Before we dive into this post, download your free Snowflake Breathing poster now!
Worry, stress and anxiety are a reality in today’s schools. When students are distracted, their brains aren’t ready for learning.
We have something built into our physiology called the stress response. This is a super important system that protects us in dangerous situations like a lion running at us or a car swerving towards us. It allows our body to make quick decisions and fight or flee from the danger.
The problem with this system is that our thoughts and our imagination can also trigger the stress response. The fear of failing a test, the worry of a friendship falling apart, the threat of a peer spreading rumours or the uncertainty of basic needs being met if you have an unreliable caregiver can all send the body into the stress response.
Let’s look at what happens in the body and brain when our students arrive to class overwhelmed with emotion from something that happened to them before they walk in our doors or from worries of what might be looming in their future.
We just aren’t built to be able to succeed in school when our body is in a stress response.
But, AWESOME NEWS – we have an oh-so-useful tool to help your students get out of the stress response and back into a state where the body and brain are calm, focused and ready to learn!
Try Snowflake Breathing with your students. Explain to your students that anytime they are feeling a big emotion, they can use the Snowflake Breathing poster. All they need to do is trace the snowflake as they breathe to bring calm back into their bodies.
Put it up on the wall in your classroom, place it in your calm corner or in students’ binders or agendas.
Not winter in your part of the world at the moment? No problem! Grab our Flower Petal Breathing Poster instead!
Sign up for the Educalme Classroom Free Trial – this is a ready-to-use (no prep required!) program made by teachers that has been tested and proven to support student success!
As you can see, getting your students into the rest and restore state before you start teaching is necessary for student success! It’s just how the body and brain work!
Give it a try and see what happens. Calm, focused learning might be closer than you think. You can sign up here.
If you have any questions for us, just email us at [email protected]. We’re here to help!
With calm and appreciation,
Kailey and Josianne
Teachers and Educalme Founders
