Nov. 18, 2022 – On a recent Thursday afternoon, Connie Clotworthy greets a roomful of energetic fourth graders at Valor Academy Elementary School in Arleta, CA, about 20 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
She starts by leading them in a mindfulness exercise, reminding the 19 students they have to give their brain a break “on purpose.” In a calm voice, she says, “for 30 seconds we are going to close our eyes.” She tells them to just breathe in, breathe out. Nothing else. They all do that.
After the 30 seconds, she asks: “Who was able to only breathe in, breathe…
