Can you calm down and focus when you're mad? These Tucson preschoolers can.

Connect with your inner self. Take control of your emotions. Focus.

While many adults are still working to achieve that level of balance, a group of Tucson preschoolers are ahead of the game, getting an education in mindfulness before they’ve even learned how to tie their shoes.

Herencia Guadalupana Lab School opened its doors two years ago, emphasizing teachings that focus on perseverance, resilience, goal-focus and self-regulation.

Teaching young children these important life and social skills is intended to equip them with tools that will not only help them be successful in school, but also in their everyday lives — something that is especially important to the population that Herencia caters to: children in poverty.

Without perseverance, resilience, goal-focus or self-regulation, very little learning is going to occur in the classroom for children who are incapable of managing the stress emanating from their home lives, says Ernestina Fuentes, founder of Herencia Guadalupana Lab School.

“If you don’t have that base, then it’s a waste of time trying to do any teaching,” she said. “The teacher can be excellent and provide the best education but you’re not going to focus on learning until you’re solid and strong and aware of yourself.”

The benefits extend beyond the individual child, she added.

“Our future as a community, as an economy is being impacted by these poor children,” Fuentes said. “These children in poverty are falling off the map and lowering productivity in our community and impacting mental illness, special education and crime issues, but if we can make an impact here, we can in the future have a very prominent society because we’re not losing these children.”

While mindfulness has not traditionally been a part of common education, it is becoming more accepted, said Jordan Wiley-Hill, director and co-founder of the Mindfulness Education Exchange.

The Tucson organization has been working with not only Herencia Guadalupana Lab School but the Catalina Foothills School District and the Tucson Unified School District, as well as charter and private schools.

Training has also been extended to companies, athletic teams and individuals who seek to enhance their levels of attentiveness to be in the moment, to be able to impact future moments, and to alleviate stress and negativity, Wiley-Hill said.

“It’s really skills training,” Wiley-Hill said. “These are fundamental skills and how often do we as adults say to a child ‘pay attention,’ but how much time is spent on training children to do just that?”

As part of its partnership with Herencia Guadalupana Lab School, the Mindfulness Education Exchange spent an entire semester working with students and staff teaching lessons through games, dance, rhymes and other activities, like role playing.

Children were taught hand signals when they needed reminding to calm or focus themselves. Movement activities like having navigating through a room carrying a spoonful of water teaches the importance of focus but also being aware of one's surroundings.

All of the organization's efforts were also documented to determine the impact of the work.

In the end, teachers reported higher levels of empathy, cooperation, fair play, listening and positive interactions among their preschoolers.

The children were also said to be better at self-soothing, conflict resolution and following directions.

Teachers were not the only ones who saw results. According to Fuentes, parents are astonished by the level of independence their children show in a matter of weeks and their ability to not only regulate their own emotions but to help others around them manage their feelings.

“It percolates back out because when the kids experience it, they take it home with them and it’s not uncommon for kids to say to their parents, ‘you know, you're getting upset, why don't you take a deep breath?’” Wiley-Hill added.