I had the privilege of meeting with my sons science teacher on a personal basis this afternoon. Mary Garillis is an educator with many years of experience in the public sector, and now is a teaching consultant and tutor. She blends traditional experience with innovative thinking and the results are nothing short of magical. Mary knows of my mindfulness journey and has agreed to guide me down the road of success based upon 30 years of classroom experience. Below are the simple, mindful solutions we came up with for common issues.
TEACH A CHILD TO POSITIVELY COPE WITH CLASSROOM STRESS & TEST ANXIETY IN THE MOMENT IT HAPPENS
SITUATION: An eight year old boy describes the common issue. “I was so frustrated trying to finish the reading assignment in the time allowed at school today. I can’t do it as fast as everyone else”
MINDFUL SOLUTION #1: Deep diaphragmatic breaths. This type of “belly breathing” quickly decreases feelings of anxiety. While siting in their school chair, instruct the child to place their hand on their tummy. Take a deep breath, focusing on your tummy rising with the inhalation and falling upon exhalation. Repeat 3 times. remind the child this exercise is to be done for themselves, not for an audience.
MINDFUL SOLUTION #2: Stress buddy ball. Get a small stress ball for the child with their favorite character on it. Use a sticker on a plain stress ball to customize their own personal stress buddy ball. When they feel stress or anxiety while in class, instruct the child to squeeze the ball mindfully. Feel the ball shrinking in their hand, visualizing the stressor shrinking as well. If the child is younger, have them visualize their stress buddy taking the stressor and running away with it for them.
