Next week the Healthy Kids Survey will be administered to our 7th graders. This is survey taken yearly that focuses on the school climate and mental health of our students. When looking at results from HMS and the trends across NVUSD from 2015-2016, there is a noticeable increase in suicidal thoughts, chronic sadness, and anxiety. Last week I participated in a short activity that made me think about the mindfulness of our students and the impact it has on their emotional wellbeing and academic success. In AVID Excel, the class stopped for a brain break. Students took 2-3 minutes to participate in an AVID stretch; as a class they used their bodies to spell the acronym “AVID”. In the photo, they are stretching to form the letter “d”. They took a break from their note-taking to energize their body. As I participated with them, I felt re-energized as well. With 8 periods and long blocks, I encourage you to think of ways to not only connect to kids and help students connect to school, but also focus on the whole child through mindfulness. If you want more information about brain breaks or mindfulness, ask one of our AVID Excel teachers.Monday, October 3, 2016
Mindfulness
Next week the Healthy Kids Survey will be administered to our 7th graders. This is survey taken yearly that focuses on the school climate and mental health of our students. When looking at results from HMS and the trends across NVUSD from 2015-2016, there is a noticeable increase in suicidal thoughts, chronic sadness, and anxiety. Last week I participated in a short activity that made me think about the mindfulness of our students and the impact it has on their emotional wellbeing and academic success. In AVID Excel, the class stopped for a brain break. Students took 2-3 minutes to participate in an AVID stretch; as a class they used their bodies to spell the acronym “AVID”. In the photo, they are stretching to form the letter “d”. They took a break from their note-taking to energize their body. As I participated with them, I felt re-energized as well. With 8 periods and long blocks, I encourage you to think of ways to not only connect to kids and help students connect to school, but also focus on the whole child through mindfulness. If you want more information about brain breaks or mindfulness, ask one of our AVID Excel teachers.