The Exploratory School, Brooklyn NY
Experience Buddhist temples in Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont to investigate how combining mindfulness meditation with the study of Buddhist art can equip middle school students to manage stress, unleash their creativity, and cultivate a more relaxed and open mindset for artistic exploration.
The grant proposal aims to address the needs of a growing population of ELL students in my classroom. These students experience stress due to challenges navigating a new language,adapting to a different culture, and facing anxieties inherent in middle school. By incorporating mindfulness meditation and virtual tours of Buddhist temples I hope to create a more relaxed learning environment and equip students with tools to manage stress and foster a sense of calm.
My summer learning experience highlighted the power of mindfulness in fostering a creative and supportive classroom environment. 1) I learned how to adapt meditation practices from Buddhist temples to middle schoolers, equipping them with stress management tools. 2) Studying Buddhist art provided inspiration for age-appropriate activities that connect mindfulness with artistic exploration. I'm excited to share these learnings with fellow educators to develop a wider toolkit for student success.
My solution is a mindfulness program for my middle school art students that will combine meditations inspired by Buddhist temple visits with studies of Buddhist art to create a relaxed environment and equip students with stress management tools, fostering artistic exploration and confidence. Key decisions involved: Focusing on short meditations suitable for a middle school setting. Selecting museums with Buddhist art collections to curate culturally relevant activities.
My mindfulness meditation program empowers middle school students, especially recent immigrants and English language learners, to manage stress and unleash creativity. By incorporating meditation exercises and exploring Buddhist art, I want to create a supportive environment where students feel comfortable taking risks and expressing themselves through art. This program will equip them with valuable skills like self-awareness and emotional regulation, fostering a positive learning environment.
This fellowship encourages student ownership by equipping them with mindfulness skills. By learning meditation and exploring Buddhist art, students gain tools to manage stress, find focus, and approach art with confidence. This fosters a safe space for artistic exploration and experimentation, empowering them to express themselves freely. The teacher models these skills, inspiring students to take charge of their well-being and creativity.
The Innovation Circle is transformative for my teaching by fostering collaboration and providing resources to create a mindfulness-based art program for my ELL and immigrant students. Sharing ideas with fellow educators helped refine my approach to integrating meditation and Buddhist art into a culturally sensitive curriculum. This helped to create a calmer classroom environment, empowering students to manage stress, unleash creativity, and approach art with a more open mindset.
A key moment in my Circle Sessions has been discussing how to adapt mindfulness practices for a middle school art setting. Fellow educators have been offering creative ideas for short meditations and integrating movement exercises. Another session involved brainstorming activities that connect mindfulness with artistic exploration inspired by Buddhist art. This collaboration will ensure my program resonates with students' diverse backgrounds.
