Mindfulness Strategies Social Emotional Learning Presented by Melissa Wheeler Health & Physical Education Teacher, Instructional Coach Jefferson High School, Daly City CA ◦ ◦ (650) for Increased Student Success… and Teacher Support

Professional Experience O Health & PE Teacher since 2000 O Personal Meditation Practice since 2000 O Certifications: O Ashtanga Yoga Instructor O Ayurvedic Practitioner O Niroga Yoga Corp Instructor O Yoga Ed Instructor O Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Course O Instructional Coach since 2013

Learning Objectives: O Participants will be able to explain why SEL mindfulness practices are effective strategies for increased student success. O Participants will be able to compare and contrast how they felt before mindfulness to how they felt after mindfulness. O Participants will be able to create a plan to use SEL/Mindfulness in their classes.

Agenda O SEL and Mindfulness Overview (6 min) O Practice- Lying/supine, seated and active mindfulness practices (44 min) O Create plans for implementation (5 min) O Share out (5 min)

Barriers to Student Success O What are some common behavioral issues in your classes? O What are some common academic issues in your classes? O What are some possible sources, causes or contributing factors to these issues?

PTSD & C-PTSD O C-PTSD: Complex-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder- O …Removed due to copyright laws, etc. … O 1 in 3 urban youth have mild PTSD: O …Removed due to copyright laws, etc. … O C-PTSD = Toxic Stress: O …Removed due to copyright laws, etc. … O Causes overproduction of cortisol, weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and others Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade. New Teacher Center 17 th Annual Symposium on Teacher Induction, Feb. 23 Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Definition & Resources O Definition: skills to manage emotions, set & achieve goals, feel & show empathy for others, have positive relationships, and make positive decisions O Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) O O Golden Gate Science Center (GGSC) at UC Berkeley O

Mindfulness… O Definition: Paying attention to the present moment on purpose, without judgment O Examples/Strategies: heart-centered reflective prayer MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) TM (Transcendental Meditation®) Zen Others Breathing (various techniques) mindfulness creative/visualization body scan progressive muscle relaxation moving meditation, yoga, walking, etc. sound-based (Could be used to introduce mindfulness to classes)

Mindfulness & the Nervous System Mindfulness soothes the nervous system  The sympathetic nervous system … removed due to copyright laws, etc….  Meditation dramatically reduces … removed due to copyright laws, etc….  By activating the parasympathetic … removed due to copyright laws, etc….  (Could be used to introduce mindfulness to classes)

Practice O Seated or Supine Practices - section 1 & 3 on yellow handout O Nose breathing O Belly breathing O Rhythmic breathing O Body scan O Progressive muscle relaxation O Creative/visualization O Sound O Active Standing Practices- section 3 on yellow handout O Vertical trunk twisting O Shoulder movements O Neck movements O Walking O Yoga

Practice con’t. O Notes & Tips- section 2 on yellow handout O Distracting Sounds O Disruptive Students O Students Who Dislike It O Frequency O Insomnia O Personal Practice O Length of time O Caffeine & Sugar

As a Classroom Management Strategy O Use supine or seated practices to down regulate: O When energy is high, rambunctious O Before tests O To create calm or focus O Others… O Use active practices to up regulate: O When energy is low O After sitting for long periods O Others…

Create Your Plan O When & Where? O With who? O Why? O What else do you need in order to be successful? O What will you do in the next 24 hours as a step toward your goal? (This step makes it much more likely that you will reach your goal.)

Appendix: a few slides on… O Resources, with links O Research O Possible content for implementing in your classes

Mindfulness & Meditation in Schools Organizations that implement mindfulness practices in school settings: O Mindful Schools O David Lynch Foundation- Quiet Time O Niroga- TLS (Transformative Life Skills) O Yoga Ed RESOURCE

Links & Research O O mindfulness/research/ mindfulness/research/ O s.html s.html O O O O RESOURCES

According to the David Lynch Foundation… Stress: the #1 Enemy of Learning In low-income urban schools, traumatic stress … removed due to copyright laws, etc… : High stress levels also damage teachers … removed due to copyright laws, etc.. RESEARCH

Visitacion Valley Middle School- Quiet Time O video on Edutopia.org video on Edutopia.org O How Daily Meditation Improves Behavior- February 22, 2012 O With levels of violence … removed due to copyright laws., etc. RESEARCH

What Does the Research Say? O Implementation of a combination of meditative … removed due to print limitations, etc… (Bose & Philipp, Effects of a Healing Yoga Protocol on Stress Resilience in Incarcerated Youth, 2007) O Integration of yoga and mindfulness … removed due to print limitations, etc…. (Rose & Matthew, Effects of Transformative Life Skills on Academic Potential and Youth Development, 2009) RESEARCH

Research has shown that mindfulness enhances academic potential, focus, attention, & self-control (see last slides for more info) What Do the Kids Say? O Most report that they notice a positive difference or that they feel “better” afterwards O They have said they notice: O reduction in pain (like headaches) O Reduction in difficult feelings like anger or upset O a feeling of relaxation O “A better high than any drug” (Yes, one of my students said that) O Many other positive changes RESEARCH

Stress Defined O Stress: continuous feelings of worry about your work or personal life, that prevent you from relaxing (Longman Advanced American Dictionary) O Stressor: an activity, event, or other stimulus that causes stress (Dictionary.com) CONTENT

Stress, Health, & Goals Think about some of your common stressors and some of your students’ common stressors. 1. How does stress affect your ability to reach your goals? 2. How does stress affect your students’ ability to reach their goals? 3. How does stress affect your health? 4. How does stress affect your students’ health? CONTENT

Coping Strategies O What are some of your common coping strategies? (How do you deal with stress? These might include both healthy and unhealthy ways.) O What are some common coping strategies among your students? (How do they deal with stress? These might include both healthy and unhealthy ways.) CONTENT