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Sonnenblume - Achtsamkeit in Grundschulen
Start date: Sep 1, 2015, End date: Aug 31, 2018 PROJECT  FINISHED 

The project “Sonnenblume – Achtsamkeit in der Grundschule” (“Sunflower – Mindfulness in Elementary School”) is an innovative project, bringing the new and at the same time very old method of mindfulness intensely to the scholar everyday life. The consequences of constant acceleration and permanent distraction, resulting from last decades’ digital technologies in our world, make an adverse impact on the health and well-being of a great many people. Particularly children suffer from the influence, overflown and overwhelmed by irritations. School teachers observe that the attention span of children has badly shortened; many a child has become restless, and an increase in the occurrence of the “illness” ADHD is common. Besides children have difficulties on the social and on the emotional regulation level. The project is born out of the necessity and the feeling of responsibility to deal with this urgent topic of our time. We are convinced that mindfulness training is of benefit for both children and educators, that it has the potential to make an outstanding contribution in reducing the symptoms if not even changing the system, when given this valuable tool. The pupils, who at the beginning of the project visit the 1st up to the 4th school year in the Fundamental School “Villa Mirabella” in Wiltz/Luxembourg and in the department of the Elementary School “Königliches Athenäum” in St. Vith/Belgium, just as their class teachers constitute the about 170 participants of the project. Over three years they systematically will learn exercises for training perception, concentration and relaxation in order to cultivate a mindful attitude, supporting them not only in stressful times and moments, but producing also – as scientifically proven – the permanent effect likely to care for their health and well-being for life. Two experienced mindfulness trainers take care of the participants and repeatedly offer 8-weeks modules with basic knowledge and exercises in mindfulness. Experience and understanding become deeper with feedback talks of teaching persons and pupils, respectively among one another. The aim is to achieve a positive effect onto the atmosphere and the learning experience in class, to foster a better comprehension for oneself and the others, compassion, respect and unity just as to support each one in a sound emotional regulation and coping with stress. The understanding for one another and for the praxis can grow and deepen through mutual visits of the classes with interchange and training together. Along with their colleagues of the partner classes, children and adults observe the positive changes, discuss challenges and support each other. The children experience how mindful behaviour lets them come to agreements and connections. The teaching persons on both of the schools participate on training modules. In the collegial interchange they can talk of the effects of mindfulness in their personal and professional everyday life just as deepen their understanding and knowledge. In the long run the teachers are qualified for continuing parts of the training on their own in their school and support their whole school in establishing mindfulness as a fix part of living and learning. The project partner in Berlin AkiJu e. V. is an association standing up for mindfulness in German schools. They as partners on the project dispose of a lot of experience, a big network and an abundance of material which can be brought in, bringing advice and support. The results are pinned by e.g. questionnaires, feedback talks and video statements for evaluation. This material forms the basis for the project meetings twice a year with the participation of the mindfulness trainers. All the relevant results enter the professionally worked out “Manual for Implementation of Mindfulness in Elementary School”. The manual is conceived for teaching persons, schools and mindfulness trainers. Its aim is to inspire, inform and enable to bring mindfulness into schools on one’s own self. It will supply interesting realizations for High Schools, active in teacher studies and teacher training courses, just as for politically responsible people. The production of a documentary film and the manual edited in several languages are thought-out to make a positive contribution so that the project “Sonnenblume – Achtsamkeit in der Grundschule” (“Sunflower – Mindfulness in Elementary School”) should become permacultural, showing a way into the future.
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