Self-Awareness
This section defines the key concepts covered in this chapter. These are the central themes upon which the activities are based.
♦ MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness means “when your mind is full of the present” or “being able to pay attention to what you are doing” or “paying attention, on purpose, with kindness and curiosity, and without judgment.” Pause here for a moment and consider a time when you were fully engrossed, intentionally, in what you were doing (e.g. walking the dog, driving, watching a bird, gardening). Alternatively, you might have a ‘go-to’ activity during which time you are fully present and you leave feeling more centered (i.e. coloring, biking, tinkering). Having an example to share with your students will foster connection, and help them see that you value this work.
♦ SELF-KNOWLEDGE
This concept includes identifying feelings and emotions, discovering self-perception, recognizing strengths and building a sense of self-confidence and self-efficacy. Teachable in an age-appropriate way, these skills provide context for and a deeper understanding of self-awareness.
♦ SELF-CONFIDENCE
Believing in our own self-worth makes us less reliant on others’ views for our own valuation. People with self-confidence have an intrinsic motivation for learning and growth. They are more successful, able to present themselves well, and possess the courage to stand out from the crowd and make decisions true to their values. Self-confidence increases with introspection.
♦ SELF-COMPASSION
Dr. Kristin Neff, an expert on self-compassion, defines this concept as simply treating yourself as kindly as you would a close friend when they’re having a hard time. This helps us to recognize that we are all part of the same human experience and we all have shortcomings and will fail at times. In this chapter, we incorporate self-compassion as the first step of heartfulness, when our heart is full of the present, as we build awareness of how we talk to ourselves.
♦ GROWTH MINDSET
The term ‘growth mindset’ was coined over 30 years ago by psychologist Carol Dweck. Dweck’s research shows that students who believe that their abilities are developed through dedication and hard work, rather than innate talent, are more likely to persevere and show resilience when things get tough. Teachers can instill a growth mindset in their students by celebrating mistakes as learning opportunities, recognizing the effort instead of the outcome, and emphasizing that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger through hard work and practice.
♦ AUTOPILOT
In a recent study, it was discovered that we are “checked out” with our minds wandering about half the time! Furthermore, most people report that they’re unhappy when this is happening. Mindfulness practice can be the antidote to autopilot. Once we develop the skill to recognize when our mind has wandered, we can more easily and more frequently return to the present moment. The act of returning is mindful and strengthened each time we do it. Though autopilot is a natural tendency we all have, the more we practice engaging in our daily lives without being on autopilot, the easier it will be to stay present or return to the present moment without judgment.
♦ BRAIN SCIENCE #2: FLIPPING YOUR LID
The brain is a complex organ. Our goal of including a neuroscience lesson in each chapter is to encourage curiosity around how this amazing organ works. Having explained the Mind-Body Connection in Chapter 1, we move on in this chapter to name parts of the brain and how they work together.
For this lesson, we rely on the hand-model of the brain developed by Dr. Dan Siegel, a clinical psychiatrist at UCLA, to label the relevant parts of the brain that are positively impacted through this work. We also use his term, ‘flip your lid,’ to describe what happens during emotional overload. By making it simple to understand, we help our students become more aware of when they are about to “flip their lid.” If they know this is coming and the whole class/teacher has similar language, then the community can support the student in reminding them of the tools and resources available to them that they have learned through the Digital ResilientKidsTM curriculum.
This section offers direction as to where the program is headed in this first chapter and some notes about things to look for in your students as you answer the reflection questions at the end of Chapter 2.
♦ PRACTICE USING ANCHORS
As described in Chapter 1, this is called a ‘practice’ for a reason. Continued lessons utilizing the various anchors will build a level of familiarity into this work, which is often new for students. In focusing on self-awareness, generally students will gravitate to one of the primary anchors as most comfortable by the end of this chapter.
♦ INCREASE AWARENESS
With a goal of increasing self-awareness, we first have to build the capacity of awareness. Practicing mindfulness increases awareness, and many of the lessons in this chapter further cultivate this skill. By harnessing an innate curiosity to investigate what is happening around us, we can then shift that focus to oneself, the theme of this chapter.
♦ IDENTIFY AND NAME EMOTIONS
Building on self-awareness, we help students put a vocabulary to their feelings and emotions. As Dr. Dan Siegel says, “Name it to tame it!” This concept helps students build a vocabulary for feelings and emotions so that they can identify what they are feeling in certain moments rather than being run over by it. This empowering act comes with maturity and with increased awareness, a focus in Chapter 2.
