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Revised: 8.30am: History, 9.15am: Biology, 10am: Meditation

Focussing on the breadth may be a good way to help improve students' focus and temper their restlessness. So should schools consider introducing meditation as a daily activity?

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Meditation is not an alien concept in India, but few organisations, leave alone academic institutions, promote it. But perhaps schools here can experiment as one American school did last month. Robert W. Coleman Elementary School in Baltimore, Maryland, decided to stop sending errant students to the "detention" room. Instead, these children go to a especially-built 'Mindful Moment Room,' where they are asked to meditate. The result, school authorities, claim has been remarkable with student behaviour improving for the better. We asked academicians here if they'd try the same:

Ophelia Barreto
Principal, Podar International School (SSC), Mumbai

"Meditation has multiple benefits and this is a great initiative to introduce such relaxation sessions in school. It would be a huge step for schools to equip themselves with the infrastructure that is required to conduct this activity regularly. If students get to learn meditation in school, it'll help them down the years."

Ameeta Mulla Wattal
Principal, Springdales School, New Delhi

"Meditation usually has a religious connotation so I think instead there should be sessions by trained teachers who can teach students breathing techniques. Breathing exercises can help children feel calm and refreshed. In our school, we dedicate time for this, and have seen remarkable behavioural changes in some students. I firmly believe that breathing techniques should be taught by trained teachers."

Hemangi Sarode-Prasad
School Counsellor, DAV Public School, New Panvel

"I work with children who have learning difficulties, issues with paying attention and hyperactivity, which naturally, makes it difficult for them to stay focussed for a sustained period of time. So I reserve the last 10 minutes of the class as meditation time. In these 10 minutes, I tell the kids to either chant 'Om' or simply shut their eyes and relax. I've observed striking changes in some of them after just a few days of practise. They are more fresh and are able to focus for a bit longer than they used to earlier. If just a few minutes a day can help them so much, imagine what would happen if meditation was an intrinsic part of school activities?"

Five reasons to meditate

  1. It calms the mind

  2. It reduces anxiety and stress

  3. It increases concentration levels

  4. It helps you sleep better

  5. It rejuvenates mind the mind

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