A Mindful Approach to Resilience in Children

Julie Pearson considers mindfulness and how it can be used in schools to support children’s well-being.

At a time when resilience in children, teachers and families is reaching crisis point, a school in America hits the news by replacing detention with meditation with amazing results – it was reported that since setting up the programme two years ago, the school has not issued a single suspension! ⁽¹⁾

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      string(3514) "A need for tailored emotional and physical wellbeing support in UK secondary schools has been identified in a new report following a pilot by not-for-profit UK healthcare organisation, Nuffield Health.   With news from the government that an additional £2 billion will be invested to fund specialist mental health teams in schools to offset the growing levels of obesity in children, Nuffield Health has identified ways in which physical and emotional wellbeing provisions can be established for both students and teachers.The ‘Improving wellbeing in schools’ report shares the findings from a pilot that installed a Head of Wellbeing within a secondary school for two years, which completed last year.  An initial assessment of the school—Wood Green School, Witney, Oxfordshire—had highlighted mental health issues and stress management as priorities for intervention.  A survey of the staff and students had showed lower then national average levels of wellbeing. The Head of Wellbeing from Nuffield Health worked closely with students and staff to assess emotional and physical wellbeing priorities and develop a targeted, responsive programme of initiatives and activities for the whole school. Initiatives included making water more widely available and offering healthy eating options, enhancing existing provision through extra resources or more accessible sessions, and running classes in mental wellbeing techniques, such as mindfulness and resilience.  By embedding these tactics, which also included improving fruit and vegetable consumption, educating students to have better understanding of their bodies, and providing students with the impetus to exercise more regularly, the pilot achieved a marked improvement in healthy eating habits and an increase in the number of staff using gym facilities. By implementing this structure, wellbeing improved for both teachers and pupils within the school.As a result of the pilot, wellbeing is now one of Wood Green School’s six values and timetabled within the school curriculum. Head teacher, Robert Shadbolt, made a crucial decision to invest budget in maintaining a wellbeing role as a part-time post after the completion of the project.   Shadbolt said after the pilot:  ‘I don’t believe there’s a single child in this school who hasn’t thought about the importance of what they eat, what exercise they do, what they do with their screen time, the importance of good mental health and how they achieve that. ‘Having someone whose specific role it is to coordinate, deliver and drive the wellbeing programme, rather than trying to combine this with a member of staff’s other teaching commitments, is critical to its success.’Using the insights from this pilot, Nuffield Health has developed swap, the Schools Wellbeing Activity Programme. The programme is free and offers evidence-based lessons that can be delivered by Nuffield Health experts, to support local schools in their area, either as a 6-week programme or in individual sessions.To download and read the ‘Improving wellbeing in schools: Evidence and recommendations from a Head of Wellbeing pilot’ report in full, visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/about-us/our-researchFind out more about swap at www.nuffieldhealth.com/swap"
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Leadership

Dedicated Specialists Improving Wellbeing in Schools

23 Jan 2019

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      string(5645) "personality that students can choose between freely. What’s Up? Students can type or speak, letting the Worrinot know whatever is on their mind. Make the Fear DisappearDepending on which Worrinot the child chose, their fear will be ripped, stomped, etc. and the child can watch it disappear on the screen. Worri-Tips The Worrinots encourage children to read the age-appropriate Worri-Tips & learn life-long coping mechanisms.Once the child has made the fear disappear, it is forwarded to the monitoring app, WatNot, which is a unique monitoring system designed specifically to help teachers and safeguarding officers identify and monitor fears that have been shared. 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It has tools to help with relaxation, developing more helpful ways of thinking and identifying active steps to help teens take charge of their anxiety. In addition to everyday anxiety, it addresses specific issues such as:  Making Sleep CountRiding Out Intense EmotionsTest AnxietyPerfectionismSocial AnxietyPerformance AnxietyWorryPanicConflictIn addition to delivering clear and relevant information that helps students learn about anxiety, assess their own situation and piece together a personalised plan to help manage the anxiety, the app has some great ‘chill out’ tools, such as relaxation exercises, visualisations and mindfulness strategies. Teens start by selecting a situation they are struggling with from the list of ‘My Situations’ and then they can get the facts related to anxiety and the situation their facing. Then they go through some ‘Check In’ exercises to see whether a particular situation is a problem. They can then develop their personalsed program, starting with finding more helpful thoughts with a set of ‘Thinking Right’ prompts, then dialing down the anxiety with the ‘Chill out Tools’ and then identifying next actions in the ‘Active Steps’ area. There is a place to jot down thoughts and feelings and inspirational quotes to keep momentum going. Although the app isn’t especially school-based, it has great content that can be introduced in a PSHE class and then the app can support teens independently as they try to work with the relevant tools and approaches.Mind Moose https://www.mindmoose.co.uk/Mind Moose offers schools a way to support and monitor the mental wellbeing and emotional health of primary-aged pupils through a fun, online programme. Pupils go on a journey of discovery with Mind Moose and his friends, watching short, fun animations before completing reflective activities based on the topics. They earn badges and certificates along the way and they are given ‘Moose Missions’ to undertake in school, or at home. 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Applications and Software

