Danielle Hamman became a special education teacher twenty-one years ago to help advocate for others who found school as challenging as she did as a student. School was very difficult for her; reading was a struggle and her teachers saw her as a daydreamer. She had trouble focusing, and couldn’t understand the words on the page. When she was in middle school, a teacher indicated that she wasn’t as smart as the other kids. A counselor told her she wouldn’t need college prep classes because she would never go to college. That’s when she decided she wanted to help advocate for kids which led her on a path to become a special education teacher.
Danielle’s parents advocated for her as much as possible throughout the years and Danielle later graduated from college with a master’s degree in education. She was proud to finish school, but it didn’t come easy. Knowing what she knows now, a mindfulness practice would have really helped her in the classroom to build the skills of focus and attention.
Mindfulness has greatly impacted Danielle’s life. “One year, I had an incredibly challenging group of students that had me questioning what I was doing as a teacher. I had an adolescent daughter that I was taking my frustrations out on, which was not good for either of us. I wasn’t in a good place, I was negative and stressed out all the time. That year was such a struggle for me,” shared Danielle.
The only way she could get through that time was hour by hour. Thinking like this helped her be in the present moment. Over the next summer, Danielle knew she had to figure out how to better navigate stress and step into her purpose more fully. She needed to figure out what stereotypes she needed to break to support her overall mental health. Based on her research, a mindfulness practice would help her the most.
The next school year, a “Mindful Me: Developing a Personal Mindfulness Practice Training” flyer from the Crim Fitness Foundation arrived on her desk, and she was able to participate. That January, the Crim opened up a “Mindful Me for Teens” class and she knew somehow, she could get students involved, too. At least to take a mindful breath.
“I started getting involved in the Crim programming any way I could to soak it all in. I knew that to change anything, I have to start with myself first. I continued to practice daily breathing. My breath was my go-to. I would pull into the school parking lot and take a mindful breath so I could take my next step.” Danielle shared.
Danielle’s next aha moment in realizing mindfulness was a helpful strategy for her happened at school. One day, students were rushing into her classroom right before they had to take a huge state-level test. They were rushing inside, no one was calm; they were very energy-heightened. Two students had just gotten into a fight beforehand. Danielle explained, “Everyone was talking at me, running in. I found myself taking a breath. I had to prioritize what I was going to do next. In that breath, I needed to finish up the moment I was in, so I could be present with everyone else.”
Danielle knew that right after that breath, the students needed to take some time for themselves. Together, they all took a break, a ten-minute mindful breathing practice. This completely calmed them down, getting them ready to take the test. Danielle shared, “A few times since then, I would stand in front of them, and take a breath. They would observe the breath and do the same. We now make this a daily habit. There really is magic in the breath.”
Director of the Healthy, Mindful Flint Initiative, Sarah Sullivan shared, “As a Flushing School District teacher, Mindfulness Ambassador, and Mindfulness Fellow, Danielle truly integrates mindfulness in her own life, her classroom and supports integrating it school district-wide. This summer, she facilitated the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Training for educators in Flint and Genesee County. She is a true example of someone who has seen the benefit of practicing mindfulness herself and now generously shares it with others.”
Danielle has been practicing mindfulness and involved in sharing it with the community through the Crim for four years. When she’s not teaching, you can find her spending time with her significant other, friends, and her dog. She also exercises and meditates daily. Danielle would like to remind us that when you take the time to stop, reflect and recharge, it can truly be a game-changer.
