CARE CORNER STUDENT CARE PROJECT

            Our programme targeted the issue of impulse control. Children, especially those from low-income families, have the tendency to have problems when it comes to impulse control, like easily giving in to temptations to be distracted from their task at hand. Children in the lower primary also tend to have difficulties focusing on one task for a long time (Crescentini, Capurso, Furlan, & Fabbro, 2016). This issue should be addressed for all primary school students to allow students to better focus in class and make a good habit of focusing on their priorities that is beneficial for them as they progress in life.

 

            A recommendation would be to implement mindfulness programmes in all primary schools across Singapore. These mindfulness programmes can help students develop self-management of their attention by increasing their awareness of the thoughts and emotions that influence their behaviours (Semple, Droutman, & Reid, 2016). Mindfulness practices exercises one’s ability to pay attention for a certain amount of time, increasing their ability to consciously block out temptations to be distracted (Koch, 2016). Mindfulness programmes often include yoga, breathing exercises, meditation, and more (Semple et al., 2016). Before the first lesson of the day, after recess, and after the last lesson of the day, classroom teachers can guide students in doing short 5-minute mindfulness practices, alternating between the different practices so as to keep things interesting for the students. It was found that mindfulness programmes bring the most benefits when delivered by classroom teachers, and it should typically be practiced at least three times a day (Koch, 2016). Mindfulness can also be incorporated into drama or art lessons as the imagination can be utilised, which is congruent to such lessons. An activity that can be added to these classes is to have the students imagine their thoughts as an object like bubbles or clouds, and imagine the floor as sand or grass as they walk around the classroom as a warm up before the start of lessons (Crescentini et al., 2016). Even during music lessons, mindfulness can be practiced by engaging in relaxation with music (Crescentini et al., 2016). With mindfulness incorporated into school curriculum, a habit of focus can be formed and students will have greater capacity to absorb what is taught in class (Koch, 2016).

 

            This mindfulness programme is based on educational appeal, which assumes that people are more likely to engage in health behaviours if they are well-informed about benefits that the behaviour can bring (Taylor, 2015). This programme lets students experience the benefits of engaging in mindfulness practices through compulsory engagement in school. Both the school and parents can be informed about the benefits that this programme brings, encouraging schools to run this programme and parents to continue practicing mindfulness with their children outside of school.

 

            The venue for promoting impulse control through mindfulness would be in primary schools since the targeted population is primary school students (Springer, Evans, Ortuno, Salvo, & Arevalo, 2017). Studies find that mindfulness techniques are most effectively taught in schools, bringing benefits to students no matter how it is instructed (Koch, 2016). Schools could also hold workshops for parents to raise awareness of the benefits of this programme, and have a short session to teach parents some of the practices that they can continue doing at home with their children.

 

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