Teacher shares takeaway from mindfulness program
Christa Gifford, Glenbard South Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and Glenbard District 87 Wellness Committee chairwoman, shared the following takeaway: "Teenage brains are wired
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| Christa Gifford (left) and Brenda Nelson |
Notes from Brenda Nelson's mindfulness program
Mindfulness and
Social-Emotional Learning:
An Approach for
Sailing the Rough Seas of Adolescence
Dr. Brenda Nelson,
DSW, LCSW
GPS November 30th
2017
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Decided and was intrigued with mindfulness after
a 2-year span of 5 student suicides and 2 staff suicides
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Background as a special ed social worker
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Bias that every kid could get individual help
from some sort of PPS employee as the first few suicides she was associated
with had had no sort of connection to a mental health professional
·
“When we are stressed, the first thing to go is
our breath.”
The Problem
·
Brain and the stress response
o
Anxiety, Depression, Digestive Problems,
Headaches, Heart Disease, Sleep Problems, Weight Gain, Memory and Concentration
Impairment.
o
Today’s Stresses:
§
Parents making comments about stress related to
4 year plans and naviance and college…
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Academic, Social, Family
The Unique Adolescent Brain
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Older Adolescents “display greater
stress-induced cortisol levels compared with individuals in late childhood or
earlier stages of adolescence.
o
Brains take things in as an extreme. i.e. parent yelling at student when in
reality there is just a conversation going on that the student does not agree upon.
The opportunity
Social Emotional Learning
o
SEL is a hot bed in Dupage County
§
Good amount of SEL at the elementary level, less
at the middle school level and even less at the high school level.
·
SEL in Illinois Self-awareness, Social Awareness
and Decision Making.
Mindfulness, including four central process
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Defined:
o
Paying Attention
o
In the present moment
o
On purpose
o
Without Judgment (doing it with a sense of
curiosity)
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Secular Mindfulness
o
Mindfulness based stress reduction –Kabat Zinn
o
Since the 1970’s
o
By far, most researched mindfulness program
o
Health care, business, politics media and
education
·
What is the big idea?
o
Changes the brain and strengthens the mind.
§
People who have meditated (a Buddhist monk) can
control their brain unlike anyone who is not able to dedicate so much time to
meditation
§
Where we typically function at is “auto-pilot”
(hair conditioner, driving for 20 miles) habitual occurrences. Goal for
mindfulness is to get out of auto-pilot and create those new pathways.
o
Notice Thoughts and let them come and go. And
that is OK! Remove the judgmental aspect. Many times, adolescents’ thoughts are
even more intense than ours.
o
Mindfulness of Emotions
§
“Riding the waves” Cultivating gratitude
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Mindfulness in schools
o
Programs vs practices
o
Research is compelling
§
BUT – Enthusiasm outpaces research
o
Casel secondary guide off of their website
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How to go about implementation
o
Core group of Admin, teachers and parents.
(practice)
§
Go slow. Anything that is valuable, doesn’t
happen overnight!
o
Programs vs. practices
o
Targeted vs. universal
·
MBSR or other teacher prep – CARE for teachers
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Last core aspect
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Self-Compassion
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Loving Kindness
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CAN WE….
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Ride the waves with the teens in our lives
o
Prioritize our own well-being and calm
o
Sit with unpleasant and uncomfortable thoughts
and feelings
o
Create time and space for quiet
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40- day challenge
o
can you take 10 minutes a day to put your tush
in a cush…
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www.learning 2breathe.org
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Tarabrach.com