Interview with Intervention Specialist, Mary Weaver
Conducted an interview with an Intervention Specialist from Upper Arlington School, Columbus, OH. Mary Weaver works directly with kids ages Kindergarten and 1st grade. She also teaches yoga in her free time and utilizes numerous mindfulness practices in her classroom. Mrs. Weaver is also a parent to two young children who frequently travel long distances in the car. Her LinkedIn profile states,
"Dedicated intervention specialist with over a decade of experience across elementary, middle and high school grade levels. I specialize in creative lesson planning, collaboration, and documentation writing aligned with data collection. Additionally, I have seven years of experiences setting and managing goals for future planning and transition to adulthood. Lastly, I hold and maintain a 200 hour RYS yoga instructor certification, which allows me to bring mindfulness practices into my teaching delivery and classroom environment (Weaver, 2025)."
I curated a list of questions to help guide our conversation. Our interview was conducted on September 12th, 2025.
- What ages do you work with?
Teaches Kindergarten and 1st grade. Also has a 3 year old and 2 year old at home.
- How does mindfulness play a role in your classroom?
"All the time, students use zones of regulation, focusing on mood. Ain to get to their calm space, and use activities for what will help you calm. Try to get their body to the calm “green zone.” Mindfulness cards, breathing space and sensory swing. Calm down choices are available when they need a break. They try to get kids to notice what their body feels like when it's calm vs not. Utilizes the five senses"
Options for calming down is listening to music, look at book, mirror break and notice your face, bunny breathing, pop its, Rainbow search (eye spy)
- How would you define mindfulness? Does it change in the context of working with children?
Intervention specialists learn under her, she has to teach the instructors how to work with kids as well.
kids: define it as being present, and aware of what their body and mind are doing together. Kids' minds work slower than their bodies.
Grown- Minds work faster than their bodies.
Connecting mind and body is important.
4. Why do you think mindfulness is important for children?
"Because in this day in age they are expected to do so much stuff, science has shown that multitasking is difficult for humans. Believes it is important to focus on one task, and complete it. Helps with accomplishments and feeling good about getting things done. “It is so important for kids because kindergarteners are being held to high expectations” That's why focusing the mind and body on one task is beneficial. "
- What techniques do you use? Can you describe a typical mindfulness activity you do with your students?
"Mindfulness can happen anywhere in any moment. Teach a kid to be mindful anywhere. Understand how good emotions feel and understand how your body feels in negative emotions. It is important to know the kids, understand their strengths because everyone is different."
- How effective are they? Have you noticed an impact on reducing stress/irritability in kids?
"Never know if I'm making a difference. It makes a difference for me as an educator. Difficult for little kids to understand the importance. I can see the effect I've seen happening. Sees it with her own children. When they are upset they have big emotions, try breathing techniques but sometimes they don’t want to because even if it doesn’t seem like a big deal they just want to feel it because it is a big deal to them."
- What challenges do you face when teaching kids an activity that promotes mindfulness?
They don't wanna do it. Very impulsive behaviors, it is difficult getting them to focus on something. (things it is important to focus on these practices while bored or in green zone)
- How do you introduce mindfulness to children who may be unfamiliar?
Model it for them. Show what it looks like, together.
Does make a difference.. They can feel a difference, but it is important to allow them to feel it. Not 100% if they are making an impact.
- How might parents be encouraged to teach mindfulness practices to their kids? How do you stress the importance?
"Mostly focused on academics of school. Practice at home, practice when they are regulated. Promote it when in the green zone. Practice when calm. When someone tells you it's not a big deal especially amplified when your children. And when bored!!"
Kids have big feelings and when you tell them to calm down during an episode it can have the opposite effect.
Personal:
Goes to cle and north carolina frequently to visit family. Does not love to throw screens at them all the time
Typically goes to Cleveland, without screens and then on the way home they get 1 hour no screens then introduce it last hour when they get more irritable.
Does use mindfulness practices in the car. They takes turns with choosing their favorite songs, talk about what we see, what we feel.
Really excited about mindfulness in the car.. Less prone to accidents, be present is super important
- What challenges do you face when taking your kids on a trip?
"So many things. Literal hell, not great. They love to move and play so being stationary is hard. They don't understand time so long durations in the car are hard for them to grasp. Toddler coping skills turn to verbal abuse and crying. Sibling fights"
"I feel so angry and stressed. Extra difficult when driving kids along while traveling. Them being upset leads to on edge driving because they just want to reach their destination and make sure everything is okay. Calm in the car is ideal to help with accidents."
2. How long before your children begin to get irritable in the car?
"They do well in short drives, and love cars. One of the others starts to derail the other, siblings are difficult when they start to fight. 1 hour to an hour in a half and they get irritated. Then she has about 1-2 to keep them entertained and hold their patients.. then after 2 -3 hours before they all start to lose it."
- What are your go-to activities or tools for keeping your kids entertained during car rides?
Tablets, library books, check out four books each for the drives, prepared activities. Things they can handle.. Has seen issues when they drop them and they cant pick them up. Utilizes water coloring books, snacks, like yogurt.
- Can you recommend any semi-stationary practices that require little movement for the car?
I spy
Would you rather
Counting
Letter sounds
Bluey stories
Calm stories
Clouds (sun roof)
yoga stretching before
Kids really learn a lot in the car. Her children love cars, seeing trucks, and the world.
It helps to preface what is happening, how long they are going for, what to expect.
Mrs. Weaver gave me valuable insight about her personal experiences and the techniques she utilizes in the classroom to promote mindfulness and a sense of calm. She also works with kids that are my key stakeholders' ages, allowing me opportunity to better understand my user. This experience was very beneficial.
References:
Upper Arlington Schools, (2025). Image. July 2025 News from Upper Arlington Schools E-Newsletter. https://www.uaschools.org/our-district/district-news/district-news/~board/upper-arlington-schools-news-1/post/july-2025-news-from-upper-arlington-schools-e-newsletter-1753989415656
Weaver, Mary (2025). Linked In. About. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-weaver-a49b2192/
