“There are only two ways to live your life. One as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle” Albert Einstein.
What exactly are we teaching our future generations? As someone who has both experienced and survived anxiety, I often worry exactly what skills children are leaving our current education system with.
I am a fully qualified primary teacher with a degree in psychology. I have always had a keen interest in well-being, resilience and mental health. I am particularly interested in the area of positive self-talk and the power of affirmations.
As a teacher, I try and impart as much knowledge and learning that I wish I had received in my early years in school, some of which being to understand and acknowledge that ALL feelings are normal…it’s what we do with them that matters. And the value of being unique….I never really appreciated this as a child as I didn’t know any better…I kept trying to change myself to fit the dominant mould!
I could write for hours on the coulds and the shoulds. But in effect, I think it is high time that our education system is adapted and moulded to fit our beautifully diverse society. What good is it graduating with straight A’s when one may not know how to cope with the hurdles life can so strongly throw? Which leads me onto resilience and well-being in my classroom.
To foster this in my school, I applied for The Amber Flag – a fantastic initiative ran by Pieta House that can be undertaken by schools both primary and secondary, and workplaces. The initiative aims to promote Positive Mental Health, both an awareness and understanding of it, in addition to cultivating a climate in which it can effectively bloom and grow along with the people in it.
We have done many things in our school to cultivate this atmosphere. First task was to set up an Amber Flag Committee that would assist me in promoting the ethos and cultivating a climate of positive mental health whereby each individual in our school feels welcomed, valued and supported. We set up an Amber Flag notice board… where reminders of activities were placed in addition to mantras and affirmations.
In January I ran a Mental Health Awareness week. The whole school and community really got on board with this, and I can genuinely say everyone truly benefited from it. It really brought the school and community together in support of Mental Health and looking after our mental health. Every day had a theme and the children really enjoyed engaging with it. The week was packed with activities and each day had a theme.
Mindful Monday: guided meditation, mindful colouring, a sense walk – what can you see? hear? feel? smell?, mindful homework eg. yoga stretches, cooking, colouring, spending time with a loved one.
Think Kind Thoughts Tuesday: Children were educated on the concept of affirmations and how positive statements about the self have a huge role to play in how we feel about ourselves. Children practiced writing their statements and shared them with each other. They illustrated their affirmation with color and displayed them in their classrooms e.g. I am brave…I am strong…I am unique…I am loved.
Wellness Wednesday: I invited a couple of guest speakers to our school. David Russell spoke to the children about wellness and looking after our mental health, the children enjoyed some chair yoga with David. Lara Slattery came also and spoke to the children about channelling our emotions and the concept of tapping, Lara practiced some breathing work with the children also.
Thoughtful Thursday: The children were educated on the concept of Gratitude and the importance of giving thanks for what we have, they explored how expressing gratitude can improve our mood and also foster a greater appreciation for what we have in our lives. The children compiled their very own gratitude lists.
Feel Good Friday: The week culminated with a Bake Sale where I welcomed members of the community to visit our school for tea and a treat. The children were invited to wear bright coloured clothes. The support we received from the Parents Council was truly overwhelming in addition to the families of the children. We were inundated with a feast of delicious treats. Having the community present was wonderful as it really fostered a link and generated a sense of WE. The children enjoyed purchasing their treats also. We raised a phenomenal 718.00 euros for charity. We were both overwhelmed and overjoyed by the support. The community really got behind this initiative. It was incredible to see. Our society wants and supports change.
Throughout the week the children were encouraged to complete Random Acts of Kindness. One beautiful example was when the 6th class pupils visited the junior and senior infants…they gave each child a colourful balloon with their name on it and a positive statement. They loved it. The children got the sense of feeling good from giving and seeing others receive.
I also encouraged every class to work on finding a quote that inspired them. Each child created a colourful page with their quote as a centrepiece. I compiled these onto a wall in our main corridor entitled ‘The Wall of Inspiration’…children can pass and reflect on the beautiful and colourful quotes on display.
Every school would benefit from engaging with this initiative. The benefits extend from the school to the wider community. It encapsulates a sense of we. There truly is strength in numbers. Let’s encourage our young to believe in themselves and all that they are, to appreciate all of their being and protect their mental health. It’s time for change and there is a shift occurring at long last.
‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams’ – Eleanor Rosevelt
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