“Our Kindergarten students look forward to mindfulness [lessons] with Ms. Marie every Tuesday, not just for the engaging games and activities she leads, but because they know it’s a special time when all of their feelings and experiences will be truly heard and validated.” – Marya Ruiz, Head Kindergarten Teacher

Certified in teaching mindfulness to students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 and to educators, Associate teacher Marie Vizzotti began leading meditation and mindfulness lessons with Poly students virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mindfulness, as Vizzotti describes in a resource for Lower School families, is simply a special way of slowing down and paying attention to what is happening in our environments – being present.

“Mindfulness is important to me because it helped change my life and reduce my anxiety,” Vizzotti says. “I thought, how wonderful would it be to learn some of these skills to regulate emotions and pause before responding to something at a young age.” Her mindfulness classes began as a way to provide students a calm respite to pause and breathe in a time of great uncertainty. The program continued when school reopened, and as the initial class of Kindergarten students at Poly advanced to first grade. Today, teaching Poly’s youngest students strategies to regulate their emotions, feel comfortable in their bodies, and positively impact classroom culture, remains at the center of the program. 

“Mindfulness is something that every first grader can access,” said Grade 1 teacher Susie Brandmeyer P ’29, ‘26, ’15.  “Whether it is taking deep breaths, coloring, or just being still, the students recognize the benefit of quiet time. It is so nice for them to not have to do something and just be for a little while.” 

Taught in Kindergarten and Grade 1 this academic year, the program has expanded to include information for families through a wonderful newsletter which allows them to remain informed about the enriching, supplementary program. Occurring on a weekly basis, each 35-minute class begins and ends the same way: in the formation of a circle of cross-legged students, the deep tone of a Tibetan sound bowl, and the release of tension using meditative poses and unified breathwork exercises.

The class then moves into an imaginative “check in” to gauge how  students are feeling. Vizzotti asks them to think silently about how they are feeling, to imagine that this feeling has a color, to breathe in the color, filling the color in their bodies, breathing out the color, and letting it disappear. The exercise teaches students that feelings come and go, and that mindfulness begins with physical action. “Show me a strong, calm, mindful body,” she says. Students respond by sitting up straight, taking deep breaths, and listening with focus. The class also works on building awareness of their surroundings through a meditation involving the five senses, focusing on them one by one. For example, they may freeze like statues and notice all of the sounds around us, becoming attuned to the many noises beyond their classroom windows of Park Slope. 

Students enjoy a variety of activities and exercises that allow for movement, foster creativity, relaxation, and play–all which build skills for self-regulation and awareness. These activities include yoga games, mindful freeze dance, simple stretches, and a crowd favorite, Vizzotti says, “Follow the Leader.” The intention of each lesson is to reinforce the idea that mindfulness can be practiced anywhere and that children have the power to return to their breathing practice to calm themselves down when feeling stressed or anxious. Slow and steady is always the right pace. 

“I respect you, you respect me.” 

As the class concludes, students fully commit to ending the session with the same strong intention as how class began. Each student in the circle takes three deep breaths in unison, and this time, a student uses the sound bowl to create the bell which signals the end of the session. The tone represents their now calmer and more energetically-balanced selves. Their final words said together relate back to their class and school culture of respect and the importance of communal care. “Namaste,” they say, “I respect you, you respect me.” 

Vizzotti also shares techniques for families to do together at home. They can practice breathwork using a variety of exercises like five finger breath, or belly breaths, or taking mindful walks together, which can open the mind to a variety of sights and sounds to explore. 

The program has allowed students to become more successful in the academic and social realities of school and prepares them to deal with the stresses and surprises that come with the everyday challenges in the classroom. 

What Students Say

“Over break, I practiced mindfulness while learning how to ski. I kept getting frustrated every time I fell, so I decided to take some deep, mindful breaths and give it another try. It worked—I was able to do it! I couldn’t wait to share this when I got back to school!” – Leni B. ’37, Kindergarten B

“I used deep breaths to help calm down when I was feeling angry at my sister. My anger was really strong, so I had to sit for a while, taking deep breaths. But afterwards, I felt so much calmer and better!” – Kai L. ’37, Kindergarten A

Testimonials from Educators

“Mindfulness has been a wonderful addition to the students’ schedule. I loved having access to the language Marie uses in her class so that I may reinforce that learning throughout the rest of the week.” – Kim Davis, Head Kindergarten Teacher

“Whenever Ms. Marie enters a room, her calming presence is immediately felt. Our Kindergarteners look forward to mindfulness with her every Tuesday, not just for the engaging games and activities she leads, but because they know it’s a special time when all of their feelings and experiences will be truly heard and validated. Ms. Marie is cultivating a foundation for mindful practices that will stay with our students throughout their lives—a gift that is more important now than ever.” – Marya Ruiz, Head Kindergarten Teacher