Room to Breathe (2013) - full transcript

Okay, first word.
Part one.

What sound?

E.
E.

What word?
Hear.

Good. Next word.
What sound?

E.
What word?

Gerard, are you with us?
What word?

Steal.

Okay.
Part two.

What sound?

First bell rings
I hate that sound



Back in the class
with my head down

Got a test
all kinds of stress

Can't take home
another F

Sometimes I need to stop
and breathe

All right.
Time to ring the bell.

Okay, partner up, everybody!
My name is Ling Busche.

I'm a seventh grade counselor
at Marina Middle School.

Gotta go to the end of the line.
Nice try, DeShawn.

We are one of the larger
middle schools.

We have a student population
of about 900.

The line is going
pretty smooth today.

There's a great divide
in terms of student population.

Guys, let's go inside!

You've got the honors classes



that have the highest
performing students,

no behavior problems.

Then you have
the general ed classes,

which are a mix
but contain students

who have the lowest test scores.

I virtually get
no behavioral referrals

for the honors classes.

All of the
disciplinary referrals

are coming out
of the general ed classes.

There is a significant number

of our students
that don't see school

as a place for them.

I always say it by saying,
"They don't do school."

One disruptive kid
can take away any learning

that goes on in the classroom.

So other kids wanna misbehave
'cause they think

everybody's misbehaving.

Ooh!
Fat mama.

When the class is crazy

and throwing pencils,
it messes up my concentration

fully.

So the thing I do
is I just sit in my chair

and do nothing.

Chris, turn around.
Get on task.

I have sent out
and suspended from my classroom

more students than I have
in a long time.

You're gonna get me
in trouble!

I just the find the behavior
to be completely off the wall

and unacceptable,

not just toward me,
but toward each other.

A lot of kids
might not feel that school

is always relevant to them.

School is structured
for a certain type of kid

and maybe they're not
that type of kid.

It reaches a point
where they don't feel

like they're heard.

Number 10 to 40, evens.

This was the assignment
yesterday.

Dammit.
They don't work.

What is going on
with you two?

Get out a piece of paper.
Science.

Science.

There's sort of this sense
of nonstop entertainment

and whatever's happening
in the lesson

often becomes secondary.

Do not misspell
the word amphibian.

Anyways, I forgot
what I was gonna say.

Their engagement
is tied to the drama

that's happening in the yard,
what's happening on Facebook,

and they are consumed by it.

And so it just continues on
in the classroom.

Stop kickin' me.

Do you see what this
freakin' whale just did?

Get back in the room.

Slope is M.

We're going to take
a Y value.

Excuse me.

If I continue to hear talking,
one or both of you

are going to find a new seat.

Ugh.

No, that's not "ugh."

It's, "Yes, Mr. Ehnle."

And then you get on task.

How about opening...
With that many bodies

in a classroom,
when somebody needs to be moved

off to a corner,
there are no corners

'cause there's already
somebody there.

I've given up.

I just put them
next to each other

'cause I'd rather have them
talking, and yelling,

and carrying on
next to each other

than across the room.

Think about it.

Lately.

Think about it.

We would all learn much more

if nobody really was talking
or getting distracted.

We would all, like,
have our grades up,

we would all be good kids
and everything.

I know we're good kids,
we're smart,

but sometimes I guess
we're too lazy to show it.

What the f...

you stupid... itch?

That's why nobody likes
your ugly ass.

No one likes you!

Gerardo does

get angry sometimes
and seek out a challenge.

It has really brought him down

in terms
of his academic performance.

I'm not the only one
that fools around.

Yeah, you are.
No, I'm not.

Shut up.

You're gonna get me
a... zero.

If I get frustrated,
I get hot.

And then after,
I... I get cold.

All the heat goes away.

I just finished up
my one thing and...

It's not a good feeling
that I have.

Middle school boys
have trouble sitting still

for long periods of time
and focusing at their desks.

This really doesn't work
for them in general.

But that's the way
school looks,

that's how it's structured.

Malik, go sit over there
by Jacqueline.

No!

I really fear
for these kids

who don't put forth the effort.

They don't try,
they don't persevere.

Next word?
E.

Next word, what sound?

How can you put together
a relationship?

How can you stay at a job
when it's not fun

if you have not learned
to persevere?

You're not gonna help yourself
be successful

when you're behaving like this.

Omar?

What?

This is not the way
to help yourself...