Nurturing Mental Health with Wellbeing Apps for Young People

8 Aug 2019

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      string(5628) "26 Teaching Thinking  Vol.1 Issue 2www.teachthinking.comFeatures: MeditationFeatures: MeditationFeatures: MeditationFeatures: MeditationFeatures: MeditationaTakedeepb r e a t hb r e a t hPhilosophical enquiry and thinking skillsprogrammes make considerable demandson children’s concentration, patience andcharity towards their fellow classmates. Totake part in a sustained enquiry, they mustbe able to sit still, listen attentively to all contributions,think hard and manage disagreement. It taxes them notonly intellectually, but physically and emotionally too –and this is no less true for the teacher.In talking with children about all that’s involved inlistening, I became interested in how to establish goodconditions, from the outset, for participation inphilosophical enquiry. My decision to explore relaxationand meditation techniques with pupils stemmed froma number of observations:• Life in the classroom can be quite hectic andfragmented – pace and vigour are the order of theday!• Disputes, upsets, hurt feelings from playtimes oftenspill over into working time.• There are few opportunities for sti l lness andcontemplation.TakePhilosophical debate and thinking skills call for clarity andrelaxation. These can be hard to come by in a bustling,boisterous classroom – but Joanna Haynes has asolution in meditationdeep a27Teaching Thinking  Vol.1 Issue 2www.teachthinking.com Features: MeditationFeatures: MeditationFeatures: MeditationFeatures: MeditationFeatures: Meditation• Transitions from one activity toanother need careful attentionfrom the teacher.So how might sti l lness andconcentration be cultivated? Idecided to explore some simplerelaxation and meditation exerciseswith children at the beginning ofour sessions of philosophicalenquiry. Though I lacked specialisedtraining in this field, I had learnedrelaxation techniques throughantenatal classes, a course run byRelate and regular use of an audiotape. Having returned to yoga overthe last few years, I have learnedpromote healthy self-maintenanceand increase resilience and personalautonomy.I quickly discovered that the ideas ofdesired goal. When I discussed thiswith the pupils I found it increasedtheir willingness to give it a try.Very briefly described here are“fur ther approaches to physicalrelaxation, breathing andmeditation, and have adapted thesefor use with the children. I modifywhat we do on the basis ofobservation and feedback. Thedecision to set up the community ofenquiry with a few minutes ofphysical and mental preparation ofthis kind was based on a number of(tentative) ideas:• Careful attention to posturemakes for more sustainedphysical  comfort and lessdistraction through discomfort,especially when required to sitstill for an extended period.• Physical relaxation can help tocreate a feeling of calm and well-being.• Mental relaxation can improveconcentration and stamina.• Periods of silence with eyes closedmake it possible to ‘watch’ one’sown thoughts.• Regular relaxation and meditationmay help the development ofmindfulness and metacognition.• Knowledge and skill in these areasmeditation and relaxation or focusingtechniques were not new to the olderpupils, as one or two ratherhumorously took up the cross-leggedposition of the yogi. (I asked them howthey knew about this: TV, of course.)Children may also encounter thesetechniques in sporting activity, whereit is now commonplace for trainers toencourage the use of visualisation, forexample, to enhance performance.Typically, athletes will imaginethemselves winning their event. Suchexercises are promoted because theyare thought to improve a person’sbelief in the possibility of success, toreduce anxiety and to help harnessenergy and concentration towards thesome of the things we have beentrying out.First of all, physical relaxation. Thisis all  about helping children tonotice their posture and physicalstate. I begin by asking children toadopt a posture that is comfortablebut not slumped. Make sure eachchild has sufficient space.Accommodate individuals and donot insist that everyone adopts thesame posture. We breathe somedeep sighs in our own time.Sometimes I slowly list parts of thebody to make sure each part isrelaxed; sometimes we concentrateon those areas where tension isoften held: the shoulders, the mouth,I like meditation ’cause there are some very annoying people in this school…I’ll not mention anynames…and it just gives me time to get away from it(Sara, aged 10)When you’re laughing and come in all giggly the teacher says take deep breaths, close your eyes and be inyour own world for a minute and then you feel relaxed…it’s just easier to listen and to speak to each otherwhen you’re relaxed (Chris, aged 11)“““28 Teaching Thinking Vol.1 Issue 2www.teachthinking.comFeatures: MeditationFeatures: MeditationFeatures: MeditationFeatures: MeditationFeatures: Meditationthe forehead. I  encourage thechildren to massage their own necksor hands. We close our eyes and staysti l l  for a few minutes. At themoment we are aiming to do this forfive whole minutes.Creative visualisation is a smalljourney of the imagination,designed to invoke a sense of calmand serenity. The children close theireyes and I talk them through anepisode, for example: your favouriteplace where you feel safe and happy;floating on the water; lying in thewarm sun; cuddling your favouritetoy. The content of a creativevisualisation depends on the age ofthe children. Its length is built upgradually and is punctuated bysome minutes of silence.Children often want to talk"
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Creative Teaching & Learning

