Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Tuesday at the Library

We are coming up on the halfway point of the school year, and this was our fourth monthly visit to Millennium Library, so the day has become a lovely routine, during which the students make the most of their time and the library space and resources. Some students required a little more supervision and guidance, and I spent my afternoon on the fourth floor with Student A, but most were independent and on task, and I am grateful for another productive and uneventful day at the library.

We began, as we do, in Mr. Y's room to meditate and prepare for the day. It didn't take long for everyone to get settled, and though Student A was on the side in front of the windows, and Student B was sitting in the back with his buddies, the six and a half minute meditation went quickly and quietly, and beyond the initial behaviour reminders, I didn't have to do any classroom management.

We moved through the usual prompts, breath count, and into the focused breath, visualizing the day ahead, the plan they had set for themselves, where and with whom they were going to sit, and what they hoped to accomplish, as they inhaled what they needed to make it happen, and exhaled the blocks.

The room was very quiet, and so I moved around where there was space, not worrying about getting to any student in particular, as I encouraged them to inhale their focus and exhale their distractions and temptations to veer off task, while picturing the library and the day ahead.

We moved into the silence and I looked around the room at my students, with their heads down or their eyes closed, quiet and still as we prepared for the day ahead, and felt grateful for them, and the fact that we were off for a day at the library. Then I closed my eyes, taking a few breaths and a few moments for myself and a prayer for the day ahead.

The track ended a few moments later and I closed the meditation, bringing their awareness back to their bodies and the classroom. As we closed, I remarked that the peace in the room had been remarkable, and if it was a sign of what was to come it was going to be another great day at the library.

Which is exactly what it turned out to be, and another day for which I am grateful.

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