I have tried to practice mindfulness myself and do have Dr. Kabats book on mindfulness.  Having an ADHD child, I never thought to try and teach him the practice of mindfulness, but now that I think about it, it may be a good idea.  Any way to help kids slow down and take a minute, is useful and I am glad to hear schools are using alternative methods to try and accomplish this.

I am not a fan of all the little catchphrases and therapy of the day, but I do use alternating nostril breathing and have taught it to many of my friends and family. It helps even if you are in public and need to be discreet, although closing your eyes while doing it is nice. You simply lay your index finger alongside one nostril, and inhale through the other. Then you move your finger over to the alternate nostril and exhale. Obviously, you don't rush to do this. Inhale through one and exhale through the other 10- 15 times, then switch and inhale through the one you started exhaling through. It helps to retrain the pathways of the brain and has been known to limit anxiety attacks. It's a nice way to "take a moment" and relax, too; my favorite place for it is in the bathtub with bubbles and essential oils!

It's funny but it wasn't until I was in my 40's that I figured out there really is something to deep breathing. It's sad to me that it took all this time for me to get the benefits out of deep breathing that I could have been utilizing many years ago. I think it's great that schools are encouraging kids to be "mindful" and they are so right, we tell kids to pay attention but not how to pay attention. 

I think it's worth a try and if it gets just a small percentage of kids to take a moment, than they've made a difference in those kids lives.

Think about how hard it is for adults to sit still, so it must seem enbearable for a child.  I think it is amazing that kids are starting to slow down and focus on themselves and what their bodies are telling them.  In life they will need to be able to settle themselves and practicing mindufullness or whatever you want to call it can only help.