The Mental Stillness program is a simple strategy that is aimed at providing students with a secular, meditation-based skill to enhance resilience and wellbeing. The technique has undergone extensive scientific evaluation in Australia as part of the Meditation Research Programme (previously at the UNSW but now at Sydney University). We have now begun exploring formats by which this technique might be best adapted for implementation in schools as a teaching and learning initiative.
Generally, a typical “lesson” involves practical exercises aimed at focusing the attention and enhancing awareness of the present moment, allowing the participant to perceive a distinction between themselves and any negative thoughts or feelings that they may have.
Recently, we completed a quality audit of a 12 month programme conducted at a primary school in Sydney in which a full class of 3rd grade children were taught mental stillness-based skills for 10 minutes every morning for a full year. Children were assessed by the class teacher using the SDQ, a standardised and validated mental health risk scale.
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