On the first morning back from winter break we did a mindfulness activity that involved drawing a circle, taking some deep breaths, and then recording any thoughts or feelings that came to the surface in the circle. The idea was to identify any distractions that might get in the way of learning and to consciously set those aside.
The kids in my homeroom were not quite sure what they were doing, so I stepped to the whiteboard to demonstrate. I drew a big circle, closed my eyes and took a few breaths. Then I began to write. "It's hot in here!" I started. "I hate the way that pipe they put in under the window looks."
The kids eyebrows went up. They did not expect negativity, but there it was. "Are you tired?" asked one helpfully.
"Yes!" I replied and added it to my list with a laugh. "And the room was a mess when I got here this morning, so I had to straighten everything up."
"Wow!" noted another student. "You really have a lot to get out of your way so you can do a good job teaching today!"
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