How are you feeling about going back to school?

This experience will have been different for every student, teacher and parent. Some will be happy, others traumatised and everything in between. We can’t assume how anyone feels. How do we deal with all of this?

Phychologist Dr Helen Street, chair of Positive Schools, suggests we ask 4 questions similar to these. Make sure EVERY person has a chance to answer each one in their own way- speaking, drawing, one to one or in the group. They must feel they belong and have an equal voice : 1. What felt different for you learning at home? 2. What did you enjoy? 3. What did you miss? 4. What would you like to do differently back at school?

It’s very healthy to TALK about and experience your FEELINGS. Use Circle Time, so everyone has a chance to speak. ALL feelings are good, it’s what we do with them that can make a difference. If we let them CONTROL us, that’s where we can be in trouble! YOU need to CONTROL your feelings so you don’t hurt either yourself or others, and so you can feel happier. We need to all build strategies to control our feelings. (See some helpful posters below)

Controlling your feelings by SELF SOOTHING

What helps YOU clam down? Everyone is different. Modeling Self Soothing gives the best example that it works, do some together: e.g. Deep breathing, drinking water, reading, walking, running, playing outside, painting, cooking, eating (not too much!!), listening to music, singing, dancing, playing sport, watching a movie, mediation, mindfulness, games, jokes, laughing, lying down, resting, sunshine, swimming, a bath, the gym, exercises, yoga, writing, drawing, puzzles, jigsaws, climbing, sitting under or in a tree, the park, a playground, talking to a friend or helper, pets, animals, fishing, lego, IT, robotics, etc.

Mindfulness or Meditation

Always helps to ground and centre us, and has much research to show it works. There are many resources such as Smiling Mind, that can be used.

Routine

PREDICTION = SAFETY Have a schedule up each day so there are no surprises, and if the schedule changes, let the students know in advance if possible. After all the disruptions, routine is comfort.

Gratitude

There are ALWAYS things to be grateful for. Focusing on the things that go right can help to increase mood. Do this in a written, spoken, in your mind or pictorial way. Try and do it every day until the next holidays to get them into the habit. Have a gratitude board in the staff room, tell students to ask their parents what they are grateful for.

Discover Strengths

Use strength cards and discussions, or questionnaires, to discover each others strengths – both physical and emotional. Talk about how you could use your strengths to help others. Make Strength posters, display them. We ALL have strengths we can share to make the world a better place.

Exercise every day

Get the students and yourself moving, both in the classroom, or work area and outside. Dance, sing, do brain gym, PE, a ‘Play is the Way’ game, Simon says, etc. have frequent breaks if students are not settled.

Relationship and Empathy

Get to know your students all over again, things will have changed. Some will have improved, some will have regressed – in either learning and /or behaviour. Relationship is VERY important, every person wants to belong, this goes for staff as well. Empathy is relationship building.

Posters that may help:

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Self Esteem

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What is something YOU do to make yourself feel better??

Self Talk can either harm or help you! If your Self Talk is Negative and Unhelpful- a FIXED MINDSET, then it can be harmful and stop you from progressing or changing, whereas Helpful Positive Self Talk is working with a GROWTH MINDSET, where you allow yourself to build, develop and grow into a more resilient, happy person. Your INNER belief effects what you can and can’t do. To CHANGE some of those Negative Fixed Mindset ideas try asking yourself questions like: ‘Is that really true? What is another way to think of that? Can I have a go? What strategies can I use?Am I exaggerating? How can I solve this?’ They will lead to a GROWTH MINDSET, more learning and a better outcomes.

Following are some ‘Growth Mindset Self Talk,’ suggested by the students, to help manage our emotions:

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We all talk to ourselves in our head all day, but often will catch ourselves saying negative things. Try some of the following Self Talk to help you stay on an even keel:

I am a good person

I am going to have a great day

It won’t last forever

I’ll feel better tomorrow

I have some great friends

My family love me

I can ask for help

I can keep trying

Don’t give up

Tomorrow will be a great day

Get over yourself!!

I’ll take some deep breaths and I’ll feel better

I can do it

Everything will be OK soon

I have the courage to have a go

I can walk away

I can go and do something I like

I’ll have a drink of water

What strategy can I use to help?

Is there another way to look at this?

What are some things YOU say to yourself to make you feel better?? Change those NEGATIVE thought patterns (Fixed Mindset) into POSITIVE (Growth Mindset) ones! You will feel much better if you do!

Remember: If you THINK you CAN, you CAN. If you THINK you CAN’T, then you CAN’T!!

See Products page for this and other posters to help you, your students or patients.

ePoster Self Talk Changes your MIND and ACTIONS

Self Talk Traffic Lights

The post SELF TALK (Growth Mindset) to help Emotions appeared first on Be Positive Program.