Modelling Wellbeing and Improving Self-Regulation in the Classroom
What is Self-Regulation in school?
It’s a child’s ability to:
- Manage emotions (calming down when upset, bouncing back from frustration).
- Control behaviours (waiting, taking turns, following rules, resisting impulses).
- Direct attention (focusing on tasks, shifting when needed, ignoring distractions).
How Mindfulness Helps Self-Regulation
1. Awareness of Feelings
- Mindfulness teaches children to notice emotions (“My heart is beating fast, I feel angry”) rather than acting on them immediately.
- This pause creates space to make a choice instead of reacting automatically.
2. Calming the Body
- Breathing and sensory exercises lower stress responses (fight/flight) → helps the body feel safe and calm.
- This makes it easier to return to learning after dysregulation.
3. Improved Attention Control
- Short practices (e.g. mindful listening, mindful breathing) strengthen the “attention muscle.”
- Children become better at focusing on instructions and sustaining effort.
4. Empathy and Relationships
- Mindfulness can improve perspective-taking and kindness, which reduces conflict with peers and improves classroom climate.
5. Resilience to Stress
- Regular practice helps children recover faster after setbacks, making them less likely to escalate into full dysregulation.
What do our mindfulness sessions look like at Rushey Green?
How does every session start?
Why we incorporate yoga into our sessions:
