Resilience

Many of our students appear to be wrapped in cotton-wool by their parents to protect them from the world. Unfortunately, a bi-product of this situation is that many students lack the persistence necessary to keep going when circumstances are challenging. They give up at the very first hurdle. Asking students to persist or struggle with classroom tasks can be very beneficial for deeper learning. Significant learning benefits result when students are allowed to do some of this hard work on their own and struggle with ideas they do not quite yet understand. Teaching grit is important. What is grit? According to Angela Duckworth, Associate Professor of Psychology at University of Pennsylvania, “Grit is a disposition to pursue very long-term goals…

In “The Book of Awesome”, author Neil Pasricha provides a catalogue of universal little pleasures we all share. The book is intended to help us focus on the many little things that give us pleasure rather than the few things that annoy and frustrate us. In his book Pasricha offers a hearty cheer for all the things we take for granted. This philosophy applies in schools too! Inspired by the book I have started a list of things that happen in schools that add pleasure to our day… feel free to add to the list! A thank you note from a parent The first five minutes after 3 o’clock A ‘free’ afternoon when an after-school meeting is cancelled A staff…

Mindfulness is one of the best ways to combat stress and anxiety. While mindfulness and meditation are no longer reserved for Buddhist retreats, you might still be unsure about how to integrate this practice into your life. Meditation can be broadly defined as any activity that involves controlling your attention. Mindfulness is about focusing on whatever is happening moment-by-moment without being judgmental. In mindfulness meditation, you actively choose to control where your mind goes. For example, you can choose to pay attention to your breath or the sounds around you. While that seems fairly simple, you’ll quickly discover that your attention easily wanders. Developing the ability to regulate our attention ultimately helps you to live more in the present moment…