♦ RECOGNIZE INNER VOICE
We all have an inner voice. Sometimes it is loud and clearly recognizable; other times it is quieter and harder to identify. Activities in this chapter work toward developing a clearer picture of the thoughts we think and teach us to find a little space for perspective. Because we tend to identify with our thoughts, this extra space can be helpful when attempting to discover whether or not they are true.
♦ DEVELOP ACCURATE SELF-PERCEPTION
Self-awareness can help students know themselves better. When we are able to slow down or insert a pause between stimulus and response, we can see a bigger picture that will grow and develop over time. Modeling various check-in questions by saying out loud “When could you ask yourself how you are feeling?” or, “I notice that I am mad right now. I wonder where that is coming from?” or, “What can I do when I start to notice that I am feeling frustrated?” can help remind students how to develop this introspective ability.
The questions on the Teacher Reflection form are listed below so you can keep them in the back of your mind as you progress through the chapter.
1. Do your students know what mindfulness is?
A. If yes, how have you seen this demonstrated by your students?
B. If no, what was missing or prevented them from understanding what mindfulness is?
2. Have students developed a comfort with their use of anchors?
A. If yes, please share an anecdote about this.
B. If no, what was missing or prevented this from happening?
3. Do students hear their inner voice (mental chatter, feelings or self-talk)?
A. If yes, please share an anecdote about this.
B. If no, what was missing or prevented this from happening?
4. Do students have the vocabulary to identify emotions?
A. If yes, how have you seen this demonstrated?
B. If no, what was missing or prevented this development?
5. Do students have a beginning understanding of how their brain works?
A. If yes, when have you seen this demonstrated by your students?
B. If no, what was missing or prevented them from developing an understanding of how their brain works?
6. Have students increased their self-awareness?
A. If yes, please share an anecdote about increased student self-awareness.
B. If no, what was missing or prevented this from happening during Chapter 2?
7. Please use this box to provide any additional information you would like us to know.
Click here to complete the Chapter 2 Teacher Reflection Questions form.
Centering
These activities are designed to help you and your students can quickly and easily find your center. They can help during transitions between activities, tasks or lessons, and before testing. They can also be used at home with families. Over time, these activities will become comforting and most familiar for students.
Tone Bar
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Self-Confidence, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Audio
Prerequisite: None
This chapter’s tone bar practice uses the same sound as Chapter 1 but expands to three bells instead of one. Continue using this practice during transition times, before a test, or when the group needs a quick centering activity.
Glitter Jar
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Self-Confidence, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Video
Prerequisite: None
This is the same video from Chapter 1, providing a few more weeks of consistency using this centering practice. With self-awareness being the theme of this chapter, the glitter jar provides a tangible way for students to see the storm that can often be in their minds and act as a visual anchor in which to rest, facilitating an ever-important pause. This video can be used any time students need a centering activity (before a presentation, while settling into morning meeting, or after an incident).
WEATHER ANCHOR
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Self-Confidence, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Image
Prerequisite: Introducing the Weather Anchor
This image is available for use during check-ins with your students after watching the explanation in the video “Introducing the Weather Anchor” in the Exploring section of the Student Site.
Breathing
Breath work is a critical component in regulating the nervous system and is always available to us when needed. There are many ways to incorporate breathing when teaching social and emotional skills that, according to CASEL: help us understand and manage our emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
Moving
SPACE BETWEEN THE BREATH
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Autopilot, Self-Compassion, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Video
Prerequisite: Place of Internal Comfort: Part 2
The space between breaths is that small stillness that happens between the inhale and exhale and again between the exhale and the next inhale. It is in this space that we can rest our attention, particularly when things are rushed and we feel pressure all around us. In this space, there is no rush or pressure; and the breath provides a natural rhythm, like waves lapping up on the shore and going back out to sea. Because this space is always with us, we can use this practice anytime and anywhere.
DIAPHRAGM BREATH
Key Concepts/Goals: Autopilot, Self-Compassion, Increase Awareness
Format: Video
Prerequisite: None
The diaphragm is a muscle in the body that we can engage when we breathe intentionally. By taking a full inhale into the abdomen, we engage this muscle, stretching it very thin. This induces a relaxation response within our body and is an automatic process that sends a signal to the brain to “calm down.”
Please Note: Sometimes when taking a deep breath in, we expand our rib cage but do not bring the air lower into our abdomen. As a result, when students have their hands on their belly during this exercise, it will actually go down or in, toward the spine when they take a big breath in. See if you can cue students to keep trying to inflate the area under their hands so that their hands move away from their bodies during the inhale.
