Gym Class, Study Hall--and Meditation?

Do you remember quiet time in grade school? Each afternoon, we’d all put our heads down on our desks for 30 minutes or so, and the teacher would dim the lights. I looked forward to the quiet and the chance to sit still. The stillness was restorative. I felt alert and curious. The world seemed more vibrant, and our work seemed more fun after I’d rejuvenated.

Fast forward to today, and imagine the sight of middle-school children meditating in a class. Seriously. This Quiet Time program has caught the attention and imagination of educators, who see the benefits in such quantifiable areas as higher GPAs, higher standardized test scores, improved attendance, and decreased school violence, as well as less easily measured areas like reduced anxiety and increased self-esteem. (See the Research.) Teachers also participate in the practice; they report less burnout and stress.

“Every once in a while, when visiting a successful school, you see something that makes your jaw drop,” wrote Edutopia editorial director David Markus, “something so extraordinary, you have to stop and make sure what you saw is actually what it appears to be. What stopped me was the sight of more than 200 middle schoolers sitting in silence, eyes closed, nearly motionless, meditating together for 15 uninterrupted minutes.” (See "Risking Peace at a Troubled School" at Edutopia.com for the full article.)

Maybe we were ahead of our time, or at least on the right track. The Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco started this Quiet Time program in 2007 to reduce stress and promote life balance, for both students and teachers. Quiet Time is offered in partnership with the Center for Wellness and Achievement in Education (CWAE), which, according to its website, “studies the positive social and emotional impact of meditation in reducing stress and making students ready to learn.”

Next time I think I’m too busy to stop for a few moments, I’ll remember what I learned in school. I’ll put my head down for a few minutes, or I’ll get away from my desk and meditate for a while. Being alert and on my toes is essential to my work—if I can give myself a boost this easily, why wouldn’t I? I know when I take the time, I get it back in the form of increased efficiency and accuracy--stress free. What a gift!