YMTP² founding members developed the theory of Mindful Behavior(ism) to answer the essential question:

How might each individual who enters a schoolhouse everyday choose to behave in a manner that affirms the humanity of each being?​

Mindful Behavior(ism) relies on the foundational understanding of four major constructs.

Yoga and mindfulness integration into school communities address and support the significant social and emotional needs that inhibit students’ ability to feel secure in their learning ability and their readiness to be receptive to the learning experience. With consistent practice and fidelity, the incorporation of yoga and mindfulness practices in schools are shown to have significant positive impact on children and teachers. Positive impacts from the integration of these practices into the school experience have been demonstrated by improvements in physical health and mental health, the enhancement of social-emotional learning, an increase in resilience, and improvement in school culture. Authentic integration of yoga and mindfulness practices in the school community can produce these positive outcomes in trauma-informed ways that promote agency and autonomy.

Physical & Health Improvements: 

Effective implementation of yoga and mindfulness practices in the classroom have been shown to improve physical and mental health in students and staff. Yoga has been found to be effective in improving physical health by increasing flexibility, strength, and balance (Khalsa et al., 2016). It can also help to reduce chronic pain and improve cardiovascular health. Mindfulness practices have also been linked to better physical health, with studies reporting reduced blood pressure and improved immune function (Roberge et al., 2018). Studies have reported that practicing yoga and mindfulness reduces stress, anxiety, and depression (Chang & Lee, 2018). This leads to improved overall well-being, increased focus, increased abilities in emotional regulation (Jha et al., 2007), compassion (Condon et al., 2013), and better academic performance. Teachers who have regular mindfulness practices have shown reduced stress and burnout rates (Flook et al., 2013), and have reported greater efficacy in doing their jobs (Jennings et al., 2013). 

Enhanced Social-Emotional Learning: 

Yoga and mindfulness implementation in school communities have been found to be effective in promoting social-emotional learning. These practices can support students and staff in developing skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, and empathy (Wong et al., 2020). This can lead to improved relationships, reduced conflicts, and better communication. Yoga and mindfulness practices can contribute to more emotionally supportive classrooms (Jennings et al., 2015) and better classroom organization (Van dek Kolk, 2014). Student benefits have included improved cognitive abilities and outcomes (Baijal et al., 2011), more developed and adaptive social-emotional skills (Schonert-Reichl et al., 2015), and a greater reported sense of well- being (Raes et al., 2014).

Increased Resilience: 

Resilience is the ability to adapt and bounce back from difficult situations, setbacks, and failures. It is an important skill to have in all areas of life, including learning. Resilience allows children and adults to be able to overcome challenges, persist in the face of difficulty, embrace mistakes and interpret them as learning opportunities rather than failures, build confidence in facing difficult tasks, manage stress and stay focused on accomplishing goals and adapt to change as individuals continue to learn and grow. Yoga and mindfulness practices have been linked to increased resilience, as students and staff have shown to better cope with stress, manage difficult emotions, and develop a positive mindset (Chang & Lee, 2018).

Research has shown that resilience is a key factor in recovery from trauma. In recent years, with the COVID-19 pandemic, traumatic experiences have become more widespread for children and adults alike. The New York City public school system supports children encountering emotional abuse, community violence, and bullying, as well as many other types of trauma. A study in 2011, involving students in foster care, found that 97% of the children and adolescents had experienced at least one traumatic event, with physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect being the most common types of trauma reported. Another study in 2019 in New York City public schools found that 77% of students reported exposure to at least one type of traumatic event, with community violence and bullying being the most common types of trauma reported. 

A study by Bonanno and colleagues (2006) found that individuals who exhibited greater resilience were more likely to experience positive outcomes following traumatic events, such as improved mental health and increased life satisfaction. Another study by Masten and colleagues (1999) found that resilience was a key factor in the recovery of children who had experienced significant adversity, such as poverty or maltreatment.

