The Power of Connection: Body, Mind, and Spirit in the Classroom
The mind-body-spirit connection is a vital part of our human makeup and essential to our overall wellbeing. Yet in education, we often overlook this holistic view of self.
When students begin to understand that everything is connected—the physical body, the thinking brain, and the emotional or spiritual self—they begin to understand themselves in a more holistic way. What happens in the body influences the mind, and vice versa. It’s an interdependent relationship that is constantly interacting and therefore shaping our wellbeing. When students begin to understand this they gain a huge amount of confidence and power over the choices they make.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, Te Whare Tapa Whā reminds us of this interconnectedness. Each part of our hauora—physical, mental, emotional/spiritual, and social wellbeing—must be nurtured for us to flourish.
A Holistic Unit Plan: One Month of Integrated Wellbeing Learning
Over the past month, I’ve been developing a comprehensive unit plan that brings these ideas to life in the classroom. The unit is structured into four weeks:
Body
Mind
Spirit
Integration & Application
Each week includes integrated learning experiences across reading, writing, maths, art, science, drama, and social studies with the entire months lesson’s already planned. Students engage with meaningful content, reflect deeply, and apply tools that help them understand and care for themselves and each other and each week we build upon the learning from the week before.
Week One: Honouring the Body
We begin by exploring how caring for our bodies sets the foundation for wellbeing. Topics include:
Movement and yoga
Optimism and mindset
Sleep, nutrition, and the nervous system
Life cycles and time in nature
Students track habits, explore what movement makes them feel best, and co-design games and challenges for classmates. Through mindful eating, breathwork, and body awareness, they begin to see the body as a vessel for growth, energy, and connection.
Week Two: Understanding the Mind
This week dives into how our thoughts, beliefs, and inner narratives shape our experiences.
Topics include:
Character strengths and self-awareness
Growth mindset and neuroplasticity
Mindfulness, gratitude, and kindness
Through model-making, kindness campaigns, and discussions on emotions, students begin to view their minds as tools they can train—not something that controls them. With the right tools, they gain agency over their focus, emotions, and learning.
Week Three: Connecting to Spirit
Spirit means different things to different people. It might be:
A connection to whakapapa (heritage), the natural world, or cultural beliefs
A sense of values, purpose, or inner calm
This week encourages students to explore what makes them feel most grounded and whole. They learn about:
Values identification
Energy systems and chakras
Breathing techniques and nervous system regulation
Culture, identity, and belonging
These lessons help students build spiritual awareness in ways that are inclusive and personally meaningful. They finish the week with a stronger sense of connection to themselves and others.
Week Four: Integration and Flourishing
The final week invites students to bring their learning together.
They ponder:
What tools really work for me?
What habits help me feel well?
How do I care for my mind, body, and spirit every day?
Through independent projects, students design personal wellbeing toolkits. This week is about choice, ownership, and real-life application.
Final Reflections
Creating and delivering this unit in my own classroom has been one of the most rewarding parts of my teaching journey. The confidence, calm, and connection that grows in students is an indication of what our classrooms could look like if we reevaluated the priorities of our education system.
I hope this resource brings your classroom as much joy and transformation as it brought mine. When we teach the whole child—body, mind, and spirit—we help them grow not just as learners, but as thriving human beings.
Thanks and please let me know how you enjoy this unit,
Natalie
