Mindfulness Practice/Mindful Breathing in the Classroom: The Effect on Unwanted Behaviors in the Classroom

Author

Dana Banitt, St. Catherine University

Date of Award

5-2023

Document Type

Action Research Project

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Education

First Advisor

Carol Knicker

Department/School

Education, Curriculum and Instruction

Abstract

"Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine whether implementing mindfulness and mindful breathing, in a classroom setting, would decrease the number of unwanted behaviors in that classroom. The setting for this study was a first-grade classroom of 26 in suburban southeast Minnesota. The study took place for six weeks, two weeks without intervention, and four weeks with three mindfulness intervention techniques (mindful breathing, social-emotional stories, and mindful movement/meditation). Data was collected in five ways: an unwanted behavior tally chart, researcher field notes, specialist teacher questionnaires, individual student mindfulness journals, and one-on-one student conversations. After the six-week intervention, the researcher found that three of five unwanted classroom behaviors had decreased. The researcher also found that students were able to put mindfulness practice into action in various real-life situations. The researcher concluded that mindfulness practice does help to decrease unwanted behaviors in the classroom, and will continue to be used in the classroom. Keywords: mindfulness, mindful breathing, behaviors"

Recommended Citation

Banitt, Dana. (2023). Mindfulness Practice/Mindful Breathing in the Classroom: The Effect on Unwanted Behaviors in the Classroom. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/maed/517