Mindful SEAD Offers Online Resource for Parents at Home with their Students

https://www.youthpositive./downloadable-lessons Some thoughts and practices for Home Learning during this unprecedented time from Molly Dahl, Mindful SEAD, and YOUTH Positive — https://www.youthpositive./downloadable-lessons Home learning can certainly be a challenge for many teachers, not to mention parents. When stress and chaos abound at home because we’re not used to having all of the family home, all at the same time, getting children (students) to settle down and focus on school can be a big struggle. Managing the emotions that arise due to uncertainty and fear, and keeping any semblance of order, can quite a balancing act. And yet, most challenges often come with unexpected and sometime surprising benefits and blessings. In order to help create an environment where home learning can be smooth and even fun, several practices can go a long way toward to cultivating a dynamic and engaging learning space at home. Keep a normal schedule and routine – A regular wake-up time is essential for the body to keep its healthy rhythm and functioning. Just as children normally have to be out the door at a certain time to catch the bus or start their walk to school, keep a set time for students to be at their learning station. Set up a learning station – Create a space, no matter the size, where each child feels ownership of that space. Keep it clean and tidy with minimal distractions. At this time, most students will have their own laptop to connect with their virtual school/teacher. Let that laptop be the only piece of technology. No phone. No iPads or Kindles. Just a laptop. Minimizing distractions and multitasking – This will be paramount during home learning to keep students focused on their learning tasks. It might be pretty hard for students to understand the distraction of the phone, but if real and lasting learning is to occur during this time, it’s best if the phones arenot a part of the individual learning space.  This video gives us a pretty clear understanding of what actually happens when we try to multitask. Take Breaks and Recess – The brain can only take in so much information at any given time. Our physical bodies need to get up and move. Every 50 minutes or so, get your students up and moving. Go outside, take a walk down the block, go out and play with the dogs, or the chickens if you’re lucky enough to have them. Walk up the stairs two or three times if you have an upstairs. Physical movement gets fresh oxygen and nutrients to the brain. It refreshes us and stimulates creativity and intellectual attention. Create a Student – Parent Contract for Home Learning (or use this one if it’s easier – adjust and adapt as needed to best support your family goals) Having a clear and undisputable set of “norms” can really help ease the potential for conflict. As parents and children review the contract together, cross out things that won’t work for your family and add ideas and guidelines that will. When we know the expectations, it’s easier for us to stay focused and stay within the boundaries or peace and harmony. Early this month, Mindful SEAD was fortunate enough (and so grateful for the opportunity!) to have spent a day with Churchill County School District teachers, counselors, coaches, and administrators. Together, we shared many ideas and practices on the need for Social and Emotional learning for our young people. We realized together that when we have a strong emotional immune system, we can weather all sorts of storms and come out stronger on the other side. We also realized that many of our youth have not yet had the opportunities in life to find their own inner strength and resources to overcome adversity and struggle. This might well be that time. Both Mindful SEAD and YOUTH Positive are here to support all efforts toward successful home learning. YOUTH Positivehas created a page on our website full of free sources that we hope you will use to support not only your student(s), but your whole family too. Each lesson has an activity for students that is based on the current research of Positive Psychology and best practices in Education and Pedagogy as well as Adolescent Development Theories and Practices. Most lessons are not only suitable for students, but you might find them useful for yourself. If you are interested in purchasing the YOUTH Positive books, please go here and enter the discount code HL2020 to receive 20% off your total purchase price. Mindful SEAD is offering facebook live coaching and guidance sessions on how to teach some of the Social and Emotional lessons. Please join us on facebook Thursday, March 23 at 3:30pm for a 25 minute shorty lesson on breathing and the Locus of Control. You can find the written lesson here and follow along. We love you. We know you are doing your best and we are here to support you. Like Rachel Dahl said in her email from the Fallon Post on March 25, “We are so lucky to have each other – especially during these tumultuous times.” Yes, we are indeed. Take good care, Stay Positive ~Molly and the YOUTH Positive and Mindful SEAD teams.         We need your support now more than ever — as our small business comunity is hit, so is our advertising support — if you are able to support local, independent news, now is the time to click here to contribute to The Fallon Post, so we can continue to bring you up-to-the-minute information. 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