BREATH COUNTING
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Knowledge, Autopilot, Practice Using Anchors, Recognize Inner Voice
Format: Video
Prerequisite: None
This practice offers another way to connect to the breath as an anchor. Remind students to settle into a comfortable seated position before beginning to count. There’s no wrong way to do this, so start with each inhale/exhale pair being “one” then another inhale/exhale is “two.” See if you can count to ten; and if you get there, you can even try counting backward, back to one. If you lose count, it’s ok. Simply start over again (without judging yourself!).
This exercise helps illustrate how much we practice we need and that on different days, the experience is different. Remember not to ask the number each student got to, as that can create an atmosphere of competition. You can even say, “No one will check your number at the end of this exercise, and this isn’t graded. In fact, you can’t do this wrong!”
N: Before transitioning to the next activity, ask your students:
– How did the counting feel like an anchor?
– What did they notice about their breath?
CALMING BREATH TECHNIQUE
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Self-Confidence, Self-Compassion, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Video
Prerequisite: None
The breath can be used like a remote control for the thoughts in our minds. This video offers a practice of exhaling for a longer count than the inhale, with an easy-to-understand explanation of how the inhale engages the sympathetic nervous system and the exhale engages the parasympathetic nervous system. By making one longer than the other, we actively call upon that particular system for an intentional raising or lowering of energy.
Please Note: We mention the longer inhale though we do not practice it with students, as that can potentially increase stress and anxiety. Since we are not with students to monitor progress and ensure that everyone is feeling safe, we simply refer to it as an option. If you are with your students in person, you can ask them to try both and see what they notice.
Dedicated opportunities to move the body can provide a brain break as well as a felt sense of increasing or decreasing energy. Plus, sometimes it just feels good to stretch!
BODY TAPPING & WRIST CIRCLES
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Knowledge, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Video
Prerequisite: None
This movement practice can be used to wake up the body. If you’re doing this with students in person, you can cue them to add their own gentle massage on the scalp and face and to go back over any spots that need a little extra attention.
N: Before you transition to the next activity, ask your students:
– What did they notice after this activity (energetic rise or fall and where they felt a stretch)?
– Were they holding their breath?
– How was this helpful?
– If students did not find this helpful, ask why not.
SQUEEZE & RELEASE
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Knowledge, Autopilot, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Video
Prerequisite: None
Squeezing and releasing various parts of the body provides an opportunity to notice the contrast between tightening and softening. Sometimes we hold parts of our bodies, like our jaw or our shoulders, very tightly and don’t really notice. In this video, Miss Amber guides students to exaggerate the tightening in order to better notice the opportunity to soften.
H: Invite students to practice the following:
– Next time they observe themselves tightening in a challenging situation, see if they can do the opposite and soften.
Practicing
CURIOUS NOTICING
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Self-Knowledge, Self-Compassion, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Video
Prerequisite: Mindful Looking, Heartfulness: Part 1
Building on the “Mindful Looking” activity in the Exploring section, Miss Nicole invites students to notice things they can’t necessarily see — their left elbow, their right big toe, the tip of their nose, the beating of their heart. In the stillness, can they get really curious about sensations, feelings or stories? This practice is intended to build the “noticing muscle” so that we increase our awareness of things happening all around us as well as inside us.
TONE BAR COUNTING
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Self-Knowledge, Self-Compassion, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Audio
Prerequisite: Heartfulness: Part 1
This listening practice is intended to help students notice how distracted they can be. The only instruction is to count the number of bells heard without using fingers or tick marks and to start over at one if they lose count. At the end of the activity, the natural tendency is to want to share the number and be “right.” Instead, Miss Vanessa shares that the teacher will know the number (it’s 24) and will share it in class. Before sharing the number with your students, discuss the activity as a class.
N: Ask your students the following noticing questions:
– Without saying how many bells they heard, ask students to reflect on what it was like to listen to just one thing for so long.
– If students lost count, did they notice what it sounded like in their head when they had to start over? Was it something like, “Oops, guess I have to start over,” or, “Forget it, I’m not doing this,” or, “Ugh, totally forgot I was supposed to be counting”?
– How do they think this practice can help them as individuals or in their classroom community?
2-MINUTE AWARENESS PRACTICE
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Self-Knowledge, Self-Compassion, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness, Identify and Name Emotions
Format: Audio
Prerequisite: Heartfulness: Part 1, Noticing Sound
Starting with a check-in to see how we are doing in our minds, our bodies and our hearts, Miss Shannon offers this noticing practice to help students increase awareness. She reminds students as she goes through each check-in opportunity that anything they notice is okay; and if they don’t notice anything at all, that is okay too.
N: Here are some questions to ask students following this practice:
– What did they notice in their body, heart, and mind?
– Was it easier to identify what was going on in one place over another?
– Ask how it felt to be present.