Take A Deep Breath

29 Dec 2010

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      string(387) "... glows and picks uphis reading and is eager to tell us his story.’ › Dr Trisha Waters is an educational consultant, trainerand writer who specialises in emotional wellbeing,inclusion and mindfulness in schools. She is foundingdirector of the Centre for Therapeutic Storywriting.Contact Trisha at trisha@TherapeuticStorywriting.comBo the Elephant was ..."
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      string(2581) "Desforges & Abouchaar (2003). The impact of parental involvement,parental support and family education on pupil achievementand adjustment: A literature review. Nottingham: Department forEducation and Skills.2.  Geddes, H. (2006). Attachment in the classroom. London: Worth.3.  Waters, T. (2004). Therapeutic story writing: A practical guide todeveloping emotional literacy in primary schools. London: DavidFulton.4.  Waters, T. (2009) Story Links programme evaluation: The impactof a parent partnership intervention that uses therapeutic storywriting to support pupils at risk of exclusion. Chichester: Universityof Chichester. Available at: <www.storylinkstraining.co.uk/?page_id=133 >the sessions and added ‘ the school is quite shocked that she’sactually turning up religiously and is very committed.’Here is a story co-created by John and his Mum in the thirdStory Links session that seems to reflect something of John’semotional issues related to being a young carer and also hisexperience of having his mother come into school to support him:John’s Mum described her relationship with the school beforethe Story Links programme as ‘horrible, all the time’ and that‘previously the only interaction was “John’s been bad, this hashappened”.’ However, she felt that the Story Links programmehad turned this around and that the focus on reading rather thanon bad behaviour had made a big difference to her contact withthe school.She said: ‘This has been sort of more positive. Now it’s nice tolook forward to coming in – we talk and John glows and picks uphis reading and is eager to tell us his story.’ › Dr Trisha Waters is an educational consultant, trainerand writer who specialises in emotional wellbeing,inclusion and mindfulness in schools. She is foundingdirector of the Centre for Therapeutic Storywriting.Contact Trisha at trisha@TherapeuticStorywriting.comBo the Elephant was stroppy and used to cry because he had to findfood on his own. He walked for miles and miles, digging at the groundand sniffing at the tree… then his keeper came in his lorry with a bigbox. The box was full of sticky buns which they ate together. So, Boknew now that he didn’t have to get stroppy and cry, trying to findfood on his own. His keeper would look after him well.http://www.teachingtimes.comhttp://www.StoryLinksTraining.co.ukhttp://www.StoryLinksTraining.co.ukhttp://www.storylinkstraining.co.uk/?page_id=133http://www.storylinkstraining.co.uk/?page_id=133mailto:trisha@TherapeuticStorywriting.com"
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Special Needs

Engaging the parents of pupils with emotional and behavioural needs

29 Sep 2014

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