To teachers – Would you like the children in your classroom to be able to focus and concentrate on what you are teaching them?

October 15, 2018 by

Our book called Refocusing and Calming activities (Module 1) for children could help you?

If you use the activities that we offer in your classroom, as part of your daily routine, then your students will have a better chance of being more receptive to learning.

Here are some of the ways that you might use them.

INTEGRATED INTO CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

The exercises and techniques offered in the book can be integrated into classroom activities for the benefit of all children.

For example, at the beginning of the day or after lunch break when children’s energy may be scattered and unsettled, one of the following could be used:
Breathing Out Feelings – Activities 1.3, 1.7 or 1.9
Deep Breathing for Relaxation and Balancing – Activities 1.2, 1.4,
1.5, 1.8 or 1.10.
This can help to create a calmer, more peaceful classroom atmosphere, where the children are more receptive to learning.

DAILY ROUTINE – It may be beneficial to build in deep breathing exercises as part of a daily routine. For example first thing in the morning to help children oxygenate their bodies and to help them to
begin the day in a calm, relaxed state.

TIME OUT – Children could be taught to recognize when their own emotional energy is building up in their body (using the Body Awareness Activities in Module 2). They can them be given an opportunity to choose time out for a relaxation, and taking deep breaths followed by an art or a journal writing activity to help them express their feelings.
(See Module 5 for creative expression activities).
This could be combined with a debriefing session with the school counselor or a trained teacher aide.

A ‘CALM DOWN CORNER’ – A space could be created in the classroom, where children have access to pillows or cushions, relaxing music, art resources and their own journals. These resources can be used to help children to express their feelings as the need arises.
This corner provides children with the opportunity of expressing their feelings in a safe space, and helps them to change to a calmer more peaceful emotional energy state. For more information, see Appendix A.

Please go to our website to order this book

www.rainbowplanetconnection.com

 

 

 

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Imagine this! Children who are calm, relaxed and receptive to learning

September 14, 2018 by

At the Rainbow Planet Connection we are here to help you as a teacher, child counsellor or parent!

We realize that many children can exhibit restlessness and lack of concentration.

It’s difficult to either teach or parent children when they are  not receptive.

If we can teach children to relax and be able to put themselves into a much calmer state then we will be in a much better position to help them with both learning and behaviour.

I would like to introduce you to our first E-book on ‘Refocusing and calming activities for children.

Please read below:


There is a lot of wisdom in the old saying, ‘TAKE A FEW DEEP BREATHS’.

This Module has been developed to help children to refocus and calm their energy using breathing exercises. It helps them to become more aware of their breathing patterns and teaches them how to breathe in a deeper more relaxed way. Encouraging full, deep breaths can also be a powerful way to promote release of the energy linked in with feelings, which are locked in the body. It can help to set the energy in motion (e-motion).

Many adults and children, only breathe into the top part of their chest. Shallow breathing is one of the body’s ways of controlling and suppressing emotions and excitement.

Feelings of grief, sadness and fear are often held in the chest. Some of the exercises also teach them how to release pent up emotions using breathing techniques.

Benefits of Refocusing and Calming Activities
Benefits of the activities in this Module include helping children to:
  • Develop an awareness of their breathing, and how it affects their energy and emotional state.
  • Learn how to release pent up emotional energy by breathing it out, using visualization exercises.
  • Learn how to use deep breathing for refocusing, calming and balancing their energy.
  • Use deep breathing techniques so that they are more receptive to learning, more focused and less scattered.
  • Be aware of how feelings such as anxiety and fear can cause shallow breathing and how peaceful, calm and more relaxed feelings are linked with deeper breathing.
  • Understand how breathing is affected by external situations and experiences, including environmental factors and other people’s emotions

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT PLEASE CONTACT US VIA OUR WEBSITE OR YOU CAN ORDER COPIES OF OUR E-BOOK 1 ‘REFOCUSING AND CALMING ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN’

http://rainbowplanetconnection.com/products/module-one-refocusing-and-calming-activities-for-children/

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Tips for teachers. Why teach whole body listening?

November 15, 2013 by

Why teach ‘Whole body listening to the children in your class?’

Teaching whole body listening will make your life as a teacher a lot easier!
It will improve the quality of learning and lead to more co-operative, harmonious classrooms.
If you are a parent this technique could also greatly improve your communication with your children!girl looking up

Many children have not been taught how to listen well. Perhaps this is a sign of our times when communication skills are changing due to the increasing use of technology for communication.

However, I feel that it is really important to teach our children good listening skills (also known as active listening) as this is the basis for all good learning and acquisition of knowledge and wisdom and will serve them well as they grow into adults.
Everyone feels more appreciated if they know someone has listened to them and acknowledged what they have said.
rainbowplanetconnection.com

What is whole body listening?

Whole body listening means using the whole body eyes, ears, body posture and facial expression to listen well to someone else.
You can use this concept each week in your sessions to remind the children of good listening skills. Ask them:

‘How do I know you are listening really well?’

‘Are you listening with your whole body?’

The following list explains how this works:

o    Listening with your eyes – looking at the speaker, making eye contact (depending on the culture)
o    Listening with your ears – listen to the speaker with your ears (not the person next to you)
o    Listening with your mouth – the mouth should be quiet
o    Listening with your body – your body is facing towards the speaker
o    Listening with your hands – quiet hands (not moving)
o    Listening with your feet – quiet feet
o    Listening with your brain – thinking about what the speaker is saying
o    Listening with your heart – caring about what the speaker is saying

heart art

If a child is not listening, then you can simply remind them in a gentle way such as
‘Harry I would like you to listen with your body. Can you show me how you do this?

There are other activities that you can do to improve listening and communication skills with the children in your class.

Here is a simple activity from our E-training course for teachers that you can do to show the children the importance of eye contact.

Role Play 1 – Communication – Listening Skills

Preparation: Children sit in chairs or on the floor back to back. Children are not allowed to turn around and look at each other for this activity.

Step 1. Child A talks about what he/she did last weekend or about their pet or a member of their family. Child B listens and responds.
Step 2. Ask each child in turn – How did this feel?
E.g. Did you feel listened to? What difference did it make not being able to see who you were talking to?
Step 3. Discuss and emphasize the importance of eye contact, posture and body language in communication. Discuss ‘How do you know you are being listened to with regards to a) eye-contact, b) body language and facial expression and so on?

For other sample ideas on improving social skills and communication in your classroom please contact us!

From rainbowplanetconnection

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