Latchmere pupils take a load off with meditation (From Kingston Guardian)

Latchmere pupils take a load off with meditation

11:20am Monday 1st June 2009 in News By Mike Didymus

Spending time dreaming away with your eyes closed at school used to be an offence deemed worthy of corporal punishment, but for pupils at Latchmere School, time spent meditating on life is positively encouraged.

Each of the 600 children spend an hour a week in the school’s chill-out blue room learning how to relax, with visualisation techniques and massage all part of the process.

Despite the hectic atmosphere of the busy school, the pupils have no trouble dropping into a calm, focused state, according to deputy headteacher Kevin Hogston, who set up the scheme to encourage creativity and good learning.

He said: “I wasn’t a meditator. I am entirely non-religious, non-anything.

“My whole focus was simply on embracing the things that would give children the best possible chance of reaching their potential.

“One of the things we talk about is, ‘Is everything we think true?’'Is that person really horrible, or is there a bit of a fault that’s coming up?”

As well as the calming meditation room, which features a relaxing fish tank, fountain and cloud scudded ceiling, the pupils have also been encouraged to shake hands every morning as well as posting their pictures on a feelings meter.

Latchmere’s year 6 pupils are the most experienced meditators, having taken the time to chill out at the school for the past four years - and the technique has spread to their daily lives.

Pupil Charlie Baker said: “I had a broken arm and was in hospital and it was all hectic and my arm hurt and so I used deep breathing and it felt better.”

Mr Hogston added: “It is amazing to see children giving up things like football to come to the Blue Room to calm down and meditate.”

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