Mindfulness Practices in the School Setting: Research, Strategies, and Student Voices

Authors

• Katie Lewis, Berkley School DistrictFollow

Abstract

This article explores the role of mindfulness practices in elementary school settings, drawing from current research, practical classroom strategies, and student reflections from a school-based mindfulness yoga pilot. While children enter school with an innate capacity for presence, the structure and demands of formal education can unintentionally diminish their natural ability to regulate attention and emotion. Grounded in research connecting mindfulness to improvements in executive functioning, including working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and sustained attention, this article argues that intentionally teaching mindfulness can strengthen both behavioral and academic outcomes.

A review of empirical studies highlights correlations between mindfulness-based interventions and improved emotional regulation, reduced anxiety, enhanced focus, and gains in academic performance. The article translates research into accessible classroom practices, including Silent Body, Attentive Listening, Friendly Breath, Friendly Wish, Breathing Space, and structured combinations of these strategies. Additionally, findings from a weekly, school-based mindfulness yoga program are shared, incorporating direct student and teacher reflections that illustrate perceived benefits in calmness, focus, and stress management.

Author Bio

Katie Lewis, Ed. S. is an Elementary Literacy Coach for Berkley School District in Oakland County. She is interested in centering teacher and student agency and in advocating for equitable frameworks for teachers and students. She can be reached at katie.lewis@berkleyschools. org.

Recommended Citation

Lewis, Katie (2026) "Mindfulness Practices in the School Setting: Research, Strategies, and Student Voices," Michigan Reading Journal: Vol. 58: Iss. 3, Article 9.
Available at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mrj/vol58/iss3/9