As students and teachers embark on a new school year, educators remain divided over whether mindfulness training should be part of education. A decade of mindfulness in school initiatives is confronting new research suggesting potential harm, including a 2022 £6.4 million U.K. study, which concluded that mindfulness training not only does not improve educational outcomes but can have adverse effects.
Consider the casual use of the term “mindfulness”: it is often confused with focus, but they are opposite in meaning. Mindfulness is being fully present without bias, which requires letting go. Focus, also known as rumination or meditation, has to do with concentrating inwardly on one particular idea. The ability to move between the two is good mental hygiene.
As a Steinway Artist concert pianist, music studio owner, and former university and high school faculty member, I can attest that communal music classes are one of the more effective social-emotional activities. I teach mindfulness as a core part of good music-making. I see how mindful listening helps people notice new details, breathe more fully, and become aware of their biases.
Mindfulness training........