Integrating a Conscious Breathing Practice into Middle Level Public Education A Qualitative Phenomenological Study of Student and Staff Experiences June 2005

Rationale Children are frequent victims of stress because they are often unable to communicate their feelings accurately or their responses to events over which they have no control (Public School Parent’s Network, 2005). Stress and anxiety not only affect how kids think and feel, but also directly affect their ability to learn in school (Schroeder, 2004). A common body response to stress is hampered breathing which affects brain functions and learning performance (Goldberg, 2002). –Brain requires 10x oxygen than rest of body (Goldberg, 2002) –Relaxation techniques can benefit learning (Gorev, 2004)

The Study Participants –Students, Staff and Parents Schedule –Desired v. Actual Breathing Techniques –Basic and Additional Data and Results –Physical, Emotional and Mental Effects

The Participants Four classes between two public schools –30 students in one 6 th grade class –49 students among three mixed 7 th, 8 th, 9 th classes –17 of students had special needs –17% were minorities (primarily Asian) No parents objected to their child’s participation Of the four teachers, three participated

Schedule Intended for a daily five-minute practice over four to six weeks. Timing only allowed: Class 1Class 2Class 3Class 4 Week 15 days3 days2 days Week 2 - Spring Break0 days Week 3 - State Testing3 days2 days3 days Week 4 - State Testing2 days1 day Week 52 days0 days Total Days12 days6 days

Breathing Techniques Basic –Eyes closed to minimize distraction and increase self- awareness –Feet flat on the floor to assist with good posture –Breathe through the nose to stimulate the brain (Iyengar, 2004) and maintain healthy lungs (Goldberg, 2002) –Natural breath Additional –Breathing deep into the belly –Breathing into the back –Maximizing exhalations and inhalations

Qualitative Data Descriptions of the conscious breathing practice experience were collected from 40 students and 5 staff members –36 interviews among 20 students –Journal entries from 31 students –4 teacher interviews –Unsolicited comment from counselor

Themes Describing the Effects of the Conscious Breathing Practice Physical –Relaxed body, tired, deeper breath, better posture, more energy, relief of headache, light-headedness, better athletic performance, relief of nausea. Emotional –Calmness, relief from frustrating or upsetting thoughts, feeling able to cope. Mental –Focused, improved concentration, creative imagery, and a feeling that the mind is refreshed.

Student Comments Physical and Emotional Effects “I felt more relaxed during the breathing practice, but after, I felt more energetic than usual.” “I’m a little more relaxed, less stress. I’m not thinking as much about things that upset me.” “It calms me down. I think I’m better able to focus on the class because I’m not preoccupied with the stress.” “Well, when I think of when I am really stressed out, I look at things in a different way afterwards. Instead of seeing things in a negative way, I see things in a positive way instead. Sometimes, I would get frustrated and just want to skip doing an assignment but then I decide I can do it.”

Student Comments Mental Effects “I feel refreshed. I feel ready to do the rest of the class. My brain is re-energized.” “It helps me concentrate on the bigger tests. I find that I am more focused on the test and not on the distractions.” “Usually, I find myself frustrated when I start to do the work in this class. But after doing the breathing practice, I am able to get more relaxed and then understand the problems better. My mind is clearer and am able to concentrate better.”

Staff Comments Students were calmer and more focused Useful transitional tool to get students ready to engage in the lesson “The kids were not as talkative, not as distracting and more focused.” “I got so much more accomplished, we were able to sit and talk and focus.” “I don’t have to do as much classroom management.”

Facilitating a Conscious Breathing Practice The Most Important Elements Focus on alignment of the spine (feet flat on the floor) to maximize air flow to the lungs and engage the muscles around the rib cage. Be present with the students and consider their needs in the moment (tissues, gentle reminders on the particulars of the practice techniques). Create a suitable environment for relaxation and mindfulness –Limit distractions to deepen their practice and go inward –Acceptance without judgment

Conclusion All four teachers found the five-minute conscious breathing practice beneficial. –Individual student benefits: calm and focused –Classroom management tool Overall, majority of students experienced relaxation and thinking more clearly. Noticeable benefits with inconsequential risks within a very short period of time.

Questions?? or Comments!!

Additional Slides

Goals To discover the relationship between the physiological effects of conscious breathing and the components of learning. –Optimize lung capacity –Balance inhalation with exhalation –Train the mind to be present in the moment

Blankness of the Mind Achieving a state of having a blank mind eliminates the cognitive noise, increases mental concentration and improves cognitive task performance (Shin, 1997; Fletcher, 1978). First day of the practice, at least ¼ of the students in each of the four classes said they experienced a blank mind during the practice. 47% of the females and 31% of the males claimed having this experience in every session of the practice. 25% of the males and 5% of the females declared they either never had this experience or weren’t sure what it was. “It was kind of weird but I got used to it.” “I’m just thinking Wow! I’m feeling really good. I’m glad I did that.” “It’s really unusual not to have any thoughts on my mind. I always have stuff on my mind.”

Further Study Quantitative/Qualitative Data Collection –Test scores –Memory retention –Focus and concentration –Energy level –Coping and motivation Alternative Breathing Techniques –Multi-part breath to maximize airflow and oxygen –Alternate nostril breath to activate hemispheres –Sound breath (e.g. Ujjayi) for smooth, steady airflow Optimal Scheduling

Alternative Implementations Conscious Breathing Practice Facilitators to create a relaxed and mindful environment –Teachers, parents or volunteers Preparation for Testing –Immediately before taking a test Home Practice –Introduce techniques in school and encourage practice at home Before/After School Program –Alternative schedule if class time is unrealistic Health Curriculum –Holistic health experience –Anatomy and Physiology units “I think it’s nice that I can tune into my body and figure out how it works by breathing. I hope to get to know how my body works more.”

Journal prompts. The journal prompts students responded to were the following: What have you noticed about yourself during your breathing practice? How do you feel after the practice? Student interview questions before the practice series. The open ended questions used for the student interviews before the practice were: What thoughts do you have about doing a conscious breathing practice? Do you have any expectations about what might happen as a result of doing this conscious breathing practice? Do you have any concerns about doing the conscious breathing practice? Is there anything else you would like to say about doing this practice? Student interview questions during and after the practice series. The open ended questions used for the student interviews during and after the practice series were: How did you do with the practice today? Please describe your experiences during and after the practice. How have you done with the practices so far? Is there anything else you would like to say about doing this practice? Teacher interview questions. The open ended questions used for the teacher interviews were: Please describe your own experiences with the breathing practice or during the practice time. Please describe your experience as a teacher after the class has practiced conscious breathing, including any observations you may have noticed about the students. Is there anything in particular that you thought went well with the practice? Is there anything that you would like to have seen done differently with the practice?