Can Meditation Be Used In SPED?
Special Education classes are filled with students who struggle with a variety of medical, physical and mental disabilities. It is highly anticipated that their disabilities will affect their speech, motor skills, and social interaction. The most common disabilities are Autism, Down syndrome, Vision Impairment, as well as an Intellectual disability. As claimed by the National Center for Education Statistics, in the school year of 2018-2019, 14% of students enrolled in public schools in the United States received special education services.
Many people believe that a child with disabilities doesn't feel stress, anxious or even sad, but this way of thinking is disgusting. They have many feelings, but it can be extremely hard to show them.
Many of these students tend to be easily triggered, whether it's because of a certain sound or they don't feel comfortable. For example, many triggers I have seen in children with autism is that if they hear a sound they don't like, they'll hold their ears and make a humming sound. I have seen my brother do this thousands of times, including when my mom tells him no. 😂 Furthermore, another trigger I have seen is when a child is getting used to a new routine, i.e., "snack time", they will get upset when they aren't able to eat more snacks throughout the school day.
Relating back to my first post, "Your Students Are Overwhelmed!", my brother has Autism and his teachers rarely tried to learn anything about his triggers, and what to do to calm them down. They would send my brother home by 9:00 AM almost every morning. One day, I saw my brother and his teachers walking around outside, as soon as I stepped outside he looked at me and tears started running down his face. They wouldn't tell me anything, they were more afraid of what I would tell my mother (It was a small incident between another student). That was the moment I finally knew that they weren't doing anything to make him feel better, because if they were they would've found a way to contact me. They were only walking him around to pass time. That was the moment I finally knew what I wanted to study in college, that was the moment I realized that I wanted to do things differently.
Meditation Techniques for Children With Special Needs
What is meditation? According to the article "Meditation and Children with Special Needs - How To Start A Simple Practice", Meditation is "the practice of focusing your mind on the present moment in order to gain a more clear and calm mental and emotional state" (Beurkens, Nicole, 2018, Par. 3).
Getting a child with disabilities to sit still for a long time is very difficult, but with patience and the right motivation you can get them on a daily routine of "calm time". Taking 5 minutes out of your day could go a long way. A good technique would be to simply make some time without any interruptions for you and your students. You could get some comfy yoga mats, and listen to calming music, or keep the classroom completely silent. A few minutes of silence could ease a great deal of their stress, anxiety, and sadness.
Articles on meditation techniques for children with special needs:
