The Mindful teacher

A mindful teacher in the classroom is essential if you want a class which flows naturally without disruptive behaviour and lack of attention.
Humans are not born with completely developed brains and nervous systems. Neuroscience tells us that children as well as teens cannot regulate themselves till they are in their 20s. Their pre frontal cortex complete developing by more or less the age of 21 so their ability to downshift and regulate their emotions is incomplete until their adults.

Current scientific findings are clear that in order to regulate emotions, human beings are dependent on mature brains to initially assist in the microregulation of their physical and emotional world. Ideally, this interactive regulation transitions back and forth over the childhood and adolescence until the person is largely selfregulation. However, at stressful times, it is necessary and appropriate to seek interactive regulation from stable others. - Arlene Montgomery, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin

This is the reason why the role of an adult is so important in youth. The care-giver acts as the ventral vagal (soothing) system until their  nervous system can begin to regulate itself.

So the questions is, when we enter the class, are we present, attuned, and empathic? Or are we feeling sad, stressed out, tired, dissociated or anxious? what are we unconsciously transmitting to our students? Pupils  literally respond to the state of our system.

• Emotions are constantly being transmitted to each other. The teacher's internal state is going to be a determinate factor on weather students will be able to learn or not. 
• Mirror neurons: Human beings imitate other people's behaviours as a way to communicate with one another. 

The following characteristics of a mindful teacher will help educators get the best from their students.

• PRESENCE; A mindful teacher is totally enganged in what is happening at the moment. Children and teenagers notice unconsciously when the teacher is not in the "here and now".
• STABILITY AND SOLIDITY is this idea that the adult is transparent, empty, stable and grounded. Be soft and flexible but at the same time unshakable. You can show these qualities through your gestures and posture. The weight of your body ground completely through the feet while having the head and spine naturally lengthening upward. Take the class as your spacial territory and imagine your awareness covering the entire room inviting students to join your class. Embody solidity and show it. 
• SPEECH. Pay attention to the quality of your voice. Intonation , rhythm and stress change as you become more present. Speaking with awareness creates a relaxed power. 
• AUTHENTICITY: Being authentic is finding your own style and voice. Don't try to be somebody else, humans can easily sense when you are lying , just be you!

Taking these aspects into account will help you cope with a disregulated class and catch your students' attention. The role of the teacher, as I mentioned before,  becomes fundamental as it is mainly a model for self regulation and self control. 

Four activities to develop emotional intelligence

"In the dance of feeling and thought, the emotional faculty guides our moment-to-moment decisions, working hand-in-hand with the rational mind. In a sense we have two brains, two minds and two different kinds of intelligence: rational and emotional. How we do in life, and learning, is determined by both. It is not just IQ but emotional intelligence that matters. " Daniel Goleman.

To develop emotional intelligence in our kids is as important as intellectual intelligence. 

It is said that humans are not rational but emotional  beings so learning and teaching about emotions are essential if we want our children to live happy and healthy lives. 

In today's post I will give you four activities that you can do with your students to help them develop their EQ.

Postitve Adjectives - Level: Elementary

Objectives

• Build student's self esteem
• Identfy positive traits in them

The teacher prepares cards with positive adjectives. She/He puts the cards in a bag, a student takes a card from the bag and reads the adjective on the card. All the students that think that that adjective describes them stand up or jump or hop. 

Another version of the activity: The teacher says a positive adjective and those students who feel identified with it dance to the rhythm of the music.

Adjective list: 

adaptable / adventurous / affectionate / amusing / brave / bright / broad-minded calm

careful / charming / communicative / compassionate  / considerate / courageous
creative / determined / diplomatic / discreet / dynamic / easygoing / emotional
energetic / enthusiastic / exuberant  / faithful / fearless / frank  / friendly/ funny generous / gentle / good / gregarious / hard-working / helpful / honest / humorous
imaginative / independent / intellectual / intuitive / inventive / kind / loving
loyal / modest / neat  / nice / optimistic / passionate / patient / persistent 
polite / powerful / practical / pro-active / quiet / rational / reliable / reserved
resourceful / romantic / self-confident / self-disciplined / sensible / sensitive
sincere / sociable / straightforward / sympathetic / thoughtful / tidy / tough
understanding / versatile / warmhearted / willing

Movie Characters – Level: pre intermediate

Objectives

• ·         Identify emotions in a character
• ·         Reflect on a personal experience

Stage 1: Students watch a movie and then analyze the character's feeling at a certain moment in the film. What was he/she feeling at that moment? How did he/she solve the problem? What was the outcome? 

Stage 2: Students reflect on something important they have accomplished in life. What were the obstacles they had to overcome? What was the result? How did they feel? They can choose a song that may represent their experience.

Extra:They can also work with the lyrics of some movie themes that feature heroes like: Rocky, Magnificent Seven or Superman.

STORY STRING  - Level: Intermediate

Objectives:

• Engage students in a creative process
• Build on the contributions of others
• Develop group cohesion

A player says the first line of a story, e.g. “It was a stormy day.”  A  second player goes to the opposite side of the room and says the last line of the story, e.g. “I went to bed safe and sound.” Players must fill in with declarative statements between the 1^st and last line and make up a story. Each time a 'new idea' enters the chain, everyone in line repeats their line in the order in which they are standing, until the story is completed

What you are saying is …. – Level: upper intermediate

Objectives:   

•            Listen carefully to what other person is saying without judgment
• ·         Develop creative thinking

The teacher chooses a topic for discussion and two students take opposite sides. e.g. “Living in the country is better than living in the city” Living in the city is better than living in the country” The partners face each other.

