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I know, we are being inundated. From this account to that account, none of us can get away. To be mindful and free, open and breathing: there’s a buzz surrounding it, right?

And to your dismay, no, I am not going to follow that up by bemoaning how it’s just a fad, a rage, or on trend. Actually, somethings we want to be on trend. And that is just it: why can’t we make it trendy, without farce or mockery; that people are finally being allowed to express their mindfulness routine or regime, their spirituality and slow yet steady rhythm with those around them (and beyond)? More so, as an educator, I feel the blurred lines between the mind, faith and the secular world we live in more and more, is becoming, well, even more blurry.

With the current environment we are manifesting within, there’s a certainty that every teacher, with their lanyard now hanging shyly away, is experiencing a wave of sentiments. Whatever it is you’re deciding to do, though, is okay.

So this mindfulness here; it’s reached the western world with a real oomph. From influencer, to celebrity, to scientist and even in the educational domain, to be mindful, to bring focus to that in your sphere has become much the norm for many. No doubt, many philosophers and theologians have mandated such practices for thousands of years, with no marketing, no url and no like count. But it existed. Because that’s just it: it is about the existence inside and outside of your mind. It’s not about control; rather, about welcoming in whatever the motion is telling you, riding it, and dealing with it as, is. In fact, allow me to change the word ‘deal’ here, as it insinuates negative connotations of having to fix problems upon problems. You’re allowing it, as, is.

Hello uncomfortable affair. Welcome. Let’s see what we’re going to do with you.

And of course, lest we forget that being mindful is not somewhere we run to when a discomfort occurs, no. I think this is often the catch: we humans can be so quick to jump to a higher force or vibration when things are squeezing us in the wrong way, that when comfort calls, we don’t acknowledge it. We do this with our pupils, with our colleagues. Mediating a problem between the two crowds, and now you’ve made it a party. Blame or fault is not being thrown here however, more an awareness of engrained behaviours we now, perhaps, are starting to recognise, mindfully.

So what do you picture when someone speaks of being mindful? I can guarantee this question is too loaded for me to quickly answer for you. I could have put words in your mouth and said, “sitting down, eyes closed, breathing and listening to an app.” No doubt, that image probably did make a preview in some minds; however, who’s to know who is reading this article? Language aside, the reader of this article, (well, you) could be sat anywhere in the world.

Let us picture it.

One may be sat in South Asia, perhaps somewhere in Sri Lanka or India, where mindfulness has been intertwined with the religion Hinduism for millennia. From the Bhagavad Gita’s discussions of yoga to Vedic meditation, the history of Hinduism reads in part like a history of mindfulness. But as always, history cannot speak for itself and say, “hey, I started it!”.

Or perhaps there’s a being, nestled somewhere in Nepal, or China. Cross legged, he or she faces a golden Buddha statue and gong. They too, are practicing mindfulness. It’s important to note that Buddhism is not a religion, but rather a school of thought and philosophy.

And then we travel (metaphorically for now), to Egypt, or Turkey, or even the depths of the desert in Algeria. Here you see a spinning being, spinning so much their outer shell becomes blurred: but you can definitely feel it. It’s imageless but speaks a thousand words. This could be dhikr, or remembrance, for many Muslims. And you guessed it, mindfulness.

And the list could go on, and on. Religion and philosophy are carried and practiced by those who announce their connection to it. The secular behaviour that comes out of it, is permissible too. I think to be mindful, is also to thoughtful, curious and inquisitive about the origins of what’s helping you in your journey of reflection and wellness. A give back thanks, to be able to give back in your own sphere.

So caan one be mindful, religious and reap the psychological benefits of this act? You may read and research as many individual cases of such studies, but as those with a faith may tell you, it’s a feeling that is often times inexplicable. Just as a secular yoga session leaves you feeling rejuvenated with a new found spring in your step, so does someone who is practising it with their own scriptural mantra.

The idea here is to be mindful (pun intended, wholly) that what’s creating focus and clarity for you, is probably channelling its energy in someone else, too. It just presents a little differently.

As my stomach turns at the loss of yet another life due to skin colour, I can’t help but feel the injustice seep beyond the media headlines and flow straight into the classroom.

