Seeking Kairos: Creating Oases of Rest through Contemplative Practice in the Elementary Classroom

Rest and restfulness can serve as a contemplative practice in elementary schools, where children and teachers face constant pressure to achieve and perform. The author, a Canadian elementary teacher, argues that schooling in a burnout society prioritizes productivity, leaving little room for contemplativeness. Drawing on the etymological meaning of scholar as leisure or free time, the author proposes creating oases of rest in the classroom through reflective practices tied to curriculum content. Using reflective journaling, the author shows how such activities can foster restfulness for both students and teacher.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This article introduces rest and restfulness as contemplative practice in the context of elementary schooling. As a Canadian elementary teacher, I have been researching ways to introduce contemplative practices of education to support children in their well-being. Children struggle under the pressures of expectations to achieve and excel, to conform and perform, which just as well applies to their teachers. Schooling in a burnout society prioritizes achievement, productivity, and always doing something: “No time to waste” and “keep busy” are mandatory. Not incidentally, the etymological meaning of scholar, from Ancient Greek, σχολή (skholḗ), has to do with leisure or free time: a far cry from the contemporary scene of school learning. Given all this, contemplativeness cannot even take root in the mind-body-hearts that are constantly pressured to strive, perform, and achieve. More than anything, children (and teachers, too) need rest and restfulness. However, inactivity does not automatically guarantee that rest is found. Hence, my current research explores ways to create space/spaciousness in which children can experience restfulness while engaging in curricular activities. To this extent, I propose rest and restfulness as contemplative practice. I inquire how to create or allow oases of rest in the classroom through activities that incorporate reflective practices as an extension of curriculum content. I use my own reflective journaling to analyze and show how reflective writing among other practices can be contemplative and result in an overall feeling of restfulness for students and teacher alike.