The Zen of Zeros and Ones: Mindfulness Meets the Matrix

Can coding help students, and you, find calm and balance? This Brain Gym session explores the powerful intersection of computer science and mindfulness, showing how technology can become a tool for self-discovery, emotional expression and well-being. Discover how the focused nature of coding promotes flow, and how debugging builds problem-solving skills and serves as a metaphor for resilience and a growth mindset. You will explore practical strategies for integrating SEL into STEM through hands-on activities such as Scratch projects, code poetry and Socratic AI health bots for reflection. Learn about tech tools and practices that promote well-being for K-12 students and educators, including AI wellness bots and mindfulness apps, while considering the ethical issues and potential biases in AI tools used for well-being. The session also highlights community care and how to build supportive, empathetic classroom environments. You will leave able to design basic code poetry or AI bot prompts that encourage creative expression and reflection. No coding experience is necessary!