Mindfulness Boost Wellbeing

Pause, Breathe, Smile

Mindfulness, the skill of paying attention to what is presently occurring with kindness and curiosity is making calm, but powerful waves across schools in Aotearoa.

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Mindful Aotearoa (part of the Mental Health Foundation), has been delivering its unique and proven mindfulness programme Pause, Breathe, Smile in classrooms across New Zealand since 2013.

The 8-week, locally designed and researched programme was developed to align with the key competencies of the New Zealand curriculum and addresses specific learning areas, particularly within the health curriculum. Mindful Aotearoa has partnered with research teams from Auckland University and AUT University and published results show the programme is achieving outstanding results.

“We have measured significant increases in the wellbeing of those students who have participated in the programme, with increases in their ability to self-calm, pay attention and focus on the task at hand”, Mindful Aotearoa operations manager, Grant Rix says.

Throughout the course, students learn mindfulness practices such as mindful breathing, mindful eating and mindful moving. In a remarkable finding from the latest study of year five and six students, 80 per cent of those who took part said they practised mindfulness outside the classroom.

“A child might be in the playground and witness an altercation, and they can feel themselves getting hot with anger. Having been introduced to mindfulness they start to recognise that emotion in their body. They notice how they are feeling and then they have a strategy to respond to that emotion, rather than giving into it and lashing out,” Mr Rix says.

Nawton School in Hamilton have seen firsthand the positive impact of the programme and would like every student and teacher in their school participating by the end of 2016.

“We’re seeing real benefits to the children – it teaches them to focus their attention on their school work during instructional reading, writing and mathematics. We’re also noticing they are persevering when they meet challenges, not just when they encounter challenging behaviour from others, but also when they’re finding learning difficult. When it’s hard, mindfulness gives them the skills to keep trying,” Nawton School principal, Rubina Wheeler explains.

Mindful Aotearoa’s work is not solely focussed on children in the classroom.

As well as Pause Breathe Smile, Mindful Aotearoa have developed Foundations of Mindfulness an online programme which is open to anyone interested in learning how to let go of tension and stress, focus attention, and better manage everyday anxieties with greater kindness and nonjudgement.

“Now that we have measured the benefits for students, we are particularly interested in how we can support school teachers to learn more about mindfulness for their own wellbeing and to start integrating the practice in the classroom” Mental Health Foundation’s Chief Executive, Shaun Robinson says.

Completing the Foundations of Mindfulness online course also forms the first step in the pathway to becoming a certified Pause, Breathe, Smile facilitator.

“I’ve found mindfulness has strengthened my leadership skills,” Ms Wheeler says. “On any given day, I have to focus on a variety of very different things, quickly shifting my attention from student achievement to finance to property management. Practising mindfulness helps to bring focus and clarity to the tasks at hand, and allows me to switch easily between tasks.

“I also come to school in the morning feeling refreshed and ready to start a new day!”

Want to find out more about Pause, Breathe, Smile, Foundations of Mindfulness, or how to become a licensed facilitator in schools? Visit www.mindfulaotearoa.nz.

Research shows our mindfulness in schools programme:

• increases calmness

• improves focus and attention

• enhances self-awareness

• helps with conflict resolution and the development of positive relationships

• reduces stress.

The vision:

Mindful Aotearoa exists to support the Mental Health Foundation’s vision of creating a society where all people enjoy positive mental health and well-being.

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Sophia Graham


Sophia is the PR and Communications
Specialist at the Mental Health Foundation, working on the Mindful Aotearoa programme. Sophia has a BA from the University of
Auckland, majoring in both psychology and classics. She has travelled widely, including a stint teaching at a school in Huayllarcocha, Peru. Sophia has a passion for learning about other
cultures, social justice and listening to the stories people tell.
www.mindfulaotearoa.nz