He pointed to his watch. He asked the children if it was ugly. “No,’’ came the reply. But even to call it a pretty watch, he said, is to make a judgment rather than a mindful observation.
Later, the children took turns improvising rhythms on a drum. “Let’s see how in tune we are with each other,’’ Kelley said. As each child played a rhythm, the rest listened, and then repeated it by clapping their hands.
Students say the course is fun, because they make friends outside their classrooms. They also say they learn important things, like how to keep their mind on a task and think before they act.
“Sometimes it’s very hard for me to concentrate in school, and it helps me concentrate,’’ Mayu said.
“I catch Mayu doing meditation at home, which I never thought I would,’’ said her mother, Ami Joiner.
Toward the end of the class, Kelley led the children in a five-minute silent meditation, asking them to breathe deeply and keep their eyes closed - which, save for the occasional peek, they did.
“It’s fun, and it teaches you to calm down when you get frustrated,’’ Kate said afterward. “And it makes you pay attention more and listen more.’’
Her mother, Amy Delaney, and a couple of other parents observe the class when they can. Children often struggle with social interaction, academics, or confidence, Delaney said. She has watched meditation boost her children’s confidence. Sometimes they take what they’ve learned and use it at home. At the dinner table, they’ll say, “Let’s listen to our breath,’’ she said.
Delaney wasn’t a meditator before she signed her three children up for the class. But she sees great value in it, as the children learn life lessons and improve their focus.
The children see changes in themselves, too.
“I’ve been having trouble with someone at school, so this helps me channel my energy so I don’t get mad at her,’’ Shea said. When he starts to get angry, he thinks about being calm.
