My School Journey

First of all, what is mindfulness?

Mindfulness and the middle schoolers

• a powerful tool to calm the mind,
• deal with stress,
• help teens get a grip on their feelings and what they’re thinking about.

Mindfulness can be very useful during transition times!

•  try to practice it
• kids will shift their focus to something new.

Mindfulness Activities 

• Breathing Exercises: 
• Meditation Activities: 
• Go for a Walk:
• Yoga Activities:
• Mindful Dancing:

The ultimate goal of mindfulness is to teach teens to have awareness of themselves and their emotions and then to learn how to better realize and recognize life as it is

Photo by Lesly Juarez on 

OR MAYBE JUST WHELMED

Photo by Elisa Ventur on Unsplash

This week, I have been feeling very stressed about everything. All of the assignments are due soon, and I just found out that I have to prepare a science unit on the topic of electromagnetism. I am not familiar with this unit at all and of course, I started to feel very anxious and stressed about what to do 🙁

Now what?

I tried my best to stay positive and turned this struggle into a learning opportunity!! I asked my colleagues from this PDP program about what they would do in this situation and how they would cope with stress.

Here are some of the responses I have received. (And yes, I have consent from my colleagues!)

“I also procrastinate and avoid thinking about things which hides the stress from my brain” -Sean

“I sign off from all my devices and read a book or go for a walk” -Filippa

“Quick calls to friends/family” -Mel

“Just remind myself that I chose this program and I am in a very privileged position. I think of what Ukrainians and other people are going through in conflict zones and refugee camps, and my problems are instantly put into perspective and seem quite manageable in comparison” -Lynda

I think all of these responses are meaningful and valuable. Teachers usually get burned out easier and therefore, it is extremely important for us, the future teachers, to really know how to take care of ourselves…

This also reminds me of something Joanna Lake said that it’s good to remember for life and practicum:

’I am enough’
You don’t always have to be awesome, but you are always enough…

Thanks for having me today #edci336 @mpaskevi @richmccue I can't wait to see these future educators in our schools!

— Joanna Lake (@JoannaTeaches) March 25, 2022

Do you listen to podcasts?

Yes

No

Maybe?

Why are Podcasts so popular?

Now… How do we use that in education?

Educational podcasts are appealing and may encourage students who are struggling with reading to learn more.

Learning through listening is fun!! 😀

Podcasts in Education are great because they…

• cover different learning styles
• stimulate multitasking
• offer some flexibility
• help students manage busy workloads.

Some great tips…

• Avoid long narratives like lecturing
• Use some real-life examples and personal connections
• Make it fun!!

Here is an example of my very own education podcast

This podcast is made by Filippa and I.  We used Anchor by Spotify to create this science unit on plastic waste. I hope you enjoy it!

Have you ever felt that way? 

You probably have, but the main question is

“How do you cope with your emotions?”

As a future teacher, it is important to be mindful of your body, emotions, and self. Your students are always watching! 

But what can we do when we have a bad day? Let’s say it’s not just a normal bad day but the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

We’re all human after all…

Here are some great tips that I have heard from many educators.

• • Be kind to yourself
  • Give yourself the extra time
  • It is okay to lower the expectations sometimes
  • Dimming the light in the classroom
  • Just be honest and tell your students 

Once you’re calmer, then it becomes so much easier to teach the kids!

Here is a story of Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day in case you have never heard of it!