Paws b
for 7-11 year olds
Paws b stands for ''Pause, Breathe and Be''.
It is an evidence - based course designed in the UK by the charity Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), in collaboration with the The Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice at Bangor University, the first university based mindfulness centre in the UK. It has been part of numerous research studies all around the world over the last 10 years’ and taught to approximately 540,000 children.
Paws b's main aim is to provide an age-appropriate introduction to mindfulness, and is influenced by adult mindfulness courses such as MBSR and MBCT. It is taught in a fun and stimulating way using cartoons, video clips and practical activities, without losing the expertise and integrity of classic mindfulness teaching. Through the program students are encouraged to bring mindfulness into their everyday lives, and are provided with a short Home Practice at the end of each lesson.
​
The course is taught as twelve 45 -60 minute lessons, where students will learn about many things, including:
​
-
Specific areas of the brain and how these affect our ability to focus, make good choices, recognise when we need to steady ourselves when our body or mind is busy or out of balance.
-
Ways that mindfulness can support them in many day-to-day activities, including concentration and memory, behavioural self- management, and in relationships with family and friends.
-
Ways to respond rather than react – and therefore make better choices and take best care of themselves and others.
​
​Paws b can only be taught by accredited teachers who must have a solid mindfulness practice of their own. This ensures the integrity of the course and ability of teachers to answer students questions authentically and from experience, and is the reason I chose to train with them.
​
To date 245 teachers and 6, 189 pupils have given their feedback on the impact paws b has had in their lives which is summarised in the pdf below. For more information about the Paws b program and research that supports their work please do visit www.mindfulnessinschools.org
Course Outline
Lesson One - Our Amazing Brain
Exploring how mindfulness can help us to train our minds to change our brain.
Lesson Two - Making Choices
Learning how mindfulness can help us to concentrate when we need to; and recognising the choices we make each day and the impact these have on our lives.
Lesson Three - Puppy Training
Exploring how our attention can move around, and learning how the attention can be trained (like a puppy), with an attitude of kindness, patience and repetition.
​
Lesson Four - Everyday Mindfulness
Understanding what it means to be on 'autopilot' and learning about the part of the brain that links new experiences to old ones.
Lesson Five - Noticing the Wobble
Recognising that we all 'wobble' and exploring ways to ground ourselves.
​
Lesson Six - Finding a Steady Place
Grounding ourselves when we wobble, and learning to recognise moods in ourselves and others.
​
Lesson Seven - Working with Difficulty
Learning about the amygdala and its role in ‘fight, flight or freeze’; and exploring the idea of reactivity.
​
Lesson Eight - Choosing your Path
Learning how to nurture attitudes of curiosity, kindness and openness to experiences, and understanding the importance of keeping the mind and body safe and healthy through noticing choice points.
​
Lesson Nine – The Storytelling Mind
Recognising the power of thoughts, and noticing some of the habits of our mind.
​
Lesson Ten – Stepping Back
Learning about how thoughts can be connected to body, emotions and actions; and exploring ways to step back and tune into the present moment when the mind is telling us stories.
​
Lesson Eleven - Growing Happiness
Discussing how we can best nurture ourselves and others.
​
Lesson Twelve - The Yum Factor
Exploring specific ways to savour ‘the good stuff’; and learning about how happiness, kindness and gratitude are connected.
​
There is also a follow up course available for the subsequent school year consisting of 4 lessons. This provides a valuable recap and helps to embed the core practices.
