Mindfulness in education
Catherine has taught mindfulness in a variety of Surrey schools and colleges since 2017, to children of all ages, including workshops for parents and children together.
Catherine has a sound understanding of what it is to work in a school, (as she is also a trained drama teacher, PGCE). This helps her run mindfulness sessions for school staff, online and in-person.
For information about our holiday courses for teens and younger children, in Dorking, Surrey, please visit the Happier Families page.
Mindfulness in schools
Our mindfulness programmes can be delivered in various ways. We offer single workshops or longer courses designed to fit your term dates, lesson times and any particular issue you would like us to focus on, for staff and students. Catherine has an enhanced DBS certificate but we expect a member of staff to be present during sessions.
Meditation for children and teens
We offer courses and workshops for KS2-5, based on the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP) courses. We enjoy teaching mindfulness through drama or craft activities if this would suit your students.
'Coping with Exams' sessions to help with stress and focus
Having taught in secondary schools for many years, and having two adult sons herself, Catherine has a good understanding of the range of emotions and experiences students go through with mocks and public exams. Managing stress was a regular topic as part of her weekly classes at Woldingham school for Year 11 and Sixth form students.
In 'Coping with Exams' sessions students learn a wide range of quick activities to help with revision and the exams themselves - even things that can be done in 5 seconds half way through an exam if someone is struggling. Sessions can be tailored according to the needs of a group or individual. These are offered in-person throughout Surrey and Sussex, or online to groups. We provide a resource pack with details of the techniques, plus links to guided meditations so that students can practise on their own. We also share tips and meditations to help with sleep and relaxation.
If it is not convenient for you to hold classes for student groups, we offer sessions for teachers where we go through some simple meditations and other techniques that can be shared with students.
Online
All our classes can be taught as live, online sessions; Catherine taught weekly mindfulness lessons to teens throughout the Covid Lockdown. During this time, students appreciated learning mindfulness techniques to help with strong emotions, over thinking, sleep difficulties, and to relax.
Stress reduction for staff
Teachers sometimes want to learn ways to deal with stress, or simply a chance to relax. We can offer different types of session according to preferences. Catherine's experience in mainstream and special education means she understands the challenges faced by those who work in schools. Mindfulness meditation can make a difference to staff's professional and personal lives, and training can be run as part of a CPD day or as twilight sessions. Visit our Organisations page for more information about our sessions for employees.
Schools & colleges we've worked with
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“We're so lucky to have this available to us in our working day. I find it truly relaxing and a pause button on the pressures of life. Catherine guides you through the experience with such skill and expertise, you leave floating”. Head of Operations, Woldingham School
MiSP
Mindfulness in Schools Project
'Dot Be' for Surrey secondary schools
The MiSP 'Dot Be' (.b) course takes between six and ten sessions, lasting around an hour each. It is for 11-18 year olds and we adapt our teaching according to the age of the students. In 2017 Catherine trained with MiSP and started teaching Dot Be to students at Woldingham School, Surrey, where it has been part of the curriculum ever since.
Mindfulness lessons include:
- Animations and short exercises to relieve stress and anxiety
- Developing concentration
- Dealing with difficult thoughts and emotions
- Appreciating the good in our lives
- Self compassion towards ourselves and others.
Mindfulness can help young people deal with bullying, exam pressure, sleep difficulties, anxiety and depression. At a time when young people are facing many challenges, it's more important than ever that they have a toolbox of strategies to call upon. Mindfulness in schools offers exactly this.
'Dot Be' stands for ‘stop and be’
'Dot Breathe' - for 9-14 year-olds
The MiSP 'Dot Breathe' programme consists of 4 sessions, around 30 minutes each. We also run this course with drama lessons that complement the themes of the mindfulness teaching, to enhance the learning in a fun, practical way.
Find out more about the MiSP programmes and research evidence to support the benefits of mindfulness in education.
'Duke of Edinburgh's Award' - Skills training
This activity may count towards your Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Skills section. Please check with your DofE Leader for applicability before booking.
Learning mindfulness as part of a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award can help people develop lifelong skills such as attention, resilience, emotional awareness, self-regulation and self-compassion.
We design courses to suit whichever award a student is taking, to fit the required time length. This could be a combination of Introduction to Mindfulness, MBSR and Dot Be courses.
Live sessions - online and in-person
We offer DofE Skills training as live, online sessions throughout the UK, and in-person in Brockham and Dorking, Surrey.
People can learn mindfulness skills far more effectively through participating in live sessions compared to following recorded classes on one's own. Live sessions allow you to engage more fully, ask questions, learn alongside their peers and receive teaching that can respond to their individual needs; recordings (just of myself talking and leading exercises) can also be made available if a participant is unable to attend a session.
The lifeskills courses we offer DofE participants are designed to fit the requirements of the Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. Based on the MBSR programme and the MiSP .b curriculum, the courses include guided mindfulness practices, exercises to do between classes, reflective activities and opportunities to monitor progress.
As the course tutor, I provide ongoing feedback and, where appropriate, act as the participant's assessor, a role I am experienced in.
The cost varies according to which sessions you are taking. Please get in touch to discuss a mindfulness meditation course as your DofE Skill, to chat about its benefits and the price.
Feedback from teachers and students about our mindfulness in schools
“The sessions provide a moment of calm and reflection during a hectic day. I do actually think they help me get through Monday. You also seem like a reflective and responsive teacher.” - SEND teacher
“It's nice to have time out during the day to relax.” - Year 11 student
“Before an exam, focusing on my breathing helps me with stress.” - A-Level student
“It makes me concentrate more in lessons because when my mind wanders, I can bring it back.” - Year 11 student
"If every child in the world is taught meditation,
we will eliminate violence within one generation"
Dalai Lama
Further reading:
To learn more about mindfulness in schools, please visit www.mindfulnessinschools.org.
We also recommend this book:
Happy Teachers Change The World - A Guide for Cultivating Mindfulness in Education
by Thich Nhat Hanh and Katherine Weare