DROPPING YOUR ANCHOR
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Audio
Prerequisite: Heartfulness: Part 1, Noticing Sound
This audio practice offers a guided visualization for getting present and grounded. Miss Vanessa invites students to imagine that they drop an anchor from their center to the center of the earth. Students are reminded that they can do this anytime they feel like things are spiraling out of control or when they just need to take a momentary pause.
HEARTFULNESS: PART 1
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Self-Knowledge, Self-Compassion, Increase Awareness, Identify and Name Emotions, Recognize Inner Voice
Format: Audio
Prerequisite: What is Mindfulness?, Sensory Draw, 30-Second Scribble, Mindful Doodling: Part 1
In this first of four heartfulness lessons, Miss Vanessa describes that when we practice heartfulness, our hearts are full of the present. This is a core component of mindfulness and has many facets. For this first video, she introduces self-compassion, which is simply treating yourself the way you would treat a close friend when they’re having a tough time.
She offers two practices in this video to connect to the heart and the chatter of the “critic committee” and the “compassion committee,” as well as a journal prompt.
Journal Prompt: What was it like to practice self-compassion? What does my critic committee usually sound like? What did my compassion committee sound like in today’s practice? Try putting your hands on your heart or listening for your compassion committee this week, and write about your experience.
NOTICING SOUND
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Practice Using Anchors, Identify and Name Emotions, Recognize Inner Voice
Format: Audio
Prerequisite: Tone Bar Counting
In this video, Miss Amber is silent for a full minute, allowing students to become aware of what they hear. There is no wrong way to listen. Often, if really engaged with this activity, students will notice that their minds took them off on a story about a particular sound they heard. This is typical and helpful to become aware of.
N: Here are some questions to ask students following this practice:
– When can they try this practice of noticing sound?
– See if they notice when they are more aware of sound and when they are not.
PLACE OF INTERNAL COMFORT: PART 2
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Self-Knowledge, Practice Using Anchors
Format: Video
Prerequisite: 5-4-3-2-1, A Quiet Place
Miss Sophie’s guided visualization takes students on a journey to their “peaceful place.” Building off the discussion in Chapter 2, this is a tangible way for students to seek out a place inside themselves that is safe and can provide comfort. She reminds students how to keep themselves safe and what to do if they need to change anything about the experience.
JOURNAL PROMPT: After you listen to the poem “A Quiet Place” and practice with this video, spend a few minutes reflecting on how the poem is relevant to the material in this chapter and to your own place of internal comfort. Then add what is most comforting to you about your Quiet Place or Place of Internal Comfort.
5-4-3-2-1
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Self-Knowledge, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Video
Prerequisite: What is Mindfulness?
This video introduces using the senses to focus on the present moment. Students are invited to notice 5 things they can see, 4 things they can hear, 3 things they can touch, 2 things they can smell and 1 thing they can taste. In focusing solely on the present moment, students strengthen concentration and stimulate their senses.
Journal Prompt: The corresponding journal activity invites students to go on a ‘Sensory Scavenger Hunt’ and then list the 5, 4, 3, 2,1 things they notice.
RECYCLE-A-WORD
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Knowledge, Increase Awareness, Identify and Name Emotions, Develop Accurate Self-Perception
Format: Video
Prerequisite: Introducing the Weather Anchor, Weather Anchor
Miss Amber asks students to write down a word that describes how they’re feeling and then to throw that piece of paper into a recycle bin. This is a reminder that emotions aren’t permanent. Rather, they come and go like storm clouds, with some lasting longer than others. Once students (and adults!) recognize the impermanence of emotions, they will feel more empowered knowing that what they might be feeling right in a specific moment is not forever.
IF I HAD A STICKER
*The activity below is solely a journal prompt and does not appear on the student site. Please encourage your students to reflect on this prompt, which will appear in each chapter, so that they will have content for an activity at the end of the year.
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Self-Confidence, Recognize Inner Voice, Develop Accurate Self-Perception
Format: Journal Prompt
Prerequisite: Majority of the Chapter 2 Material
Ask students to complete this journal entry as a summary statement of something they learned in this chapter — almost as though they were writing something on a sticky note or going to tell a friend one thing they’ll remember or use from Chapter 2. At the end of the year, there is an activity that will bring together each of these “If I Had A Sticker” entries from each of the chapters. Students can come up with an example of their own or use one listed in the journal.
Journal Prompt: If you were going to write yourself a brief reminder or helpful hint of one thing that you learned in this chapter, what would it be and why?
For example: ‘Making sense of the mess’ because sometimes days are messy and I have tools to be ok in the mess and maybe even make sense of it all.
