What is Learning to BREATHE?
Learning to BREATHE (L2B) is a mindfulness-based curriculum created for classroom or group settings. Mindfulness is the practice of becoming aware of one’s present-moment experience with compassion and openness as a basis for wise action. This curriculum is intended to strengthen attention and emotion regulation, cultivate wholesome emotions like gratitude and compassion, expand the repertoire of stress management skills, and help participants integrate mindfulness into daily life. Each lesson includes age-appropriate discussion, activities, and opportunities to practice mindfulness in a group setting. L2B has been researched in many setting and used with adolescents and adults. L2B has been recognized in the 2015 CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) Guide as meeting research criteria for effective SEL programs.
Learning to BREATHE:
- Universal prevention which may also be used for targeted groups
- Includes multiple practice opportunities to cultivate mindfulness, compassion and gratitude
- Cost-effective
- May be linked to state, local, and professional standards for various content areas in schools
- Research-based
- Includes sample outcome assessments, sample teacher narrative, practice audio files, posters, wallet cards, etc.
- Includes workbook pages for program versions that may be downloaded and personalized
- Comprised of 6 themes that may be delivered in 6, 12, 18 or more sessions built around the acronym BREATHE
What’s new in Learning to BREATHE (2e)?
- New chapter “How to Use This Manual” provides practical updated information;
- “Theme at a Glance” pages for each lesson provide an easy guide for sequence and timing of lessons;
- New formatting makes scripts easier for teachers to follow and icons indicate places for student discussion, practices, and transitions;
- New boxes called “Teacher Notes” offer detailed guidance for teachers and boxes called “Activities” provide information about setting up and processing student exercises;
- New boxes called ‘Trauma Informed Practice” provide suggested adaptations for those with histories of trauma;
- New chapter called “Trauma, Mindfulness and Working with Youth” includes basic information about trauma, emotion regulation and learning plus provides detailed suggestions for teaching L2B;
- New chapter called “Mindfulness Boosters, Daily Doses and Key Words” offers additional mindfulness practice scripts and guidance to encourage school-wide practice;
- Revised student workbook pages:
- Additional on-line resources including pre and post-program student assessments, fidelity checklists, posters, audio files and wallet cards;
- Supplementary information includes questionnaire items for teacher self-assessment or coaching.
