Mindfulness — A Sense of Calm at Durant Tuuri Mott Elementary

Students like Antonio, a 5th grader at Durant Tuuri Mott Elementary School (DTM), are finding focus, comfort, and space to grow through the practice of mindfulness. Watch this video to hear from Antonio and DTM Math and Literacy Intervention Specialist, Jennifer Purman on the benefits of mindfulness in Flint schools. In addition to physical activity and nutrition programming, mindfulness is a key intervention supported by the Crim to help all youth in Flint build resiliency; especially those facing chronic stress and the effects of the Water Crisis.

Jennifer Purman relates incredibly well to her students; as she attended DTM as an elementary student. She returned to teach there 24 years ago, and continues to add new tools to her toolbox to best support student learning. She now shares mindfulness, including yoga, with her students and volunteers as a Crim Mindfulness Champion and Ambassador.

Jennifer recently attended a Yoga Ed. Professional Institute led by the Crim Mindfulness team, and is now certified to teach yoga to Elementary Students. Jennifer shared this feedback about her training experience, “This professional opportunity was definitely out of my comfort zone and my norm – I am usually at reading and literacy workshops and conferences. However, no matter how much content I know, and how well I teach it, our students cannot focus on learning if we ignore their social and emotional needs. Along this journey, I have come to realize that yoga and mindfulness have also been beneficial to my own health and well-being. Teachers need this tool as much as the students do.”

Support from generous donors makes it possible for the Crim to provide scholarships for teachers and to partner with Yoga Ed. and Inner Explorer to make evidence-based trainings and curricula accessible to all educators in the Flint Community Schools and four neighboring districts.  Currently, the Crim Mindfulness Initiative reaches 6000 of Flint’s 15,000 youth, and we look forward to your continued support to reach even more in the future.