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:

The post Getting back to School appeared first on Be Positive Program.

By Barb Bellesini

Even though children or adults may not show outward signs of worry or anxiety, almost ALL will be effected in some way. They may have been in the fires, lost their home, been worried about the smoke everywhere, seen pictures on TV, heard adults talk about it, had their holiday changed or stopped, donated to the fire charities, been at sporting matches were they were raising money or had someone effected by the Coronavirus – all of these things can play on their minds. Until you ask the question, you don’t know what they are thinking. Try the following strategies:

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Routine at any time helps you feel safer and less anxious. You know what is coming. Go over safety plans, but NOT an unscheduled one, as is often the case for ‘practice.’ Put up your schedule every day, and try and stick to it.

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Watch, observe and listen. Are there mood changes? Unusual outbreaks? Lack of interest? Drop in motivation? Do they react to noises, sudden movement or sounds, smells or colours? Use a ‘Mood Map’ or ‘Catastrophe Scale’ to help them monitor their own moods and readiness for learning.

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Get to know each child. Learn their likes, hobbies and show an interest in them. Rapport and respect are essential.

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Use Circle time to give children an opportunity to state how they feel, using ‘silent statements’ may be a good way to start. Allow each child to talk, write and draw about things they did over the holidays, some will mention the fires, smoke or virus, others may not want to talk about it. Never force them to speak, always give them the option to ‘pass,’ but keep a close eye on their behaviour. Let them talk and walk with a friend or support person if they need to.

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Use deep breathing, mindfulness, gratitude, self soothing, counting to ten, music, physical exercise, colouring, reading, massage, walking and talking etc. Teach them as many different ways to calm as you can, as some will work on one day and may not work the next! They will know what works best for them. Gratitude is a wonderful way to show them they have good things in their lives. It can change their mood and attitude. Setting Goals can also help them to focus.

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Get them to draw a hand and write an adult they can trust to talk to and tell them any worries on each finger. If they are older, write friends or extras on the palm. Everyone needs someone to let out worries to. Different people may be for different worries. Some may need to be referred to a Doctor, Psychologist or Psychiatrist. Let them know that is OK.

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Watch and listen for negative self talk, encourage and teach positive self talk. This will lead to a Growth Mindset.

Other resources: Blog from Berry Street with more ideas on how to cope in the classroom. https://blog.goodchildhood.org.au/2020/01/22/supporting-our-communities/?utm_source=Berry+Street+Childhood+Institute&utm_campaign=d08356712e-BSEM-supporting-communities-2020&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e9cacd28b5-d08356712e-429994321

Beyond Blue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/bushfires-and-mental-health/ https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

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The post Wellbeing for all after fires /smoke / CoronaVirus appeared first on Be Positive Program.

Self Esteem

The post Self Esteem appeared first on Be Positive Program.

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.

by Barb Bellesini

After 5 months of toiling and trying, never giving up and making little and big bits of progress, following my own advice, positive thinking and Growth Mindset, I engaged a professional to help me finish setting up my BE POSITIVE PROGRAM Website and Shop. A BIG shout out and THANK YOU to Brad Swartz the director of ‘Seven 18 IT’ for a fabulous job. Please look him up if you need anything ‘IT’ done!!

So now it is SALE time! Go to the products page, order anything over $20 and receive a 10% discount on your CART TOTAL. Use the COUPON OPENINGSALE to get your 10% Discount. That is on top of discounts when ordering 10+ of the same Poster, 20+ Workbooks or the Gratitude & Setting Goals Journals, 4+ Lesson Plans and there are also other value ‘Packages.’

All items come in both hard copy and eBook or ePoster. 

Hard copies are available in Australia only with a Flat Rate of $9.95 postage and handling and any order over $200 has free postage.

ePosters and eBooks are the option for any other country at the moment.

Have fun browsing, and while you are there you might want to read a few of the Posts. The last one was on SELF TALK or Fixed Mindset /Growth Mindset. With many more to come.

Posters are suitable for ages 2-102 and already being used in many classrooms from Prep /Pre-Primary to Year 12 in Australia, in a Psychologist and Osteopath’s waiting rooms, (one in England), and in individual homes. Any country that speaks English can use them!!

Tell teachers, psychologists, doctors, friends, families about this Be Positive Education Program that has been developed, tried and tested in Australian schools for over 8 years so far.

The currently available Lesson Plans are most suitable for to 4-8 year olds, but by late 2018 other Lesson Plans for up to 14 years will be ready, with Blackline Masters as well. Check some samples on the Lesson Plans page.

With RESILIENCE, HARD WORK, a GROWTH MINDSET /  POSITIVE SELF TALK, GOAL SETTING, TAKING LITTLE STEPS, CONTROLLING MY EMOTIONS, MINDFULNESS etc. I have  made it this far! There is more to come!

Control your Feelings

Junior Workbook

ePoster Set

Package 2

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