Corona aside, our pupils will be making their way back to our classrooms: the rooms we deem safe, inclusive and a home away from home for many. But what use is a home, if the bodies inviting you in aren’t digging away beneath the surface to truly understand who you are?

As I speak, I speak from a primary school perspective: though I have no doubt that the message I try to convey will be echoed by practitioners across all phases of a student’s educational journey.

“I can’t breathe.”

Let us give pupils, even as young as age 8 or 9, more than the benefit of the doubt, and elevate their intellectual capability when it comes to societal understandings. They are very much woven into the fabric of society that we, as adults, live and experience. Their perspective may be tainted, lacks experience from an aged point from view, but is still very much valid. So, what happens when your child comes to your classroom door, full of questions as to why is this person being hurt because of their skin colour? Why do people do things like this? Will it happen to me or somebody I know?

For a large part of a child’s life at primary school, we have the backgrounds that make up their character through family set up, language and perhaps religion, too. There’s only so much one can know, and the discussions being had at home. Especially if linguistics is a barrier. And so they may turn to you, teacher, to console their thoughts, or help map out what they’re feeling. However, you may not have the tools to completely sympathise because you don’t share the same heritage, cultural background and even more so, skin colour.

Yes, skin colour plays a huge role in all of this. To say that colour is not a factor is so incredibly reductive. To lump all who don’t fit the narrative of white British, is again, reductive and dangerous. I admit, I have used POC (people of colour) before, and am someone who falls into that category. But once again, POC creates a binary between white (usually elevated in a positive light) and POC (remissive, othering). Within that category actually lies a spectrum of colours, languages and faiths. And some intermingle. Your pupil is not a POC: they are what they identify as. So in this instance, black is the magic, powerful word.

As Maslow proposed in his hierarchy of human needs, basic wants must be met before pupils can turn their attention to learning in the classroom. Many of these factors are often outside of our realm of reach as teachers, but we push to cater for them nonetheless. After securing food, water, shelter, and safety from harm, people seek as their next most important needs; affection, belonging, and esteem. If you don’t see yourself in the learning you are acquiring; if you don’t ever get your name pronounced properly, and if you are treated as though you are no different to anyone else, then hereby lies a problem.

Dr Remi Joseph-Salisbury, in his paper Black Mixed-race Male Experiences of the UK Secondary School Curriculum duly notes from a pupil he spoke to during his writing:

The fundamentals of math actually developed from Arabia, from Asia, not from England, it wasn’t Caucasian based, they didn’t just make everything themselves actually there was a history and it came from the Middle East. They talk a lot of the mathematical equations and formulas, all of that mathematical foundation, it came from the Middle East and that’s not shown in the education system that yeah, math is fantastic and it’s a universal language. . . the fact that the number naught was created by an Indian, you know, how many children actually know that? Is it important for them to know that? Yes because it means mathematics becomes culturally diverse, it’s not just something that was created by Jesus Christ or something, you know what I mean? Joseph-Salisbury, R. (2017)

That is telling. A curriculum overhaul is perhaps the start of a discussion that doesn’t dictate, but rather allows pupils to see themselves in the activism and the history of the world we live in. And that includes the Britain we live in today. However, as empowering as it can be for a pupil to learn about the history of their people and their contributions, it can also be dehumanising if not done correctly. 

If as an educator, enhancing and broadening the spectrum of who is represented in your curriculum and learning makes you uncomfortable; then you’re doing it wrong. The step towards more culturally relevant content in schools should not be controversial, or a favour. Black History Month has been an annual fixture in the UK since 1987. But a month is not enough. A month does not equate for the plethora of culture and experiences of a lifetime of black children and their history. History is everything, from black to white and never subjugated to a sole time frame.

As educators, we must raise expectations of Black pupils and counteract myths and stereotypes. We must be acutely aware of the way deep-rooted stereotypes and personal prejudices affect attitudes and behaviours towards them, as children and pupils will no doubt feel this too.  Any form of colour-blindness is an inappropriate attitude and approach to adopt when providing for our pupils, as all it does is diminish a whole experience, and perpetuate othering.

 Being given flexibility to teach isn’t enough. I believe there is a real need for more centralised support in making sure people know how important this is, especially educators who are not black. Your pupils deserve it.