This summer course aims to give an understanding of why recognising and managing stress in positive and healthy ways is important, for your wellbeing and the wellbeing of children. The importance of a relaxing, calm and kind classroom environment will be explored and practical strategies to achieve this will be provided.
This course will also provide you with a range of coping skills and tools which can be used personally and can be implemented in a whole class setting. The skills learned in this course complement the SPHE curriculum and enable children to learn about their emotional states through engaging with the content in an interactive and immersive manner.
You will be provided with activities and exercises which help children increase their bodily awareness, which will empower them to emotionally regulate in order to ensure a more relaxed, calm and kind classroom environment.
‘Mindfulness’ and ‘Kindfulness’ strategies will be introduced for implementation in your own life and in the classroom. The importance of nutrition, exercise and other positive strategies will be discussed and provided to ensure the sustenance of kind, calm and well beings in the classroom and beyond.
Module 1 - Stress & Anxiety
Recognising stress & anxiety in our lives (define stress, identify stress / anxieties)
How you react to stress (understanding current reactive behaviours, understanding stress and anxieties in your life, understanding effects of stress and anxiety on body, mind etc., neuroscience of stress on the brain and nervous system)
Identifying and recognising to cope with or prevent stress and therefore lesson negative/harmful effects of stress
Relaxation Strategies
Reframing thoughts about stress & anxiety using CBT
Module 2 - Body Awareness & Introduction to Mindfulness
Aim: get out of head and into body. Tune into body in order to increase body awareness and connection with body
Mindfulness: Come to Your Senses
Introduction to other relaxation strategies: Body Scan, PMR (progressive muscular relaxation), Mindful Movement (proprioceptive & neuromuscular movements)
Relaxation Strategies
Attitude of Gratitude
Affirmations
Module 3 – Mindfulness, Movement & Meditation
More mindful movement – yoga exercises, stretches, movements to help with energy levels in the body and help to tune into feedback /messages the body is sending
Beginning to notice busyness of the mind and perhaps beginning to recognise ‘Inner Critic’
Mindfulness – Breathing
Meditation: Loving Kindness meditation
Kindfulness and Self-Compassion
Module 4 – Kindfulness and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Recognising the importance of ‘Kindfulness’
Practicing ‘Kindfulness’ on a regular basis
Using tools of self-compassion to recognise own levels of stress, as well as an inner critic / negative thoughts
Coping Skills / CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy: changing negative thoughts to more positive thoughts)
Appreciate that all others – including children – have their own worries, anxieties and stresses
Recognise that a calm, positive and relaxed environment is necessary for teacher and children / class to succeed
Kindfulness in the Classroom!
Module 5 – Get Ready, GO!
Goal Setting & Time Management
Work-Stress Management
Nutrition & Stress
Exercise
Kindfulness: self-compassion, recognising Inner Critic, visualise / focus on goal
Reminders / Helpful Hints to keep you on track (& Getting Unstuck)
Bonus Module - Restorative Practice