I do like learning
new stuff,

but if they're teaching it
in a difficult way

that I don't understand,
then I'm just gonna

stop tryin'.

You know what?

I don't want to hear
the arguing.

But I know I could do better.

If I just turned in my homework.

Tonight's homework
for science is 12-3.

Jacqueline, go sit in the back.

Mr. Ehnle
does disrespect me.

He has an island on his head.

He has huge glasses.

And he screams a lot.

Jacqueline, if you are
having conversations,

it will end or you will
be out of the classroom.

Why do you always send me
out of the classroom?

Huh?

Because you do so much talking.

When the teachers have tried
things in a classroom

then the student comes down
with the referral...

When we get kicked out,
we go down to the office.

I'm always the one
that he sends out

and it always feels bad.

Sometimes
they get pigeon-holed

because of, you know,
previous patterns

of behavior.

I think that they
all feel like the underdogs,

no one's rooting for them.

Gerardo, when you get sent down,
nine times out of ten

it's because of something
like... which seems small

like an argument.

She's like,
"You have a history

of doing stuff."

And I said,
"But I'm not doing

what I used to back... back...
back in sixth grade."

And I think...

A lot of the students
that come in and out

of the office, ironically,
sometimes it feels like

they want to come
to the counseling office,

which is a little bit
of a dilemma

because they're outside
of the classroom more.

And it's hecka not fair.

If it all boils down to it,
you're messing yourself up

because...
But it's because

if I'm not doing nothing,
how am I messing myself up?

How am I... how am I...
how am I the one

that's putting myself into this
when I'm not doing nothing?

You're missing your test,
so now it's gonna be

kind of a hassle to get you
to make up that test.

It all adds up.

Okay, well she can be
part of that, too.

I swear, like...

We have a consultant
that came in recently.

And she actually
described our school

as "apartheid land,"
which I was, at first,

a little bit offended by,
but, um,

after thinking about it,
I understood what she meant

because she saw
who was coming in and out

of the counseling office.

I don't want to see you in here
with another referral today,

Gerardo.

All right.

Get it together.

It's our Latino
and African American kids

who are underachieving,
who don't feel like

they're a part of the school,
and we have to address that.

We have to make those kids
part of the school

and we have to allow
those students

the opportunities
and, in fact,

get them to achieve
at a higher level.

Moises.

Yes?

Why are you out
of class, buddy?

I'm going to the...
We are suspending

at a rate higher
than any other middle school

in this city.

And I know that
that has to stop.

Something that would benefit
all of the kids

had to happen
across all of the students.

So when one of our therapists
talked about the idea

of going into the classroom
to teach meditative strategies

which would reduce conflict, um,
increase focus, you know,

we were like, "That's perfect."

What we'd like to do
is create a sense

of this is a community
and we're not just gonna

push you out.

We're gonna help teach you
about how to do this

and do it well.

So we're gonna look and see
where you're at in the process,

how many times
this has happened with you...

This only happened once.

She says there was
a sixth grade incident also.

One of the reasons
that we embraced

bringing in mindfulness
into the classroom

was to see if we could create
a bright light

within the community
where adults and children

can see that, "Hey,
something is really working

to make this community
more inclusive

and for everybody,"
if we can start

creating those spots
around Marina Middle School,

then others will see it
and start to adopt

that empathetic
and that attitude of saying

that the school
is gonna meet more

of those needs.

My name is Megan Cowan.

And I am here
from an organization

called Mindful Schools.

We go into classrooms
and teach something

called mindfulness.

I'm gonna be visiting
your classroom twice a week

for just 20... maybe 30 minutes.

There are gonna be
periods of time

that are totally silent.

So, what?
Are we gonna be meditating?

So, let's raise your hand
if you wanna have a question.

The biggest misconception
is that mindfulness

is spiritual or religious.

Although it can be traced back
to, um,

very traditional practices,

uh, it can be used
in a secular way

to address issues
in society today.

What we're gonna try right now
is just what I call

a mindful posture.

Just lift off your chair
momentarily for a few...

we're gonna do this
for about two minutes maybe.

And then notice if anything
in your body is moving,

like if your leg is bouncing,
or your foot's moving,

or your fingers are moving.

I think of mindfulness
as a tool or a skill.

Society and our culture
is training us

to not be focused.

So technology is causing us
to jump from one thing

to the next constantly,
all the time.

And when we're asked
or required

to focus on something,
our brain actually

is not prepared to do that.

It's not trained to do that.

So I think
on a very practical level,

it's just creating more focus
in our lives.

