachers and Students school year 2018-2019 Kindergarten student: “It feels good to be quiet.” 2nd grade student: “Its good.” 3rd grade student: “Calming and relaxing” 5th grade student: “ For 2 minutes during the day it is quiet in the classroom”

The future Continue the program at Dover-Eyota Elementary School. We would like to roll it out to Dover-Eyota Middle School and then to Dover- Eyota High School.

Eye Palming

Questions?

Calm Classroom Website https://calmclassroom.com/

References Benson, H. Kornhaber, A., Kornhaber, C. LeChanu, M. N., Zuttermeister, P. C., Myers, P., and Friedman, R. (2000). Increases in positive psychological characteristics with a new relaxation- response curriculum in high school students. Journal of Research and Development in Education, 27(4), 226-231. Flook, L., Smalley, S. L., Kitil, M. J., Galla, B. M., Kaiser-Greenland, S., Locke, J., Kasari, C. (2010). Effects of Mindful Awareness Practices on Executive Functions in Elementary School Children. Journal of Applied School Psychology,26(1), 70-95. doi:10.1080/15377900903379125  Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2018). Mindfulness. Retrieved from https://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/mindfulness Mindful (2017). Jon Kabat-Zinn: Defining Mindfulness. Retrieved from https://www.mindful.org/jon-kabat-zinn-defining-mindfulness Mindful (2014). What is Mindfulness? Retrieved from https://www.mindful.org/what-is- mindfulness/