Dear Editor,
Some brief comments on SN Editorial on ‘Mindfulness’ on 30 June 2022 and news article that the Ministry of Education will be seeking the assistance of religious leaders to address students’ behaviour. My immediate reaction to the latter is that the children need to go outside and not be given Kali, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed (PBUH), Krishna or HIM Haile Selassie. By the way, I don’t know why introducing religion or religious figures in state schools is a good idea. Please leave it to the parents.
Years ago, after moving from the United States to a Caribbean country, my 4-year-old began to “act up”. I was utterly baffled because she adored pre-school and school in general. After behaviour modification tactics, I asked her what the problem was. She responded, “I don’t like to be in 90 degrees weather in polyester and socks, a hot classroom and 100 other children. The 100 was an exaggeration, but coming from a previous environment of 10 other children in a class with no chairs, just a mat and lots of space, the other 20-something children and being confined to a desk felt like 100!
Every time I look at the school buildings in Guyana, I feel sorry for the children and teachers trapped there during school hours in a tropical environment. It must be grueling, especially between 12 to 3 pm. Anyone will have difficulty finding mindfulness in overcrowded classrooms and hot buildings. It is also mind-boggling why we continue to build schools in this way. Even the private schools, in their attempt to maximize their student population and revenues, are guilty of the built environment that is not conducive to learning and “good behaviour”, much less mindfulness. Some psychologists, maybe even all of them, will argue that “bad behaviour” in children results from stress and their response to the stressors. Identifying and addressing the source of the stress will lead to behaviour modification.
Pre-Covid many school systems worldwide recognized that the outdoors and natural environment is the best classroom. This recognition has increased in Canada and Europe and is used to achieve social distancing. There are schools worldwide in cold weather where the classrooms are entirely outdoors. The Finnish are lauded for having the best education system in the world; children there are required to spend time in nature daily. Nature for them consists of sub-zero degrees temperatures and permafrost. Despite being in a tropical country with lots of sunshine and biodiversity, our students spend most of their time in concrete rooms. They even learn agriculture mainly through textbooks. Incidentally, mindfulness is not only found in yoga mat meditation, but a simple walk outside can result in mindfulness. Gardening is one of the best mindfulness techniques. Nature is the best mindfulness therapy!
So, start building and converting the existing schools more in tune with the natural environment and conducive to children learning. Let the children spend more time outside (and in extra-curricular activities). And get rid of the ties and polyester. It will not solve all the behavioural issues, but it will make a significant difference, including contributing to mindfulness. Finally, ask them what the problem is and how it can be addressed, start with that actually.
Sincerely,
(Name and Address Provided)
