Regina students learning about mindfulness
Yoga, meditation, creativity are elements of new program at Sheldon-Williams Collegiate
The teenage years can be stressful and sometimes fraught with anxiety and depression — so what can be done to help young people find a little serenity?
For Kyla Wendell McIntyre, who teaches at Regina's Sheldon-Williams Collegiate, the answer is mindfulness.
Mindful Mondays is a new program for Grade 9 students in coordination with their health class.
Mindfulness is awareness of the present moment without any judgment upon it.- Teacher Kyla Wendell McIntyre
It has three components: meditation, physical activity (yoga and nature) and creative expression (poetry and art).
"Mindfulness is awareness of the present moment without any judgment upon it," Wendell McIntyre said. "It's that simple. Just noticing what is and what each moment presents without labelling it good or bad."
Wendell McIntyre began meditation for her own benefit. She says it had a huge impact on her life, and when she told a colleague about it, the colleague suggested she bring it into the classroom.
"I do this because it's wonderful for kids," she said. "We know that students live in an incredibly saturated world, and they are experiencing very high rates of stress, anxiety, depression. They don't always understand how to deal with all the emotions in their lives."
The program helps students with self-regulation, self-control, and the ability to understand their emotional worlds, she said.
In her view, it also helps students develop compassion, empathy, kindness, gratitude — and a greater love for life.
It's definitely helped me through a lot of difficult times.- Grade 9 student Cassia Oddo
Among those participating in Mindful Mondays is Cassia Oddo, who's in Grade 9 and says she has experienced depression.
"It's definitely helped me through a lot of difficult times," Oddo said. "It's helped me calm down over different situations."
She thinks other students should give mindfulness a try.
"I feel like lots of people should have it in their daily lives because we're so attached to social media and to all these different trends," Oddo said. "This is looking back and looking at the little things in life and appreciating those things."
Allen McCaskill, also a Grade 9 student, says he didn't think mindfulness class would be for him, but warmed up to it after several days.
"Everybody should be trying it. It helps you through life, so you should do it," he said. "[It] helped me majorly through my days; helped through my classes. It's not as stressful to take one thing at a time."
McCaskill's favourite part is the creative section that lets him express himself through writing.
"I think of it as an awesome opportunity," McCaskill said.
