Body/Mind Honor
BASIC INFORMATION
This course explores the relationship between mind and body through the findings of current scientific research and practical experience. Among the wide variety of body/mind topics are the connection between stress and disease, the relationship between the brain and behavior, Eastern Medicine, the placebo effect, and emotional intelligence. Students will practice body/mind methods including yoga, meditation, acupressure, and guided imagery. The primary course outcomes reported by students are greater confidence, a healthier lifestyle, an open mind, a sense of community in class, increased body awareness, and the ability to use that awareness to improve physical and mental well-being. The format for Body/Mind changes throughout the year. The first semester is like most other science courses. Classes take place primarily in a science classroom and include lectures, reading assignments, papers, quizzes and tests. The academic final takes place at midyear. A student must pass the first semester to receive credit for the course. The second semester takes place mostly in the wrestling room where the emphasis shifts to practicing body/mind methods, including several systems of meditation, movement and touch.
Grade Level: 12
Number of Meetings per week: 4
Full year or half year: Full Year
Number of Credits: 1
Prerequisite/helpful classes?: Physics I, Chemistry I, Biology I
CLASS STRUCTURE (FIRST SEMESTER)
We do a little bit of mindfulness work at the beginning of class as sort of a bridge to what we do second semester, so we do “minis”. There’s more reflection in the class than a traditional science class as well.
GRADING
First two quarters, the grade is about half tests and quizzes and half homework, reflections, and other writing assignments like that. For the reading, there’s some text reading but there might also be some studies. And then third and fourth quarter, it is participation as well as outside homework, such as readings or reflections.
INTERESTING PROJECT
We do a lot of sleep journaling in the spring, which students tend to find valuable. Students keep track of when they go to sleep, when they wake up, what they are doing right before bed or how much caffeine they’re having during the day. People often predict they sleep a certain amount and the actual reality is different. Sometimes students decide that they’re going to try stretching before bed - they get to experiment with their own lives.
WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE?
Anyone who likes biology, is curious about themselves, who feels like they could benefit from better understanding their own physiology, and is interested in making some changes in their life to feel their most vital should take this course. This course is also great for students who want to learn how to manage the stress that accompanies living big, ambitious lives.
WHAT STUDENTS SAY
“I find it really interesting because it is not a standard lecture class. The readings, like on the immune system, are hard, but I like the discussions which help simplify the material. The class covers a lot of stuff - it talks about the systems, it talks about what you want, it talks about your feelings, like emotional intelligence - so it’s honestly a class for anyone.”
- Micaela H. ‘19
“The second half of the year - doing yoga and tai chi - really appealed to me because as a second semester senior, I know I’m not going to want to be in class all the time. And neuroscience has always been pretty interesting to me, but there hasn’t been a class, aside from psychology, where I could address all aspects, and this class addresses all of it. Everyday when we come into class, we do a journaling prompt, like “What are you grateful for?” or “What do you need to focus today?” , like something just to center yourself. And then we do a five minute meditation, which is very nice. I would recommend this class to anybody who is looking to work really hard the first half of the year and learn very applicable knowledge, especially about how we stay healthy and how to keep yourself healthy.”
- Jamie M. ‘19