And try to let everything
become still.

Ugh.

And notice that this
is uncomfortable.

It's not... uncomfortable.

And if you feel
the need to talk.

It really teaches
about increasing impulse control

so that we get more choice
around our actions.

Okay, now relax.

Keep your attention with me.

Yeah, tell me...
tell me why you didn't like it.

It was like,
it was all right.

Then later
I couldn't feel my body

and it felt kinda weird
on my legs, so...

like if I got shot or something.

I don't know.
You know what, you guys?

We're gonna have to figure out
some way to make this work

since I'm gonna be here
fifteen times.

Fifteen times?
Yeah.

Mindfulness actually
is training you

to be comfortable when
you're not being entertained.

'Cause you will not be
entertained 24 hours a day

of your whole life.

Hang on.

When Megan came in,
I thought,

"Aw, man, we're that bad
they gotta bring

a TV show about us?"

I'm not sure
how our class was chosen,

but, uh...

The kids ask
why mindfulness was brought

to their classrooms.

It's hard to go down that road
when they're so used

to going down the other road,
which is a road of chaos

and disorder.

If they cooperate
and they, like, pay attention,

they would change,
but since I know

some of the kids won't,
I don't know about the class.

Agh!

Not all of my family members
got to finish middle school

and high school.

And I wanna show them
that I can do

what they could have done.

And I wanna prove to them
that I can go to college

and show them that
I'm getting a good career

and changing my life.

When the sound of the bell
is completely gone for you,

raise your hand.

We were just trying
not to be our normal selves

in class when she came in.

We're usually loud
and we yell across the room

and we just get up
from our seats and, like,

crack jokes and stuff.

But, like, it was kind of hard.

Can you turn this way?

So, put your hand on your belly
and everybody take

one deep breath
that only you can hear.

And then take three breaths,
noticing if you feel it

in your chest.

When Megan first came
to teach the first

mindfulness class,
I was like, "Get out of here.

I don't wanna do this."

It was fun throwing pencils
and stuff, you know?

Not listening to teachers
is always fun,

but it's not the thing to do.

Up.

Get in the chair.
No, no, no, no, no, no.

I didn't ask
if you wanted to.

Yes, you did.

So I know
there's some distraction,

but we're just gonna continue.

Hey, guys,
what's your name again?

Rusty Shackleford.

So, Matt,
Rusty Shackleford?

Can you... can you help me out
by just having your attention

up here?

All right.
Okay.

It's not like
it's hard to reach them,

it's just that they want to act
like they don't really care

about nothing.

But I know that they do care.

They're trying to act
like they're tough.

They try to act like,

"Oh, I'm better than this,"
you know?

When they're really not

Raise your hand
if something about

a minute of mindful breathing
was unpleasant.

I'm not used
to being so quiet.

I've lived in San Francisco
for a long time,

so you always hear
like cars and stuff

and it wasn't noisy, so...
Okay.

So you're used to the noise
in San Francisco.

So we're gonna end right now
with the bell.

You just really want to find
a way to reach them

and you're not.

And so I don't know...
I don't know where to go

next with it.

There goes Malik.

Go there along the alley.
Don't go around the corner.

Where's Steven at?

Steven Hopkins
goes to After School with me.

That's how we stay
out of trouble.

In the beginning,
I had, like, all A's.

And, like, during the middle,
I just started, like,

not wanting to do my work
and stuff.

I would just go... go to school
and not even do anything.

Just not do my work,
go have fun.

Installing is kinda fast though.

Is it?

Yeah.

When he comes home,
I always ask him,

"Are you okay?
How was school?

What did you did?
Did anything change?

Anything wrong?"
So I try to get

at least an idea
of what happens

during the day for him.

If I just put him on the side
and never talk to him

or don't care
about what he does,

then that's different.

Yeah.

There it goes.

For the past, I would say,
maybe a year, year and a half,

we're having really hard issues
with him.

Uh, tardiness, attendance,
the friends that he hangs with,

and the things that he does.

It's like
if you're doing good

they give you plusses.

If you're fooling around
or not in your seat

or something,
they give you circles.

How many plusses
did you got today?

All together in the group?

Eight.
In your group?

Table 10?
Eight good?

Yeah.

How many bad?
Seven.

Are we doing equal here
or are we doing minus or plus?

Come on.

One time they called me at work
and says, "You have to come

pick up Gerardo right now.

We cannot keep him
in school no more."

