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Category: Free Inquiry

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Mindfulness in the classroom…

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

mindfulness printed paper near window

Photo by Lesly Juarez on 

Elementary school Middle School  High School
     
     
     
     

 

I AM OVERWHELMED…

OR MAYBE JUST WHELMED

woman in black long sleeve shirt covering her face with her hands

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…

How to get more than 24 hrs?

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I just don’t have enough time!!

This is probably one of the most common things people say… Yes, the most common one for teachers as well…

Time Management Strategies…

I asked 20 people from my class about their time management strategies

Here are the responses I received 

Google Tasks

  • keep track of all the things I need to do
  • categorize by subject, date
  • calendar that is colour coded to keep track of activities

Physical agenda and Checklists   

  • cross things off my list

“I love physically crossing things off. It feels more real to me” -Mel

Time blocks 

  • divide your day into blocks of time
  • each block is dedicated to accomplishing a specific task

I try to write down what I need to do and create “time blocks” for the things I need the finish -Sean

I also block off chunks of time for each thing, but don’t beat myself up if something takes longer than I anticipated -Vanessa

Timer

  • setting a timer for a certain time and focusing on one thing for that amount of time.

Other Tips

  • do more boring tasks first so you have the exciting ones to look forward to
  • start with the easiest things that will take the least amount of time
  • prioritizing your list of things
  • compare what is urgent vs. what you can get done quickly vs. what you can put on the back burner.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY

BE KIND TO YOURSELF!

  • include some things that are easy, so that you still feel like you’ve accomplished something even if you don’t get through the entire list

If I’m having a bad day, I’ll put a few easy things on there then I’m like oh look I am doing things! I really like that trick. Writing down the small things really helps me notice that I did do things, even if it was just taking care of myself -Vanessa

I also heard an amazing motto which is who I want to be as a teacher and as a person really. “Do your best and nothing less”. You can only do what you can do! If you put your best effort in, You should be proud and it should be celebrated! -Stephanie

 

Middle School!? What’s actually cool? (or NOT cool!?)

Please think about your middle school experience…

Do you remember much about your learning journey? 

Do you remember any of the topics you have learned?

Probably not!

(or maybe a little bit…)

Not because you’re not a good student, and not because you’re a trouble maker!

For many people, middle school is a weird awkward moment when you feel like you’re somewhere between an adult and a kid… 😮

What is cool in middle school?

  • Friends
  • Relationships
  • Not getting lost
  • Remembering your lockers
  • Being yourselves and having fun!

What is not so cool in middle school?

  • Bullying
  • Gossips and drama
  • Temptation
  • Social pressures
  • Academic pressure
  • All the pressures!

At this age, middle schoolers crave acceptance from their peers because friends help them navigate through adolescence and basically everything. They’re still trying to learn and experience different things. Learning to grow and be independent. As a future middle teacher, I think it’s really important that I can connect with my students and can truly understand them.

Be cool, stay cool, and you will be cool in middle school!!

Photo by Josh Rakower on Unsplash

Podcast in Classroom!? Let’s just called that Podclass!!

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!

I AM SO FRUSTRATED! WHAT CAN I DO??

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!

Free Inquiry – Practicum Prep

Practicum is approaching!

WHAT DO I DO?

 

Photo by Justin Lim on Unsplash

I’m sure that everyone in the PDP program is super excited about their practicum placement which is coming up in April! I don’t have much experience in middle school, and I am kind of nervous about it. Still, I want to try my best and be prepared for this upcoming adventure!

My free inquiry will be about different tips and tricks that I find helpful for the classroom. The focus will be for middle school, but I’m sure that many of these topics will still be useful for any other grades! 

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