Trauma can have a profound impact on an individual's mental health and well-being and can permanently impact the development and functioning of the brain. These impacts can affect cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes, and can contribute to long-term mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Resilience allows individuals to cope with the stress of trauma by helping them to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors and can prevent the development of long-term mental health problems, such as PTSD. Resilient individuals have more positive relationships as they tend to have stronger social networks, which can provide crucial emotional and practical support during and after traumatic events. This support can help individuals to cope with the aftermath of trauma and reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Resilience can help individuals to find meaning in their experiences of trauma and feel more in control as a result. This can involve reframing traumatic events as opportunities for growth and learning and finding ways to use the experience to help others. Resilience allows individuals to maintain hope in the face of adversity. This can help to prevent feelings of despair and helplessness that can be common in the aftermath of trauma.

Improvements in School Culture:

School culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, attitudes, behaviors, and practices that shape the social and academic environment of a school. It encompasses the norms, traditions, and expectations that are collectively established by the school community, including students, teachers, administrators, staff, and parents. Positive school culture fosters a sense of belonging, respect, collaboration, and trust among all members of the school community. According to the New York City Department of Education, school culture is characterized by a safe and welcoming environment where students feel valued and respected, clear and consistent expectations for behavior and academic achievement, supportive relationships between students, teachers, and staff, opportunities for student voice and leadership, a focus on social-emotional learning and character development and family and community engagement.

Current research demonstrates that implementing yoga and mindfulness practices in schools can improve the overall school culture by promoting mindfulness and compassion, and reducing negative behaviors such as bullying and aggression (Ziegler et al., 2019). These practices can create a more positive and supportive environment, which can lead to better academic and social outcomes for students.

Improvements in Brain Development & Functioning:

Additionally, research has unveiled the positive impact that yoga and mindfulness practices can have on cognition and brain development. These notices relate to students’ physical and mental health, their level of resilience, and their abilities to engage in social emotional learning. Yoga and mindfulness can support a healthy and more balanced functioning of the nervous system, as these practices support emotional regulation and response in the mind and body. Studies have shown that the amygdala may be less activated following mindfulness and yoga sessions (Lutz et al., 2012). This center of the brain is responsible for detecting and reacting to emotions. The over-activation and imbalance of the amygdala and related systems can lead to reacting to any and all emotional situations as if they are dangerous, eliciting a fight or flight response automatically. Yoga and mindfulness practices can support a top-down approach of regulation so that the body is more able to sense accurately the emotions and sensations encountered and engage the prefrontal cortex to react accordingly (Van der Kolk. 2014). Studies involving children have found that yoga and mindfulness practices can improve mental health by increasing activity in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for regulating emotions and attention (Britton et al., 2019; Kang et al., 2019). This leads to reduced stress, anxiety, and depression, and improved overall well-being.

Recent research involving the brain has uncovered the positive changes that yoga and mindfulness can promote in terms of resilience. Studies involving children have found that yoga and mindfulness practices can increase resilience by increasing activity in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory (van den Berg et al., 2020). These practices also increase activity in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for executive function and cognitive control (Britton et al., 2019). This can help children better cope with stress, manage difficult emotions, and develop a positive mindset.

Yoga and mindfulness implementation supports students’ abilities to learn in the classroom. The prefrontal cortex has been shown to be more activated and developed, following yoga and mindfulness practices (Chiesa et al., 2010). Research has also uncovered increased hippocampus activity for those that practice yoga and mindfulness practices (Goldin et al., 2010). The hippocampus is essential for learning and memory and regulating the amygdala. Studies involving children have found that yoga and mindfulness practices can enhance social-emotional learning by increasing activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, the part of the brain responsible for empathy and self-awareness (Kang et al., 2019). These practices also increase activity in the insula, the part of the brain responsible for interoception, or the ability to sense and regulate internal bodily sensations (van den Berg et al., 2020). This can lead to improved relationships, reduced conflicts, and better communication.

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