And I'm like,
"It's 11 in the morning."

He says, "Well,
you need to come pick him up."

I mean, they just wanted you
to leave the premises

and don't come back.

I mean, that is pretty bad.

But I was doing good though.

I understand,
but for how long?

I graduated
from Marina Middle School.

I was exactly like Gerardo.

I was actually honor roll
for about six months

and then everything
went down sour, too.

I started hanging
with the wrong crowd,

I was answering back,
not doing homework

until eventually
I got kicked out of school.

Sometimes I fool around
in class.

Oh, that I know.

You don't have to tell me.

Why did you sit in the front?

'Cause you're special?

Because I love my teacher.

No, you don't.

All right.
No, it's not all right.

Don't just tell me "all right"
just to tell me to be quiet.

I'm trying to make a point here.

It would not be fair for me
to go to work on time

and have everybody else be late
when I'm on time every time.

There's little things out there
that I regret I done

and I was...
believe me, if I could go back,

I would have changed it.

That's the thing
that I'm trying to teach him.

I says, "Look at my mirror.

Look where I am.

Look what I've gone through."

I've been doing dishes,
I've been doing janitor work.

I've been doing
all kinds of jobs.

I've been selling fruits
in the streets.

So, to me they're nothing new,
but for him,

he has a chance
and the opportunity

to be somebody here.

And he just doesn't
take advantage of it.

I think it's a waste of time.

I don't think the school...
but he needs to come up

with better choices though.

Right?

Yeah.

Sounds like
we're in Hong Kong.

Can I have your attention?

So the way things went
on Monday,

it's not gonna work
for mindfulness.

So I need to find out
who really does not

wanna be here for mindfulness.

I'm gonna need each of you
that are raising your hand

that you don't want to be here
to tell me why.

It's boring?

It's boring
and it's stupid.

Do you ever find
other things in your life

boring or stupid?

No.

No? Never?

So this is the only thing.
So you definitely want to go.

Yeah.
Okay.

There are a few kids
who make the rest of the class

particularly challenging.

If there were five of them
that weren't in there,

then the majority of them
actually would be trying

and would be participating.

Diego, come here.

Okay, they're just gonna
head outside with you guys

and we're gonna have
the class without you.

Thank you.

It's our philosophy as a program
that all students

are present in the class
even if they are

the disruptive ones
because we believe

that they're the ones
that might even gain

the most benefit.

But right now what I'm seeing
is there's a handful of kids

that are causing
so much disruption

that it's at the expense
of the other 30 kids

in the class.

Fat boy.

Some of the people
that are ready

and willing to do it
are not gonna feel comfortable

unless the rest of the class
is settled in.

So raise your hand
when the sound of the bell

is gone.

Oh, we're supposed
to be going to lunch.

It's like hitting
a brick wall.

I just am frustrated
and kind of hopeless

The defiance is so deliberate
and I don't know

if I can work with that
in this large of a group.

So I sat down with Mr. Braxton
and Ms. Busche

to ask how I should respond
to this class.

The problem that I'm meeting
with these kids in particular

is that four kids are being
deliberately destructive

at the expense
of thirty other students.

Now, we're a public school.

We take everybody
where they're at

and we do the best job we can
with them.

And the idea that thirty kids
are waiting for five kids...

Yeah.

Or that somehow
these kids are the victims

or they're not getting something
at the expense of others,

that's a paradigm
I prefer not to set up

that some get and some don't
and that we sacrifice five

so that others do.

We should give the same thing
to everybody.

It may not come
in the same way, though,

and I'm okay with that.

Let's take this
one day at a time.

And today we'll take
those four out for the class...

And then reintegrating them
when that class comes back

together as a whole,
it's not formed

for kids in the class.

I had a parent teacher
conference and it was bad

'cause the teachers
were talking bad about me.

Not a lick of work.

Nothing turned on.

By not doing homework,

she thinks that's the way
she can get back at the teacher.

This is what we did
in math class today.

She got behind math
and reading and writing also

because the teacher sent her
to the, uh, office.

Every day, she should be able
to bring a paper home...

In America,
it's like boring for them.

Getting a diploma is like,
"Whatever."

What is that going to get?

Always do this
on the overhead projector.

The principal said
that if she gets, like,

one more thing,
she'll have to change

the school.

But I don't want her
to get out of Marina.

I like the school.

She could do very well
if she focused

and really decided,
"I'm gonna be a great student."

Yeah.

I think
it's really up to you.

