Jenna Borrelli, an adolescent therapist at CHC, speaks about improving communication skills and managing conflicts in the mother-daughter relationship. A facilitated panel discussion follows the presentation. Read more ›
“Mindfulness is a form of attention or awareness training that can be applied in any activity throughout the day- seeing, hearing, walking, eating, playing and homework. Its purpose is to increase self awareness, emotional balance, impulse control and overall focus.” (Mindful Schools 2013). In this session, middle school learning specialist Cori Maiden, M.S.Ed, and music teacher Cynthia Pistone, both from Charles Armstrong School, show how to practice these skills with students through mindful activities and games. Read more ›
Pam Lozoff, MSW, RYT, Spirit of Youth Yoga Project Director discusses how yoga, breathing, and self-calming techniques can help children reduce their stress levels, learn to self-soothe, and be better equipped to regulate their emotions and behavior. Read more ›
Makayla Halbower, a student herself, and author of a book called Dyslexia Rules!, shares her journey in navigating life with learning differences beginning in first grade to the present (6th grade), including her ups and downs along the way. Read more ›
It’s no secret that kids are spending more and more time with technology. Many kids have complex digital lives. If your child has ADHD, you may wonder what impact that might have on their use of social media. Read more ›
National data indicates that about one-third of teenagers will experience an anxiety disorder, with 8 percent seriously impaired. Research and anecdotal evidence suggest that these numbers, higher than in decades past, reflect a real increase, not just a rise in reporting. Read more ›
There are days (okay, maybe a lot of days) where we feel like we’re constantly saying “don’t” and “no.” It’s our job as parents to set and enforce boundaries and to keep our children safe. Our children also need to hear us say things will make them feel good about themselves— things that can lift their spirits and sustain them in good times and bad. Read more ›
Mindful Schools began in a classroom at Emerson Elementary School in Oakland, CA in 2007 when a small team assembled their collective experience in education, social justice, and mindfulness. The program is founded on the belief that mindfulness provides young people with a compass to navigate their lives.
The following post by Betsy Hanger suggests three activities to create short moments of mindfulness for your students. Read more ›
Assertive communication is a hard skill to learn. Our culture tends to reward aggression. Putdowns are framed as humor in cartoons and sitcoms, and the internet can be a platform for bullying. It’s hard to find examples of assertiveness in the public sphere.
What does assertive communication look like and sound like in real life? How can we resist the pull of aggressive or passive choices, which may be easier in the moment but don’t solve our problems in the long run? How can we get our needs met without hurting others? Read more ›
The ability to exercise self-control — even with a specific, self-imposed goal in mind — is tough, even as it develops with age. New research from the Harvard Graduate School of Education illustrates just how precarious willpower can be for young people: Middle school students who want to achieve a goal and who actively agree to suffer a consequence if they don’t achieve it may still be unable to change their counterproductive behaviors. It’s a reminder for teachers that simply encouraging students to “stay focused” may not help those students cultivate positive habits. Read more ›
