Autumn Peavie
Mindfulness in Younger Students
Master of Education in Elementary Education
Graduated, Summer 2025
Walnut Grove, Mississippi
Autumn Peavie is an educator driven by integrity, compassion, and a deep desire to make a lasting impact. A proud native of Walnut Grove, Mississippi, Autumn earned her undergraduate degree from Alcorn State University, where she began shaping her purpose: to serve others through active listening, consistent support, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
Currently, Autumn teaches first grade, where she prioritizes her students’ emotional well-being alongside academic achievement. Her teaching philosophy is centered on the belief that positive, healthy classrooms start with emotionally equipped students and reflective, mindful educators. She brings that belief to life through her TFA Graduate Fellows social entrepreneurship project, Mindfulness in Younger Students.
Project Feature: Mindfulness in Younger Students
In her classroom, Autumn noticed that many young learners struggled to manage big emotions like frustration, sadness, or anxiety—especially as they transitioned from play-based learning to more structured academics. These challenges often disrupted learning and left students feeling overwhelmed or misunderstood.
To address this, Autumn created Mindfulness in Younger Students, a classroom-based initiative that integrates simple, age-appropriate mindfulness routines into the daily schedule. Through breathing exercises, calming strategies, and emotional check-ins, students learn to pause, notice their feelings, and respond thoughtfully. The goal is to build emotional awareness, focus, and resilience—skills that support both academic success and personal development.
Autumn has seen powerful results in her students: improved attention spans, more consistent engagement, and a notable increase in students’ ability to name and regulate their emotions. With support from her mentor Brandi Jordan, she has refined her strategies and learned how to communicate her vision with clarity and purpose.
Fellowship Reflections
The TFA Graduate Fellows program helped Autumn grow not just as a teacher, but as a leader. Through feedback, community, and reflection, she gained confidence in her voice and her ability to create change. “I’ve learned to be more prepared and flexible,” she says. “When I lead with intention, I create safe, impactful spaces for my students—and for myself.”
Looking ahead, Autumn hopes to expand the project across additional classrooms and grades, ensuring more students experience the positive impact of mindfulness. Her long-term vision is to embed social-emotional practices into the fabric of early childhood education across her district.
“Through kindness and perseverance, I seek to leave the world a better place than I found it.”