I think you have the resources
and it just takes a decision

on your part to do your part.

I hope to pass.

I would feel kind of sad.

If I don't pass,
then I don't get to go on

with my friends and move on.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

When I wake up in the morning
and it's the day

that we're teaching
at this school,

I have a mixture
of mild dread and also

some determination
of what can I do today?

So I wanna get creative
and figure out

how to reach 'em.

I'm gonna have you guys
start leading mindfulness.

Please let your eyes close.

Okay, thank you.

All right, you guys,
what do you think

is your biggest influence
in your life?

Lesly?

Dad.

Dad.

Jacqueline?

My sister.

Okay,
so we've got dad, sister.

Gerardo?

Art.

Art.

Would you be surprised
if I told you

the biggest influence
in your life is your mind?

And when we practice mindfulness
you're strengthening your mind

to have the influence
on your life

that you want it to have.

And when we practice
mindful breathing,

we're developing
the strength of our mind

to have influence on us.

It was hard to sit still
and to, like,

not move my hands or anything.

It was just, like,
"Okay, I just need to calm down

and, like, help myself
to stop moving

to see if this works or not."

One way that we can create
influence in our life

with our mind is by having
thoughts on purpose rather

than thoughts on accident.

So go ahead and get back
into a mindful position.

I'm gonna say a phrase.

So the first thing
I want you to repeat

silently in your mind
is, "I wish for myself

to be happy."

And then try the wish,
"I wish for myself

to be healthy."

And now create a wish
in your mind

that is specific to yourself,
whether it's something

you want to accomplish,
a quality that you want to have,

something you want to do.

"I wish for myself,"
you fill in the blank.

It just helps you, like,
relax and forget

about everything else.

Is anybody willing
to say what they wish

for themselves?

Thank you.

Gerardo?

To do better in school.

Great.

In his class.

Thank you.

You wish to do better in school,
particularly Mr. Ehnle's class.

Yeah.

I want to move to Alaska.

You wish to move to Alaska.

Yeah.

Okay, great.

Thank you.

Raise your hand
if this was the first time

that you had thoughts on purpose
about your happiness.

Okay, I want you
three times today

wish yourself happiness, okay?

But your challenge is
to remember to do it.

And I want to express
my deep appreciation

for your participation today.

That room really shifted today
and I felt like the students

really participated in a way
that was helpful to them

as each individual,
but also as a classroom.

Okay, thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Ehnle.

I have thoughts
about the Mindfulness Program.

I'm perfectly willing
to participate

and I hope it helps students
in learning

and effectively using
the opportunity that is

their middle school experience.

Four, five, six,
seven, eight.

Good morning again.

Hi.

Hi.

How are you?

Good.

We're gonna go
into mindful listening.

I encourage you to have
an open mind this morning

while we try something
that you probably

haven't done before.

Keeping your attention on sound.

Listen to the sounds
outside the room.

And then focus on the sounds
inside of you.

At first,
we all thought

she was like a voodoo person
'cause of what she was wearin'.

You guys got really mindful.

Can you identify how you felt
listening to the sounds outside?

I was a little impatient.

A little impatient.

Yeah.

Yeah.

'Cause I'm used to moving
and chatting a lot.

You're used to moving
and chatting.

Exactly.

So try to be mindful of sounds.

Outside, inside,
inside yourself.

And I will see you on Monday.

Thank you again, you guys,
that was great.

Mindfulness Program...

it's all right.

It's okay.

I think it'll only help
certain kids

that really is interested in it.

Omar, he was really
getting in a lot of trouble

in school.

He has straight F's.

Had a very bad
discipline problem.

Would not do
what the teacher says

and just a problem kid.

Hey, how you doin'?

Oh...

How was your day?

Good.

Good?

How's your asthma?

All right.

It's okay?

Me and my husband,
we thought it would be best

for him to stay with us,
as I had just retired.

There's some cookies.

Did you get a progress report?

Yeah.

He brings home
a progress report.

That's one of the things
he's required to bring home

to me every day.

And that's been every day
since he's been going

to Marina.

But what about Ms. Ellis?

There's nothing for Ms. Ellis.

Every day
I've been asking you...

Omar can be quite challenging
when he's defiant.

Quite challenging.

I need to know what she says.

I know what you tell me.

She has expectations for me.

She just wants me
to do good in school.

I need you to put down
what she says about you.

She's pushing me to do well.

Sometimes I don't
really listen to her.

