Mindfulness

Mindfulness at St. Michael’s Country Day School

Mindfulness can be described as paying attention, with intention, openness, and curiosity, to the present moment, as it unfolds in our thoughts, felt emotions, and physical sensations. Mindfulness takes place now.  Any and every given moment may be attended to and the practice of mindfulness awakens us to this possibility.

Research shows that in addition to benefits for adults, youth benefit from learning mindfulness in terms of improved cognitive outcomes, social-emotional skills, and well being.” ~MindfulSchools.org

For decades, the practice of mindfulness has been studied from both psychological and physiological perspectives.  Growing bodies of evidence reveal that the benefits of mindful practice include: reduced stress and anxiety, increased ability for emotional regulation, improved ability to pay attention and focus, and expansion of our compassionate responses.  Not surprisingly, people who experience the above changes report being happier and having improved interpersonal relationships.  These behavioral benefits result from neuroplastic changes in the brain.

At SMS more than half of our faculty and staff have been supported in professional development studies through MindfulSchools.org.  The coursework first establishes individual mindful practices and then guides teachers in age-appropriate curriculums for use in the classroom.  In addition to all of our early childhood and lower school teachers’ use of mindfulness in the classrooms, our 3rd through 8th-grade students have weekly Health & Wellness classes with a focus on mindfulness practices.  We believe that the earlier we introduce the concepts, language, and various ways of practicing mindfulness to students, the more likely students are to recognize the life tools provided in practice and continue their own explorations of mindfulness as part of taking care of themselves and growing into independent, healthy adolescents and adults.

During my daughter’s 2nd grade year, the idea of a Buddy Bench was brought up by a classmate. After presenting...

3rd and 7th Grade Parent

St. Michael's Country Day School
5.0
2019-10-25T09:11:00-04:00

3rd and 7th Grade Parent

During my daughter’s 2nd grade year, the idea of a Buddy Bench was brought up by a classmate. After presenting the idea to the Lower School head, the idea was fully embraced. Instead of just providing a Buddy Bench, my daughter and a few students helped build and decorate the 
St. Michael’s is a magical school. The teachers are wonderful. They have that blend of intelligence, gentle discipline, and love...

2nd Grade Parent

St. Michael's Country Day School
5.0
2019-10-25T09:11:29-04:00

2nd Grade Parent

St. Michael’s is a magical school. The teachers are wonderful. They have that blend of intelligence, gentle discipline, and love inspiring the kids. The sense of community is so evident. The parents are a tight-knit group that truly care about one another and cheer other families one.
SMS has given our family so much support, when we first moved to Newport from the UK 5 years ago...

Preschool and 2nd Grade Parent

St. Michael's Country Day School
5.0
2019-10-25T09:11:55-04:00

Preschool and 2nd Grade Parent

SMS has given our family so much support, when we first moved to Newport from the UK 5 years ago and when we moved back after being away for 18 months. The school was invaluable in making our son feel welcome and cared for and included back into his second 
Teachers never stop teaching the whole student and the curriculum. Every teacher answers my son’s questions every time. Because my...

7th Grade Parent

St. Michael's Country Day School
5.0
2019-10-25T09:12:47-04:00

7th Grade Parent

Teachers never stop teaching the whole student and the curriculum. Every teacher answers my son’s questions every time. Because my son’s teachers are so supportive and always help him before he falls, my son trusts his teachers as leaders.
We came to St. Michael’s for two reasons - the incredible arts programs that the school has, and for Phil...

Prekindergarten, 5th, and 7th Grade Parent

St. Michael's Country Day School
5.0
2017-03-13T11:54:16-04:00

Prekindergarten, 5th, and 7th Grade Parent

We came to St. Michael’s for two reasons – the incredible arts programs that the school has, and for Phil Tutino.  Too many schools are cutting back on their arts programs, but St. Michael’s understands the value of balancing rigorous academic study with a foundation in the arts. This has 
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St. Michael's Country Day School

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