Belonging at Parker

Francis Parker School teacher Laurence Darmalingom-Hoover, known as Madame Darma to her students, teaches a mindfulness class for Grade 6 students at Parker. This course promotes wellness in the busy lives of the students.

“I center the class around kindness, compassion, and gratitude by emphasizing how important those three things are for the well-being of self and others in our community,” Laurence says, “I teach them that kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate, but also that kindness represents so much more if they want to change the world.”

Many students have shared with Laurence that the mindfulness practices they have learned in class have helped them in their personal lives with sports, tests, and life pressures in general. 

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December 2024 Mindfulness Practice

Happy Holidays From Laurence! Laurence would like to start her December Mindfulness message by sharing a quote from Sri Chinmoy: "Peace begins when expectation ends."

“The holiday season is a time to celebrate kindness and joy. By letting go of expectations, as Sri Chinmoy reminds us, we open the door to true peace. This season, get inspired to spread kindness with simple words of encouragement, gratitude, and care. Small gestures like these have the power to brighten someone’s day and create a ripple of happiness,” Laurence shared. “Let’s embrace the spirit of the season by practicing kindness, spreading joy, and finding peace in the moment by remembering those who are less fortunate and those who have made an impact in our lives.” 

Laurence invites Parker's families to ignite their holiday spirit with this meditation that she recorded. 

Laurence would like to give credit to her son, Maël Hoover-Darmalingom, Class of 2025, for adding music to her mediation.

In Laurence’s Grade 6 Mindfulness class, students have been focusing on kindness and how acts of kindness can make a difference no matter how small it is. The class joined the Middle School ASB Candy Grams activity and wrote positive and kind messages for friends.

“Health in the body, peace in the spirit, love in the heart. Do good, be good, shine bright, and have fun over the holidays!” said Laurence. 
 

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November 2024 Mindfulness Practice

As we approach Thanksgiving, Laurence would like to emphasize the importance of gratitude in our lives. She invites you to practice gratitude for 21 days with this meditation she recorded for Parker students and families. 

“No matter what challenges we face, it is important to reflect on all we can be grateful for. Research shows that it takes 21 days to build a habit, and gratitude boosts happiness, lowers stress, and strengthens resilience,” Laurence said. 

In Laurence’s Grade 6 Mindfulness class, the students have been focusing on spreading gratitude, joy, and kindness with various activities. They have spoken about negativity bias and did a fun partner activity to show the importance of focusing on the positive instead of the negative throughout the day and in life.

The class completed two simple activities to focus on how much they all have to be grateful for, both of which families can complete at home if they desire. The students each created a Wheel of Thanks and added grateful notes to our classroom Gratitude Fall Tree as a daily visual reminder. 

If you are looking for more ways to bring mindfulness and gratitude into your everyday life, Laurence also highly recommends the Ten Percent Happier podcast hosted by Dan Harris. If you have some time, listen to this episode on Spotify. 

Over the summer, Laurence completed the Professional Development training offered by Breathe For Change, created by educators for educators. The six-week summer program was sponsored by Francis Parker School, and she is now a certified yoga instructor and a Social-Emotional Learning Facilitator. 

“I am very grateful for this opportunity. This training has been extremely helpful and has allowed me to have all the tools I need to better attend to the needs of my community, students, and colleagues. I have been starting my classes with three collective breaths and short mindfulness practices in French or English. The students really appreciate this moment. It helps them to settle in and reset between classes,” Laurence explained.

 The training deepened Laurence’s knowledge and expanded her expertise in order to better attend to the needs of her students, colleagues, and the community. “One of my favorite things to do is to open our Professional Development (PD) days with a live Mindfulness practice/Meditation in order to build a strong and balanced community for my colleagues,” Laurence said. The Professional Development opportunities Laurence has completed ensure that she has the tools she needs to support the Parker Community. 
 

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Summer 2024 Mindfulness Practice

Francis Parker School teacher Laurence Darmalingom-Hoover would like to spread the message of self-compassion as we head into summer break. She recently recorded a meditation focused on nurturing self-compassion, which is the foundation for extending compassion and kindness to others. Use this link to practice this meditation. Laurence recommends giving yourself a full 10 minutes for the practice.   

Laurence would like to start her seasonal mindfulness message to the community with a quote by the Buddha:

“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

For her summer break, Laurence looks forward to Professional Development opportunities. She has plans to take an online course in Mindfulness, SEL (Social Emotional Learning), and Yoga. It is a training offered by Breathe For Change and created by educators for educators. The six-week summer program is sponsored by Francis Parker School. “I am very grateful for this opportunity,” Laurence said. 

