Four Benefits of Mindfulness in Schools

Dr. Nancy Coogan is a skilled school administrator and educational researcher with over three decades of experience in education and academic leadership. Dr. Nancy Coogan’s research includes studies on the positive impacts of mindfulness in a school setting. Many educators are embracing mindfulness practices for their many benefits, as outlined below.

1. Beneficial to students and staff alike. Practicing mindfulness offers benefits to all people within the school environment, including students, teachers, and faculty. Even parents may benefit from mindfulness by learning to cope with stress and learning to live in the present.

2. Improved emotional control. Schools implementing mindfulness programs noted that many students developed a better understanding of their emotions and demonstrated improved emotional control. Additionally, these students often exhibited a greater capacity to deal with their emotions.

3. Increased cognitive performance. Studies on the effects of mindfulness indicate that engaging in mindfulness programs increased students’ cognitive performance.

4. Reduces stress. Students and teachers alike have reported that practicing mindfulness can help combat stress and anxiety. Mindfulness helps people center themselves and focus on issues in the present rather than past or future events.