present is . . .

On Friday we talked about the word present. The children shared their initial thoughts about the word, some said that present is . . .

being with my family
having fun
feeling loved

We read the book What Does It Mean To Be Present and continued our conversation; present is . . .

being in the green zone
listening with your whole body
looking, feeling

The children took a moment to reflect outside during Friday afternoon. Each child found a place on the playground and responded to the prompt;

I am present.
I see ______________

 

On Monday I made large copies of Maeve and Will's journal entries, as a way to revisit our work from Friday afternoon. They talked about everything they saw when sitting on our playground, the same playground we play on almost everyday.

When you are present, you see more. 

 

I connected being present to the act of meditation; taking the time to clear your mind and feel stronger. We read the book Bee Still and followed the character, Bentley Bee, as he walked the woodland creatures through the act of meditation. Following the read aloud I invited the children to find a quiet place in our classroom and we took a few minutes to clear our minds and focus on our breathing.

It was one of our most peaceful and powerful moments- the rest of our day was incredibly joyful. I wonder if starting the day meditating together helped to set the tone? When children asked me how many more minutes until choice or what was for hot lunch, I would respond with, I'm being present and I'm thinking about and feeling what's happening right now. I would also ask when we transitioned to be mindful or present- ensuring we focus on the moment, even if the moment is as simple as walking down the hall. The culture of school can sometimes leave us feeling rushed or frazzled, busy and unsettled, timed and scheduled. But, perhaps within a scheduled day we can find flexibility and honor a gentle pace, we can teach peace and listen to our breathing- individually and together.