I just didn't do it
this morning.

I think you need to start...

I don't really care.

I have nothing to say to her.

I just want to see
some improvement from you.

You know.

Today I brought you
something.

What I brought is something
that we can eat.

Raisins.

Okay.

Okay, so somebody tell me
your three reactions.

Yeah?

My first reaction,
I was excited.

Second one,
I was like, "Okay."

The excitement
kind of went away.

You said raisins,
I don't eat raisins.

I'm gonna hand them out.

So just hold it right now.

Don't eat 'em yet.

So what I'd like you to do
is open your mouth...

shh, we're gonna
do this quietly...

and take a whole minute
to chew it.

And what I want you
to pay attention to

is how your raisin changes.

It's so sour.

We want to bring mindfulness
into our entire experience,

not just sitting still
with our eyes closed.

The next time you're eating
something that you like,

I want you to be mindful of it
so that you can experience it

differently than you have
in the past.

Okay?

Thank you, you guys.

Have a great rest of your week.

I'll see you next week.

When I have problems
at school,

I really don't talk
to my parents.

Not really my mom.

I don't really feel like
she can understand me.

I love my parents.

I'm happy to have both of them.

I am the only sister,
the only daughter.

I feel lonely
with the two little brothers

that I have.

Sometimes I get mad at them.

Stop throwing it over there.

The way I deal
with getting mad

is that I would just, like,
pretend nothing happens

and keep it in me,
never let anybody know.

The same thing at school.

If someone makes me cry
and no one else knew about it,

I would keep it in myself
and pretend nothing happened.

I really have no way
to let it out.

It's always, like,
loud everywhere I go.

It's never quiet,
never still.

When we meditate,
it's always quiet

and I get to listen
to different sounds and...

it's really different for me.

Raise your hand
if you have somebody

in your life
who you have difficulty with

but it's somebody
that you care about a lot

or you love.

And bring to mind this person
who you care about

but maybe there's
some challenge with.

Repeat silently.

"I wish for you to be happy."

"I wish for you to be happy."

Ever since
my parents broke up,

I really didn't care
if I was angry or not.

My teachers and everything,

like, I really didn't care
if they were frustrated with me

or anything.

"I wish for you to be safe."

"I wish for you to be safe."

Gerardo has a lot of anger
towards me sometimes.

We get along good,
we have fun together,

we spend time together.

And sometimes
we just don't get along.

I think it's because
I'm not living with his dad

and it's hard for him
to understand

that we're not together anymore.

Find a wish on your own
that's meaningful

regarding this person
and you make the wish,

you choose the wish.

My mom, she yells at me.

The whole place
just feels all...

like a pot of water
that's cooking.

Sometimes you can
run away from it

and sometimes you really can't.

Sometimes you just gotta, like,
be there and you gotta burn

in the little pot thing.

Let your attention
rest in your body,

just noticing
how your body feels

and how your mind feels.

I want Gerardo to graduate,
have a degree.

I know that he can do it,
but right now it's tough time.

It's really hard for him
to focus in school.

But I want him
to be somebody in life.

If I could rule the world
everyone would have a gun

In the ghetto of course when
giddyuppin' on their horse

I kick a rhyme
drinkin' moonshine

I pour a sip on the concrete
for the deceased

But no don't weep
This morning,

I used mindfulness
'cause my mom,

she was yelling at me
'cause I didn't get up

in the morning
and I was just mad.

I was just gonna, like,
lock the door

and, like, go back to sleep
and not go to school today.

But then, like, I just...
I chilled for a little bit,

I used mindfulness real quick.

And it made me feel more calm.

You can't hide
And I came to school.

And take it slowly
Ready or not here I come

You can't hide
Good morning.

While you're doing
mindful breathing,

I'm gonna deliberately make
a little bit of noise.

And using the anchor words
breathing in and breathing out

will help you
stay focused on your breathing,

even when there's some
distraction or chaos.

Breathing in.

Breathing out.

I wasn't surprised
in the beginning.

When things got quiet,

people would, like,
make fart noises and stuff.

But now when she rings the bell,
we could be, like,

yelling and stuff and fighting,
but we still know

when that bell rings,
that we stop.

Go by the court, Alex.

I haven't talked
about mindfulness

with my friends,
I talked about it

with my family.

I have one brother.

I woulda had another brother,
but he died.

I learned how to play basketball
from him.

My brother was 22.

So Doody said he's gonna come?

No, he wanted us
to come and get him.

