OPINION
that, specifically at the moment of learning, your attention cannot be in two places at the same time. I showed them that attention, like a muscle, can be trained. We started with a short session at the beginning of the class on mindfulness meditation focused on breathing. Then we did the exercise at both the beginning and end of the class. It has become a great experience that has a very positive impact on the students, the atmosphere in the classroom and for me as a teacher. Practising in the classroom So how do you include meditation in your teaching? Here are five key steps. First of all, it is important to help students to be aware of the concept of attention in general and the essential role it plays in the learning process. Provide examples so they understand how it applies to them. The video Monkey Business Illusion by psychologist Daniel Simons is perfect for this. Explain that attention can be trained and that mindfulness meditation is an avenue to exploring this. Start with small steps. Offer a breath-anchored meditation tutorial at the end of the first class session. It is important to make it optional and something students should be encouraged, not forced, to do. Thereafter, the exercise can be used at the beginning and end of each class. Discuss this how this could work with your students, but above all it should be regular activity. Understand that meditation can be challenging to begin with, so start with short sessions. Students may become impatient or frustrated if they find it difficult to stabilise their attention for an extended period. Five or six minutes is a good length to start off with, that can then be extended. Create a calm and soothing environment to help students focus on their breathing. If possible, turn off the main lights in the classroom. Speak softly. Move around quietly. Ask them to turn off their mobile phones. This atmosphere will reflect on the mood of your class even after the meditation session is over. Finally, and most importantly, encourage students to express themselves after each meditation session. Give them the opportunity to share their experiences and feelings. This can help to strengthen their commitment and motivation to meditate. In my personal experience, mindfulness meditation has been a very positive activity. I believe it helps attention and, thus, more effective learning. In addition, it opens the door to other aspects of compassionate pedagogy. By integrating more inclusion, empathy, compassion, empowerment and trust into the way we teach and interact with our students, we can create climates that are ultimately more conducive to learning and development.
A how-to guide With meditation, it is important to remember that physical posture and attitude of mind are equally important.
Physical posture Sitting upright Feet flat on the floor
Hands on the table or knees Eyes closed or half-closed
Stéphane Justeau has a PhD in economics and has been teaching since 2000. He was trained at the University of Lausanne and at the Open University, which awarded him a postgraduate certificate in academic practice. He is in charge of Essca’s Institute of Advanced Pedagogy, where he trains faculty members of the Essca School of Management, as well as faculty from other universities and schools both in France and abroad. Having previously held the position of dean of faculty, Justeau is now associate dean for pedagogy. He has been practising mindfulness meditation for over ten years and is currently studying meditation at the Institute for Mindfulness-Based Approaches (IMA) The exercise is more complex than it first might seem. Mental reflexes quickly reappear and thoughts come back, sometimes rushing in (the phone call to make, the appointments to plan, the tasks to schedule). This is normal. Being aware of this is already a big step. It’s all a matter of quietly noticing, without blaming yourself, that you’ve strayed from your breathing and then slowly returning to it. The multiple back and forth between thoughts and breathing is at the very heart of the exercise. This is how we strengthen our ability to intentionally focus our attention, in the same way that we might train a muscle. Posture of the mind Presence of what is happening here and now as best as possible Absence of judgement Clearing the mind without expecting anything You can use some guided meditations easily found online, such as those of Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MSBR) programme. A typical exercise lasts about eight minutes and consists of paying full and intentional attention to your breath, as it is, without modifying it (this is not relaxation) or analysing it.
Ambition | JUNE 2023 | 35
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