Each partners shares their opinion one sentence at a time, and the partner responds by paraphrasing the sentence without using the same words,  "So what you're saying is..."

Example:

Partner 1: The country is better than living in the city because it is quieter and more peaceful.

Partner 2: So what you're saying is that you can lead a more relaxed life in the country because the city is much more stressful and noisier.

If partner 1 says "yes, that's what I said," then partner 2 shares a sentence and partner 1 paraphrases it.

Follow up activity: Some questions for reflection:

What was it like to paraphrase what your partner said?

Were you aware of your own judgements or perceptions interfering with simply re-stating their point?

The Triune Brain and its implications in the classroom

The Triune Brain and its implications in the classroom

Dr. Paul Mac Lean developed the theory of the Triune brain. It states that our brain evolved in three different stages: the reptilian brain, the mammalian brain and finally the neo cortex or human brain. As a result, humans don’t have one brain but three. Newer and more elaborate structures were added to the old and integrated into a functional whole. Each of these brains are located differently in the mind and have different evolutionary functions.

Let’s have a look at each of them and the implications they have in the classroom.

The Reptilian Brain

It is the lowest and most primitive part of the brain and we share it with all other animals which have a backbone. It evolved during the Triassic period. It is connected to the spinal cord and its main function is to guarantee survival. It releases chemicals to face the “fight or flight” response. It also controls other functions to sustain life such as heart rate, breathing, digestion and sleeping.

In the class:

A secure environment in the classroom will keep it at ease and it will promote an effective learning. A stress free class will help students to think reflexively rather than reflectively.

Tip: Playing classical or chill out music in the background will help students feel relaxed and ready for learning.

Mammalian Brain

It evolved after the reptilian brain during the Jurassic period and it is located in the limbic system. The mammalian or emotional brain contains these important organs:

• ·         Hypothalamus : for the automatic control of body functions such as digestion, body temperature and blood pressure.
• ·         Hippocampus: for storing experience-based memories.
• ·         Amygdala: For recognizing danger and for responding to this according to past experience

In the class:

Under stress, the emotional brain hinders learning and downshifts to the reptilian brain to ensure survival. When the mammalian brain is in a positive and relaxed state it releases endorphins which in turn triggers a powerful neurotransmitter called acetylcholine which favors learning.

Tip: Create a positive environment in the classroom, put up posters with uplifting phrases, smile and show a great enthusiasm for learning. Happiness is really contagious so if the teacher is happy students will be happy too!

Neocortex

The neocortex with its great amount of grey matter was added to the mammalian brain. It evolved with the first primates. It is also called the human brain and its main functions are: planning, creating, setting goals, speaking, regulating decision making and learning among others. Higher order thinking takes place here.

In class:

First of all, the brain will function properly only if it is appropriately fed and has reasonable hours of sleep. If those conditions are met then we can proceed to teaching.

• ü        Connect the new topic with previous knowledge, making connections helps the brain to look for and store information.
• ü        What is taught should be relevant and significant in students’ lives. The rain learns best when it learns in a real world context. Using activities similar to real life will enhance learning (projects, stories, field trips)
• ü       Help children to construct information instead of providing them with answers.
• ü       Dividing content into smaller chunks helps understanding. The brain can retain up to seven bites of information. This can vary from human to human to 5-9 bites.
• ü       DOWN TIME – Provide students with time to reflect and create.

     Tip: METACOGNITION – Allow students opportunities to examine their own metacognitive skills. Give them time to think and explore their own thinking and learning patterns.

The Human Brain

Interesting articles for the ones interested in our wonderful human brain.
http://mybrainnotes.com/evolution-brain-maclean.html

Howard Gardner about multiple intelligences and learning styles

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2013/10/16/howard-gardner-multiple-intelligences-are-not-learning-styles/

Benefits of bilingualism

The cognitive benefits of speaking more tan one language

It has been said that speaking more than one language not only helps you to communicate with more people and get better jobs but it also helps you to improve your cognitive skills. It can also help you to regulate emotions and prevent brain deterioration.
These are some of the benefits that bilingual people have:
• Speaking two languages can help people to regulate negative emotions. When bilingual people shift from one language to the other, they also change their perceptions about how they experiment those emotions. If you are immersed in a negative emotional state, speaking a foreign language will help you to feel better as you feel kind of detached from the emotion.
• Bilingual people can delay the onset of Alzheimer because when they shift from one language to the other, they are using more their brains and keeping them active. It seems that constantly controlling two languages is like a workout for the brain. It challenges our grey cells and keeps them from degenerating.
• Bilinguals have better working memory. Studies by York University showed the bilingual children outperformed monolingual children on a series of tests that challenge executive functions such as working memory. For example, bilingual children could better remember the sequence in which a series of items was presented.
• Researchers from a University in Chicago discovered that when people solve problems in a foreign language, they were more practical, and rational. Speaking another language helps us to see the problem from different perspectives and as a result be more objective. This is because a foreign language does not have an emotional baggage which is present in our native tongue.

So because of all of this, we can conclude that learning another language not only will help us to get better job opportunities but it also will help us to keep our brains active and functioning at a higher level.

Letting kids move in class isn’t a break from learning. It IS learning.

Letting kids move in class isn’t a break from learning. It IS learning.