Last month, Mayor Eric Adams announced that beginning this fall it will now be a requirement for all city public schools grades K-12 to facilitate mindfulness breathing exercises with students for two to five minutes every day.
Announcing the initiative, Mr. Adams said, “Breathing calms your nervous system. It helps to center us and helps us regain our sense of balance and focus. It is a valuable, low cost tool that is proven to improve mental health and well being.”
DOE Chancellor David Banks said that it will be up to school administrators and principals to implement it during the school day. School leaders will have discretion. The exercises could occur during an advisory class, physical education classes, or at the very beginning of the day.
According to the National Institute of Health, “One NIH-supported study found a link between mindfulness meditation and measurable changes in the brain regions involved in memory, learning and emotion. Another NIH-funded researcher reported that mindfulness practices may reduce anxiety and hostility among urban youth and lead to reduced stress, fewer fights and better relationships.”
This past school year, the Townsend Harris guidance department already implemented Mindfulness Mondays by offering guided breathing exercises through the PA system at the start of each week.
Alison Harris, the school’s social worker, spoke to The Classic earlier this year about Mindfulness Mondays. “Most people don’t like Mondays, so I figured, [it would be] the best way for everyone to relax,” she said. “As we know, Harrisites are very anxious [as a result of] the rigorous curriculum, so we [want them to] take the time to just sit and breathe.”
Assistant Principal Ellen Fee, who supervises health courses, said “Research shows that mindfulness..stops you from going through the motions and helps you become aware of your body and mind.”
She said she agrees with the new initiative and that requiring it everyday for THHS is important. “I do think we would have to commit to it as a whole school community,” she said.
How the school ultimately decides to implement the mandated daily exercises will become clear as teachers and administrators meet at the end of the summer vacation to plan for the upcoming school year.
