How does mindfulness work in the classroom?

Mindfulness can be implemented in the classroom in several ways. There are two parts to teaching mindfulness: 1) teaching the concepts and 2) practicing the techniques.

To teach the concepts, I recommend dedicating one 20-minute session once a week to cover topics and/or have conversations about the topic. (If you can dedicate more time, that's great! I have been successful in the past with a once weekly 20 minute session. I see this as a minimum.)

There are a variety (so many!) techniques for practicing mindfulness. The trick is that not every student will enjoy every technique. I recommend spending one 20-minute session once a week to practice a technique together as a class. Students can provide their feedback and reflections afterwards. After several techniques have been practiced, students can start to implement choice during this time. They can choose any mindfulness technique that works for them. 

Summary: Teach mindfulness once per week (20 minutes) as a group. Then students practice mindfulness (20 minutes at a time) either as a group or individually.

Eventually, mindfulness can be used in the spur of the moment in the classroom. When students are overwhelmed or if the energy of the class becomes too intense, the teacher or student could implement a 5-minute mindfulness break. 

The point is for students to understand what they are doing, why they are doing it, and that they have choice in their practice. Once they have this foundation, mindfulness will begin to happen spontaneously and it becomes part of the classroom culture.