It’s August I am already feeling the pull of responsibilities that come at the beginning of every school year. Creating a safe space for students is always high on the priority list in every school I have worked with over the past 30 years. I already received the email about my required “trainings” for: Have […]
Self-care
Mindfulness and SEL for Educators
As the evidence-based research is mounting that children’s capacity to cope with emotions influences their ability to learn, there has been a national movement in education to integrate social and emotional learning into the classroom. Often times, the implementation of SEL curriculum is driven by the goal of supporting the attainment of specific skills for […]
Simple Beginnings
Sometimes we are afraid to start something new. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the commitment. Sometimes we are reluctant to start something new because we are not even sure it will be worth the time and effort. So “why bother?” In regards to mindfulness, the research is pretty clear. Improvement in behavior, mood, temperament, […]
“School Wellness Programs” = Well-Being For All
As we continue to work with schools across the country, there is a growing awareness of the importance a student’s overall health and well-being plays in learning. For many schools, they begin exploring wellness through the lens of nutrition and exercise. Both are extremely important. What we eat directly effects how our body and brain […]
5 Mindful, Trauma-Informed Tools to Increase Peace and Improve Behavior in the Classroom
Recent media events and research have been highlighting the need for educators to become more aware of the prevalence of trauma in the lives of the children we serve. As the ACE’s study has revealed, the rates of trauma and causes of trauma are expansive. They not only impact the child’s life now, in the […]
How to Use Mindful Parenting in the Moment
We’ve all been here before: icy stand-offs, shouting matches, total meltdowns or even a minor disagreement that somehow escalated into something bigger. No matter how hard you try to diffuse the situation, your own emotions take over and before you know it, you’ve lost control too. As frustrating and difficult as this is can be, […]
Energetic Tune-Up
You know when you hit an energetic wall in your day?? …..and you have to, “go on with the show?” There is more to do and you feel a bit worn out? Here is the perfect pick-me-up and does not involve any caffeine (a much healthier and sustainable option). This comes from the work of […]
Summer Relaxation
Congratulations!!!! For many of you, the school year has ended and your summer vacation has begun. For others, hang in there. You must be close. As you prepare for your transition from caring for the 20+ students in your classrooms, to nurturing your family and yourself, I wanted to offer some suggestions of how to […]
The Power of Unconditional Love
I recently read an article about the research that is being conducted to better understand the relationship between animals and individuals on the autistic spectrum. In this article, children between the ages of 5-13 where given pet guinea pigs to hold while in the presence of other adults. The findings were quite remarkable. “They found […]