Students get tips to deal with challenges

Students get tips to deal with challenges

21 June 2017

DOWNPATRICK students have been encouraged to enjoy the present moment during an innovative Mindfulness project.

Teenagers from St Patrick’s Grammar School and Down High School worked together for a six-week Mindfulness programme, Unity through Diversity, which is funded by the government’s Shared Education scheme.

Encouraged to train their attention on the present and to develop gratitude for what is going well, while responding more skilfully to life’s inevitable challenges, the Year 10 students began the course by fully concentrating on the sensation of eating a single sweet.

They were then encouraged to see, smell and taste a slice of lemon and a chilli and to consider how the different experiences made them feel.

Also encouraged to be mindful of their breathing and posture and of their walking and movement, the children then worked together on a piece of artwork.

The sessions were facilitated by Hilary McGuire, from Down High School, and Patricia Gallagher, from St Patrick’s Grammar School, who were delighted by the positive participation of the group.

While the students were unlikely to remembers all the practices taught, Mrs McGuire said they would hopefully remember elements of the course.

“Breathing through the difficulties things you encounter on your path and steadying yourself when things become a bit turbulent,” she said.

“There has been great chemistry and energy in the group and we have found the shared education aspect to be very special.”

Joe McCann, vice-principal of St Patrick’s Grammar School, said it had been fantastic seeing the two schools coming together.

“We are not far across the town from each other and this has been a wonderful opportunity to learn good skills which you can share with your friends.”

St Patrick’s Grammar School student Malachy McGrady and Cloideach Phillips, from Down High, said the course gave them their first taste of Mindfulness.

Cloideach said it had already proven useful helping her reduce anxiety during recent exams.

“It has shown me I can find peace whatever the situation,” she said.

Malachy said he found the practice peaceful despite struggling at first to focus his thoughts.

“It was hard in the beginning but I gradually got better with a bit of practice,” he said. “It has been useful doing this with another school and friendships will definitely be made.”