Friday, October 23, 2015
Friday, October 9, 2015
Friday, September 25, 2015
The Importance of Mindful Awareness in the Classroom
Does the word mindfulness mean anything to you? After several years of teaching students with severe LDs, I have come to realize that teaching students to be mindful can foster huge results.
We have three pillars at Sagonaska demonstration school; learn to read (better), learn to self advocate and learn to use technology in a way that assists students in learning. To help with the self advocacy piece, Mr. Brown (@andrewpjbrown) turned Sagonaska onto a program called Mindup.
In the first few lessons students understand that the brain works like a team. The prefrontal cortex, the amygdala and the hippocampus all work together to help make decisions. After only a few lessons from the MindUp curriculum, students are better equipped be more mindful.
I have found that students make mindful choices when they know how their brains work, and they understand how to use strategies to help slow the decision making process down. Strategies such as deep breathing, listening to calming music, taking extra time to assess situations and choosing an optimistic attitude are all ways we can get students to make more mindful decisions.
Whether you are a student or a teacher, I want to know what you do in your classroom to be more mindful. Please leave your comments below!
We have three pillars at Sagonaska demonstration school; learn to read (better), learn to self advocate and learn to use technology in a way that assists students in learning. To help with the self advocacy piece, Mr. Brown (@andrewpjbrown) turned Sagonaska onto a program called Mindup.
"MindUP™ teaches social and emotional learning skills that link cognitive neuroscience, positive psychology and mindful awareness training utilizing a brain centric approach."
In the first few lessons students understand that the brain works like a team. The prefrontal cortex, the amygdala and the hippocampus all work together to help make decisions. After only a few lessons from the MindUp curriculum, students are better equipped be more mindful.
I have found that students make mindful choices when they know how their brains work, and they understand how to use strategies to help slow the decision making process down. Strategies such as deep breathing, listening to calming music, taking extra time to assess situations and choosing an optimistic attitude are all ways we can get students to make more mindful decisions.
Whether you are a student or a teacher, I want to know what you do in your classroom to be more mindful. Please leave your comments below!
The Week of September 21 - 25, 2015
Another Crazy, Busy Week!
We started the Empower Reading program this week. It is going well for students who are learning strategies to help them read words that they don't yet know. The program was developed by Sick Kids in Toronto and gets results! Check out the Empower Reading Program.
We have also been learning a lot about mindfulness. We are using a program called Mindup. This program teaches students mindful awareness. Mr. Hayes and I did a little hands on lesson all about interconnection. The lesson connects with both geography and mindfulness.
The red yarn represents connections between each other. If one person pulls the yarn, everyone else holding the yarn feels the pull. Relates to global issues (geography) and mindfulness (making choices).
Speaking of mindfulness...
We reached out to one of our Twitter friends this week! We had a question about the Prefrontal Cortex (the front part of your brain which is responsible for making decisions).
We Day 2015!
Some of the students at Sagonaska will have the chance to attend We Day 2105 in Toronto. If your student is in their first year, they have been invited. Please look for the permission forms in the blue home going folder. Also, please send any forms back ASAP so that we can start planning accordingly.
Fitness!
Mr. Hayes and I have been working on a fitness unit in gym class. Your students are going to be lean mean learning machines! We have also been encouraging students to wash their hands as it is the time of year we start to see a lot kids getting sick! No body likes being sick.
Have a great weekend with family and friends!
We started the Empower Reading program this week. It is going well for students who are learning strategies to help them read words that they don't yet know. The program was developed by Sick Kids in Toronto and gets results! Check out the Empower Reading Program.
We have also been learning a lot about mindfulness. We are using a program called Mindup. This program teaches students mindful awareness. Mr. Hayes and I did a little hands on lesson all about interconnection. The lesson connects with both geography and mindfulness.
The red yarn represents connections between each other. If one person pulls the yarn, everyone else holding the yarn feels the pull. Relates to global issues (geography) and mindfulness (making choices).
Speaking of mindfulness...
We reached out to one of our Twitter friends this week! We had a question about the Prefrontal Cortex (the front part of your brain which is responsible for making decisions).
We Day 2015!
Some of the students at Sagonaska will have the chance to attend We Day 2105 in Toronto. If your student is in their first year, they have been invited. Please look for the permission forms in the blue home going folder. Also, please send any forms back ASAP so that we can start planning accordingly.
Fitness!
Mr. Hayes and I have been working on a fitness unit in gym class. Your students are going to be lean mean learning machines! We have also been encouraging students to wash their hands as it is the time of year we start to see a lot kids getting sick! No body likes being sick.
Have a great weekend with family and friends!
Friday, September 18, 2015
The Week of September 14, 2015
As usual, we had a VERY busy week!
Most students got their Diagnostic Reading assessments done, we went on a field trip to Wesley Acres and the students even made their first blog post.
Check out the blog posts by your students, the pictures, videos and tweets that help to describe our awesome week!
We celebrated a couple of birthdays with some homemade poutine!
Most students got their Diagnostic Reading assessments done, we went on a field trip to Wesley Acres and the students even made their first blog post.
Check out the blog posts by your students, the pictures, videos and tweets that help to describe our awesome week!
We celebrated a couple of birthdays with some homemade poutine!
We read a book called "Rosie Revere Engineer" by Andrea Beaty. We used this book to help us define what exactly Teamwork is! Here is the anchor chart!
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