Is he gonna come...

After his brother died,
he changed in school.

His grades went down.

His behavior
was kind of nonchalant,

like he didn't really care

about too much of anything.

And when he got a little older
that's when you start

trying to get in
trouble and stuff.

Yeah.
Yeah.

This is my brother.

He died five years ago.

And I was asking a lot of people
if they knew who did it.

Did you?

Yeah.

Some people say yes,
some people say no.

Not like I could do something
about it though.

Yeah.

After he died,
then a couple of other people

that you knew and loved
died, too.

And so it was...

you started really acting out.

This is my other friend Gene.

This is the one that got shot
in the back of the neck.

And ran all the way
to his granny's house

and died on her floor.

That was in the beginning
of the school year.

Do you miss him?

Yeah.

I do, too.

Yeah.

Yeah.

We used to play over there
when we were little.

What was over there?

Just open field.

Kickball...

Was it bigger?

And the tree was so shady.

Did he get killed
like right there at the gate?

Yeah.

And somebody had came up
and shot him.

Too much death
and you get too depressed.

It's almost like a war zone
sometimes out here.

Didn't there used to be
hecka balloons over there?

Yeah.

Balloons, teddy bears.

Then what happened?

They put this gate up
because at first

the gate wasn't there.

I'm trying to focus
on school and sports.

That's basically it.

What happened to the balloons,
like?

And hopefully
if I keep on playing sports,

that could probably get me
out of here.

I could take my family
out of Richmond.

We could just move somewhere.

Yeah, they grew up right here
just like I grew up

on the block.

They all did.

Yeah.

All right.

Can I get somebody
to lead today?

Do you want to, Omar?

Get in a mindful posture.

Ebony.

Get up.

Oh, you have to be kind
though.

Say it in a nice way.

Ebony, can you please sit up.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That's better.

Now look down
and listen to the bell.

Keep your eyes closed.

How do you feel right now?

Relaxed.

Relaxed?

Yeah, it's all right.

It's cool.

All right.

Nicely done.

Thank you very much.

Let's see.

Jennifer, do you wanna lead?

All right.

And go ahead, ring it.

Shut your ass,
groupie!

Move over!

When I get angry

at other kids at school,
I'm really good

at putting them at their spot.

Dirty old goat.

Oh, she didn't hear.

I've seen the sweet side
of Jacqueline.

And I sometimes would
like her to show it,

but I guess she doesn't
really want anyone to see it.

So if I was gonna
write down words

for the Jackie
that other people see,

what words would I come up with?

Nice.

Mm-hmm.

Funny.

Mm-hmm.

They look at me
like I'm mean.

Sometimes they see you
as mean?

Yes.

What's the Jackie
on the inside?

Shy.

Mm-hmm.

I don't think
doing mindfulness

changes me at all.

Do you think
anybody knows you're shy?

No.

How about thoughtful?

No.

It's boring, but, like,
I could use it as a tool

if I'm mad or something.

When people see you as mean,
what's that all about?

'Cause I pushed 'em around
and, like, I hit them

and stuff like that.

Mm-hmm.

So you kinda act tough.

Is that who you are?

That is a little bit
of who you are

on the inside?

Okay.

So sometimes...

She does use mindfulness.

I don't know why
she doesn't say it,

but she does.

She would have, like,
problems and, like,

I would help her out,
but sometimes

she would just use mindfulness
to help herself.

Your battery
is f... low.

Outlet.

We need an outlet.

But, yeah,
me and her had...

Good morning.

Can you raise your hand
if you're willing to say

when you used mindfulness
since I saw you on Wednesday?

Jacqueline?

Thursday.

'Cause there was a problem.

And what kind of mindfulness
did you use?

Breathing.

And why did you decide
to use breathing?

'Cause she told me
to calm down.

So Lesly was with you
and she told you to calm down?

Mm-hmm.

Did it work, or help,
or change anything?

Mm-hmm.

Will you say anything more
about it?

There's nothing else to say.

Okay.

We are taken
I like to draw, like,

if I wanted to draw something
about San Francisco,

I, like,
draw the buildings and stuff.

I like graffiti arts too.

We are take... taken
We are... we are... we... we...

we are taken
With doing graffiti,

I can see
that the anger goes away

and he will ask for time alone
to do that.

We are taken
If I practice,

I could be a painter
like people here.

I can have as much talent
as anybody,

but I just need to keep at it.

