Your students are familiar with March Madness, but this season, consider introducing them to March Mindfulness! Not only will these calming techniques for high schoolers counter all the “madness” spring can bring (sports, testing, spring fever, etc.), but it will help students discover life-long mindfulness strategies to serve them well beyond graduation. I saw this calming technique tournament in a FB group for ELA teachers and thought it was brilliant. I asked Mr. Rooke if he would like to write more about it here, and he obliged. Read on to discover how to host your own March Mindfulness tournament!
Josh Rooke is a Spanish teacher and mindfulness instructor at a rural high school outside of Richmond, VA. He is passionate about incorporating mindfulness into his daily life and teaching practices, and is a graduate of the year-long Mindful Teacher Certification Program. In his free time, Josh enjoys speaking Spanish, spending time with his family and friends, and spending time outdoors.
Click here to create a copy of Mr. Rooke’s Google Slide Bracket!
How to host a calming technique tournament
The Calming Technique Tournament is a fun and engaging way for you to incorporate mindfulness and relaxation practices into your lessons. This tournament involves practicing eight (or more) research-backed calming techniques and asking students to vote on their favorite techniques. The aim is to help students and teachers to develop stress management skills, reduce anxiety, and promote overall well-being.
How to introduce a calming technique tournament:
- On Day #1, introduce the tournament to students and explain how it works. Introduce the first technique, Belly Breathing, and do it together as a class.
- On Days #2 and #3, practice the first technique together and, if appropriate, ask students to share their thoughts on how it felt.
- On Day #4, introduce the second technique (Heart 7 Acupressure) and, on Days #5 and #6, practice it together.
- On Day #7, practice both the first and second techniques and have students vote for their favorite. Repeat the process for all 6 remaining techniques.
Calming techniques for high schoolers:
Belly Breathing: Slow, deep breathing that focuses on the diaphragm
- Ideally, students will practice belly breathing while doing most of the following breathing techniques.
- Video – 6th grade and up
- Video – Shows how your diaphragm moves when you breath
- Detailed instructions and benefits
Heart 7 Acupressure: Pressing an acupressure point located below the wrist, helps to reduce tension and promote a sense of well-being
Five-Finger Breathing: Tracing each finger with the other hand while
- synchronizing breathing with movements.
- TicTok Instructions
- Detailed instructions and benefits
Tapping/EFT: Tapping on specific acupuncture points while focusing on a specific issue or negative emotion
Box Breathing: Inhaling for a count of four, holding the breath for a count of four, exhaling for a count of four, and holding the breath again for a count of four, before repeating the cycle
- Video Instructions
- Practice Video
- Detailed instructions and research
- Josh’s Stress-reduction Brain Break Tutorials
Butterfly Hug / Tapping: Placing both hands on your upper chest, hook your thumbs, and tap one side of your collarbone and then the other while taking deep breaths and focusing on feelings of comfort and security
- Video Instructions
- TikTok video instructions
- Detailed instructions
- Note: I DO NOT recommend asking students to bring a traumatic event to mind. I invite them to bring to mind something stressful in their lives that on a scale of 1-10 is no higher than a 6 or 7.
Resonance Breathing / Coherent Breathing: Inhaling and exhaling at a rate of five breaths per minute for several minutes
- Practice Video – 4 Seconds In, 6 Seconds Out
- Detailed instructions
478 Breathing: Inhaling through the nose for a count of four, holding the breath for a count of seven, and exhaling through the mouth for a count of eight
Additional techniques:
Buteyko Breathing: Practicing breathing through the nose instead of the mouth, and slowing down the rate and depth of breathing to a more natural and healthy level
Pursed lip breathing
- Inhaling through the nose for the count of two, then exhaling slowly and deliberately through pursed lips, as if blowing out a candle for the count of four or more.
- Video Instructions
- Detailed instructions and benefits
- Tactical Breathing (4-4-4): Inhaling, holding, and exhaling in four second increments.
- Video about breathing from a former soldier
- Guided practice
Tips for trying calming techniques for high schoolers:
- Practice each technique yourself before trying it with students.
- Preview the videos before showing them in class.
- If students don’t like the technique or you want to move through the tournament more quickly, you might choose to do each technique for two days.
- Some of these techniques involve breath holds, which can be challenging and stressful for students. To help them cope, I encourage them to view this as an opportunity to take a calming break, even if they choose not to actively practice it.
- Remind students to remain quiet and focus during the practices in order to to maintain “the container” so that everyone may practice without disruption.
In conclusion, the Calming Technique Tournament offers a creative and enjoyable way to introduce mindfulness and relaxation practices to students. As students experiment with different techniques, they have the opportunity to find what works best for them and develop essential stress management skills. Over the course of my career, I have heard from many students who have used the techniques learned in class outside of the classroom, and they have shared that they have found them to be incredibly beneficial. I hope that this experience will not only enhance the well-being of you and your students but also leave a lasting impact on your lives.
If you would like to incorporate more mindfulness strategies into your ELA classroom, keep reading here: SEL in ELA : Supporting Social Emotional Learning with ELA Curriculum or try literary yoga here: Literary Yoga: Yoga for the English Classroom
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