The training will allow Laurence to become a certified yoga instructor and a Social-Emotional Learning Facilitator. She will deepen her knowledge and expand her expertise in order to better attend to the needs of her students, colleagues, and the community.

If you enjoy listening to Podcasts, Laurence highly recommends the Ten Percent Happier podcast hosted by Dan Harris. If you have some time, please listen to this episode about The Science of Self-Compassion. 

“Practicing self-compassion is a necessity. In my Grade 6 foundation class, we have been discussing the importance of self-compassion as the foundation for fostering healthy relationships and nurturing kindness within our communities. In a world that constantly demands perfection and hustle, self-compassion allows us to embrace our imperfections and recognize our worth. By treating ourselves with the same kindness and understanding we offer to others, we build a solid base for emotional resilience and mental well-being. This, in turn, empowers us to extend genuine compassion and empathy to those around us. Happy Summer!”

 

Warm Regards, Laurence Darmalingom-Hoover

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Spring 2024 Mindfulness Practice

Francis Parker School teacher Laurence Darmalingom-Hoover was been busy at Parker this Spring. She was a presenter in The Parker Collaborative on the Linda Vista campus and is traveling to France as a leader for the Grade 8 Discovery Week Trip.

At The Parker Collaborative, Laurence spoke to faculty and staff on the importance of wellness in our busy lives. Her workshop was titled “Harmony Within: A Holistic Wellness Workshop For Nurturing Mind, Body, and Soul.” 

Laurence shared three mindfulness practices with the Parker Faculty and Staff who attended her presentation: meditation, journaling, and her favorite hand gestures or mudras. 

She also led a live meditation that focused on welcoming new energy as we move into spring.

“As the flowers bloom and the birds sing, let’s welcome the vibrant energy of spring into our lives with open arms and open hearts. Spring is a time of renewal, a fresh start, and a reminder of the beauty of growth and transformation. As you welcome spring into your life, remember to be gentle with yourself, to embrace change, and to celebrate the journey of growth unfolding within and around you. Make this spring a season of joy, vitality, and flourishing wellness!” Laurence said. 

Laurence is the leader of the Grade 8 Discovery Week trip to France. Leading up to Discovery Week, she shared mindfulness practices with her travel group to provide them with tools to control difficult times as they travel alone without their parents and spend time with their host families. “Breathing practices are very useful in moments of anxiety and panic,” Laurence said. 

Laurence looks forward to continuing her mindfulness and meditative work and sharing wellness exercises for the Parker community.   
 

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February 2024 Mindfulness Practice

In February, Laurence created a recording of a Mindfulness Practice that the Parker community can listen to at home, whether on their own or with family. This practice focuses on self-love, acceptance of self, and radiating love for others to promote peace. 

“In the month of February, we are in the heart of winter, and things can seem a bit dull and dark as we move through our days. It is important to continue to nurture the self and to remain positive through mindfulness practices that focus on gratitude and love. It is also the month of Valentine’s Day, a mix of excitement for some, but also a reminder of how lonely one can feel for others,” Laurence says.

As we end February and look forward to the spring, we need to put our energy into releasing ourselves from living with anger and hate because it is not worth it. Instead, enjoy life, move with love, and seek joy even in the smallest things. Go and do great things and surround yourself with love always!”

Recently, Laurence has been putting more energy into her daily journaling and meditation practice. She strongly encourages everyone to use these practices if they do not already have a habit of them. She has been using the 3-Minute Happiness Journal developed by Kristen Butler, which she strongly recommends. “You will see the benefits if you stick with it,” Laurence says. 

In January, Laurence participated as a speaker in the virtual Social Good Conferences series presented by Thomasino Media. She shared with others how she loves to teach and advocate for health and wellness practices in her community. You can watch her presentation here. 

Laurence looks forward to continuing her mindfulness work, and Parker is so fortunate to have a faculty member who loves sharing her knowledge on health and wellness.
 

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Holiday Season 2023 Mindfulness Practice

During the holiday season, the class focused on spreading gratitude, joy, and kindness through journal reflections, discussions, and bespoke mindfulness practice. 

Laurence has shared a recording of her holiday season mindfulness practice so that students and families can listen and practice mindfulness during winter break. Through her class, students learn that mindfulness helps them cultivate gratitude and joy and control their reactions to things around them that might otherwise create painful or upsetting reactions.

“The holiday season is a time for happiness and joy. Find your happiness and joy in gratitude and kindness,” Laurence says, “Remember to help those who may feel sad, anxious, or afraid. Create smiles and warmth all around you with love and compassion. Happy Holidays!”