The Benefits of daily Peace Pauses in Early Learning

Less Stress. More Learning

The Benefits of daily Peace Pauses in Early Learning

Each day, you, your children and colleagues arrive at the centre with your own emotions and experiences – your own ‘morning story’. Some children may feel anxious, upset, or overstimulated, while educators may carry stress from personal and professional challenges. These individual emotions converge in the classroom, influencing the learning environment in subtle, yet profound ways.

A positive classroom climate is essential for effective learning. Minimising disruptions benefits both children and educators, creating a calmer, more focused space with more teaching time, reduced stress, and improved overall outcomes. By integrating regular Peace Pauses - grounded in movement, breath, and mindfulness - classrooms can become safe, calm havens for learning and growth.

The Impact of Stress on Teaching and Learning

Stress affects everyone, from young children to experienced educators. For children, stress may come from separation anxiety, social difficulties, or home instability. Educators juggle multiple responsibilities, curriculum expectations, and classroom dynamics, which can be overwhelming.

Stress in the learning space impairs children’s ability to focus, process information, and self-regulate. It activates the fight-or-flight response, which disrupts cognitive functions like memory and problem-solving. Stressed educators may have reduced patience, diminished empathy, and a higher likelihood of burnout. Their energy can unintentionally amplify stress levels in children, creating a cycle of tension and disruption that undermines learning.

The Power of Peace Pauses

To break this cycle, educators can incorporate daily Peace Pauses - short moments of movement, breathwork, and mindfulness - to help reset and regulate the nervous system. These pauses build self-regulation skills and transition the body from stress (sympathetic dominance) to calm (parasympathetic dominance), enhancing focus, emotional balance, and overall well-being.

In just a few minutes, a Peace Pause encourages everyone to pause, breathe, move and shift their energy. Children learn to self-regulate and become more self-aware, balanced, and ready to listen, learn, and play.

Less Disruption, More Learning

Embedding movement, breath, and mindfulness into daily routines transforms the classroom dynamic, leading to fewer disruptions and more meaningful learning experiences. Peace Pauses help children and educators acknowledge emotions, regulate energy, and set an intentional tone for the day.

Less disruptions allow for deeper engagement in learning, increased pro-social behaviour, and stronger educator-child connections. Educators can focus on nurturing curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking rather than managing behavioural challenges. Over time, this creates a positive feedback loop where calm, focus, and learning reinforce each other, enhancing the overall quality of the centre.

Integrating Peace Pauses into your Program

1. Start Small: Peace Pauses can be as short as 90 seconds of deep breathing, a 5-minute movement and breathwork routine, or a guided visualisation.
2. Be Consistent: Incorporate Peace Pauses daily, both at scheduled times (eg. morning transitions) and spontaneously when the classroom energy needs rebalancing or individuals/small groups need support.
3. Model the Practices: Educators should actively participate, demonstrating self-awareness and stress management.
4. Create a Calm Space: Designate a 'Peace Pause Corner' with sensory tools, breathing prompts, and movement activities.
   Celebrate
5. Progress: Acknowledge small victories like improved focus, emotional awareness, and collective energy shifts.

Conclusion

Minimising classroom disruptions isn’t just about managing behaviour - it’s about proactively addressing stress to create a thriving learning environment.  Peace Pauses offer simple, effective tools for reducing stress, building regulation skills, nurturing kindness and pro-social behaviour, and enhancing learning.

When both children and educators feel calm, supported, and engaged, the learning space transforms into a place of joy, growth, and limitless potential.

 

Author: Beth Borowsky is a former Montessori pre-school teacher and lecturer, and one of Sydney’s most inspiring kids and adult yoga teachers, teacher trainers and retreat leaders.  As the Founder and Head of Wellbeing Education at The Karma Class, she teaches educators how to weave daily Peace Pauses into every day through their Karma Classroom PD.