MINDFULNESS IN SCHOOLS CAN SUPPORT A MORE SUSTAINABLE WORLD

"<< Background >>Climate change is a major global issue that has been dominating the headlines with record-breaking temperatures and significant weather events causing upheaval to millions. It is no secret that children today are confronted with a vast array of distractions, particularly when it comes to technology. The aim of this project was to close the gap between the disconnect in children’s awareness of the world around them and give them the skills to live in the moment and be more present. The goal therefore, was to encourage children to engage in mindful practices in the hope of them becoming more aware of their environment and how climate change is affecting it. The greatest need that we have addressed throughout this project is providing teachers with practical resources to use in their classrooms to facilitate mindful practices and teach children these skills. Not only do these skills allow children to slow down, they develop their ability to make intentional choices, promote self-awareness and improve connections with others and their environment.<< Objectives >>The objectives for teachers, students and families in this project were:To enable teachers to use the scientific-based practices of mindfulness correctly by developing their mindfulness skills and to increase their ability to adapt them to their classes through the preparation of ""Mindfulness Student Training Modules"".To provide families with knowledge about mindfulness practice to support their children in the home environment.To guide students to enable them to transfer their knowledge about environmental awareness, consumption habits and media usage to daily life.To promote their development by communicating and cooperating with other teachers in partner schools and sharing their practices.To have an on-site training experience in the European context, both institutionally and among educators.To develop behaviours that are directed towards promoting healthy habits by increasing the conscious awareness of our students, increasing well-being and supporting environmental sustainability in order to positively impact climate change. Creating a school policy that promotes a mindful school culture.To develop a positive perspective on EU projects and to encourage teachers to gain experience in project management.<< Implementation >>Project Management and Dissemination- ensuring high quality management of the project activities, the smooth operation and cooperation between the partners and the national agency, as well as the efficient and on-time development of the work.Transnational Meeting in Ireland- the project partners met face to face for the first time and shared their views on their methods for the implementation of the project process. A comprehensive plan was prepared with a detailed schedule of project activities and evaluation and dissemination of project results.LTT in Germany- The ""Mindfulness at School for Teachers"" seminar was given by the collaborating course centre in Berlin. During the course a wide variety of breathing, meditation and mindfulness techniques were taught.LTT in Spain- A workshop and seminar that integrated mindfulness with environmental awareness, healthy living and conscious media use was given. The template for the lesson plans was finalised and each school began to write activities that they could adapt to their own schoolLast Transnational Meeting in Turkiye- Final meeting of the project, the emphasis was on the evaluation of the activities carried out in the project and the post- assessment results from the students<< Results >>The main output of this project was the 60 lesson plans created by experienced teachers based on mindful practices to increase awareness of technology use, slowing down and subsequently increasing environmental awareness. These are available online and partner schools have translated them into Spanish and Turkish. These plans have been disseminated to many other educational institutions and have been promoted in various ways. Other results of our project include:Teachers' ability to adapt mindfulness to environmental awareness and conscious technology issues has increased. Their willingness to participate in EU projects will increase and their professional development has been enhanced. Teachers' collaborative activity writing skills have improved. Student Modules were created and are implemented in our schools. Toolboxes were provided for use by students in classrooms. Before the implementation of the modules, the ""Mindfulness Scale for Children"" was applied to the students. This same scale was used as a post-test and showed an increase in results. All these efforts have contributed to making the Mindful School Movement the policy of our schools."