I don't really need
to use mindfulness when I draw,

but, like,
it gives me a little boost

to try to help me concentrate,
try to see what I want to draw.

Yeah.

When I grow up,
if I could paint or draw

as a side job, yeah,
that would be cool.

And like if I could do it, like,
as a solid, solid job,

then, yeah,
I would definitely do that.

It's just nice.

I think it's true
that I'm in danger

of failing seventh grade.

It doesn't mean that
I'm gonna just, like, quit.

It means that, like,
I'm gonna try harder to pass.

Uh, Mr. Ehnle,
I wanted to know

if you as a class
have ever done mindfulness

without me.

Yes!
No.

We have.
Shh. Okay.

I wondered if you had a bell...

The classes that best
sustain mindfulness,

the teachers and the students
continue to use the bell

even when the program
is finished.

Mindfulness is worth
the class time.

No doubt about that.

It makes them feel
like they have more control

over themselves

and their behavior,
and that they aren't

simply victims
of external circumstances.

The volume of a circle.

Pi times radius squared.

The role of the teacher
has expanded.

The biggest challenge
that we have

is changing our systems
and structures

within these school buildings
so the kids can fit in.

If you go and you look
at database indicators

that help students learn,
self-reflective behavior

is way up on that list.

And that's one of the things
that many

of our good learners bring
that others don't bring

to the school.

And so a program like this
that helps teach kids that,

and helps it become
a part of the practice

within the school,
and reinforces that

is going to help them.

Okay.

So today is our last day
of mindfulness.

Matt.

So, if you have a reaction
or something to say,

I want you to just
notice it in yourself.

If you cannot control
your impulse,

you have to ask yourself,
"Who's in control?"

Mindfulness doesn't
make problems go away.

It's a wrong assumption
to think that if you practice

for a long time
you'll never be angry again,

or you'll never
have another problem,

or no one will ever
be mad at you.

That's not the point at all
and you can never

create that situation.

It's that the way
you're meeting your experience

changes to allow more lightness
and more happiness.

I did bring something
for you today.

Matt, do you want
to say something?

Yes.

Okay.

Is it raisins?

No.
Is it Raisin Bran?

No.

They're called pocket hearts.

Whenever you see it,
or feel it, or remember it,

I want it to be something
that reminds you

that you have a tool now
that you can use

for the rest of your life.

Seeing how my dad works,
like, it's stressful.

I think I would want to use it
if I was stressed.

It's like something
in your backpack, you know?

It's always there.

You can just pull it out
and use it.

Once you have your heart,
I want you to think about

how school would be different
if everyone

practiced mindfulness.

Yeah?

No bullying.

No bullying.

Yeah.

Why do you think
that would make

no bullying happen?

Yeah.

And I get the stress
in one minute,

people teasing me
and bothering me

about everything.

That I just like going
to a private place,

saying all my thoughts
inside of me what I feel.

Nobody is there to look
and see anything I do.

It would make a difference
if the whole world

used mindfulness.

A lot of people
wouldn't be killed.

There would be less shooting.

All right, everybody.

I wish you a happy summer.

And if I don't see you next
year, a happy eighth grade.

Take care.

Thank you.

Sometimes I lay
under the moon

and thank God I'm breathin'
And I pray

don't take me soon
'Cause I am here

for a reason
Sometimes in my tears

I drown
But I never let it

get me down
So when negativity

surrounds
I know some day

it will all turn around
Because all my life

I've been waiting for
I've been praying for

for the people to say
That we don't wanna fight

no more
They'll be no more wars

And our children will play
One day

One day

One day

One day
One day

One day

It's not about
win or lose

Because we all lose
when they feed on the souls

of the innocent
Blood drenched pavement

Keep on moving
though the waters stay raging

In this maze

you can lose your way
Your way

It might drive you crazy but
don't let it faze you no way

No way
Sometimes in my tears

I drown
I drown

But I never let it

get me down
Get me down

So when negativity
surrounds

Surrounds
I know some day

it'll all turn around
Because all my life

I've been waiting for
I've been praying for

for the people to say
That we don't wanna fight

no more
They'll be no more war

And our children will play

One day
One day

One day

One day
One day

One day
One day this all will change

Treat people the same
Stop with the violence

Down with the hate
One day we'll all be free

And proud to be
Under the same sun

singing songs of freedom like
One day

One day

One day
One day

All my life
I've been waiting for

I've been praying for
for the people to say

That we don't wanna fight
no more

There'll be no more wars
And our children will play