For example: ‘Just 1 breath’ because even a short pause can help me get centered. Or ‘Let my glitter settle’ because I know I can do things better with a clear mind.
Reading
"THE VOICE" A POEM BY SHEL SILVERSTEIN
Key Concepts/Goals: Practice Using Anchors
Format: Video
Prerequisite: Place of Internal Comfort: Part 2, 2-Minute Awareness Practice, Heartfulness: Part 1
As we continue to get to know ourselves, this poem speaks to the inner voice that knows exactly what is right for us.
"FIRE" A POEM BY JUDY BROWN
Key Concepts/Goals: Practice Using Anchors
Format: Video
Prerequisite: Space Between the Breath
The poem, a metaphor for the work of this chapter, describes the fire needing the logs, as well as the space between then logs, in order to burn.
A corresponding journal prompt is described after the quote below.
"A QUIET PLACE" A POEM BY RICKY GILLIES
Key Concepts/Goals: Practice Using Anchors
Format: Video
Prerequisite: Place of Internal Comfort: Part 2
This poem describes a quiet place to which the writer would like to go to brood.
A corresponding journal prompt is described in the Place of Internal Comfort: Part 2 activity.
THE BOOK OF AWESOME #4: "THE SOUND OF SCISSORS CUTTING CONSTRUCTION PAPER"
Key Concepts/Goals: Practice Using Anchors
Format: Video
Prerequisite: The Book of Awesome #1: “So What’s This All About?”
As soon as you hear that sound, you know a fun rainy day with the camp counselor is ahead.
The corresponding journal prompt is described below, after The Book of Delights #4.
THE BOOK OF AWESOME #5: "THE SMELL OF CRAYONS"
Key Concepts/Goals: Practice Using Anchors
Format: Video
Prerequisite: The Book of Awesome #1: “So What’s This All About?”
Who doesn’t love the smell of crayons?!
The corresponding journal prompt is described below, after The Book of Delights #4.
THE BOOK OF AWESOME #6: "THE FIVE SECOND RULE"
Key Concepts/Goals: Practice Using Anchors
Format: Video
Prerequisite: The Book of Awesome #1: “So What’s This All About?”
There are so many reasons this rule is great, “Know it. Love it. Live by it. Awesome.”
The corresponding journal prompt is described below, after The Book of Delights #4.
THE BOOK OF DELIGHTS #3: "RECKLESS AIR QUOTES"
Key Concepts/Goals: Practice Using Anchors
Format: Video
Prerequisite: The Book of Delights #1: “Preface”
In this entry, author Ross Gay reflects on his delight with his friend’s use of air quotes. The act of listening to the story and noticing how even small things can bring a smile to our face is a powerful element of gratitude, a key concept in Chapter 3.
The corresponding journal prompt is described below, after The Book of Delights #4.
THE BOOK OF DELIGHTS #4: "JUDITH IRENE GAY, AGED SEVENTY-SIX TODAY"
Key Concepts/Goals: Practice Using Anchors
Format: Video
Prerequisite: The Book of Delights #1: “Preface”
In this delightful tribute to his mother on her birthday, author Ross Gay retells a story she told him growing up that still makes her laugh every time she tells it.
Journal Prompt: After you’ve listened to “The Book of Delights” and “The Book of Awesome” stories, see if you can write one thing a day in the boxes below that was “awesome” or “delightful” or that just made you smile.
SILENCE IN THE AGE OF NOISE #2
Key Concepts/Goals: Practice Using Anchors
Format: Video
Prerequisite: None
Similar to the first entry read in Chapter 1, Miss Shannon reads another short passage of Erling Kagge’s reflections on the silence around us, inside us, and that we create.
Journal Prompt: After listening to this chapter, reflect on these three questions in your journal.
– Is it possible to be both present and not present in the world at the same time? Explain your answer.
– What allows us to be present? What keeps us from being present?
– Write about a time you experienced being fully present.
QUOTES & PROVERBS
Key Concepts/Goals: Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Image
Prerequisite: Space Between the Breath, “Fire”
“Music is the space between the notes.” ~Claude Debussy
This French composer is often cited as one of the most influential of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He wrote a number of highly regarded pieces, perhaps most famous is Clair de Lune. You might even listen to it with your class and see if they notice the spaces — much like the space between the logs and the space between the breaths.
Journal Prompt: How is this quote similar to the poem “Fire,” and how does this message relate to the theme of Chapter 2 and the practice of mindfulness?
Exploring
WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Increase Awareness
Format: Video
Prerequisite: Brain Science #2
Waiting to define mindfulness is intentional. We focus on building buy-in and trust in Chapter 1, before talking explicitly about mindfulness in Chapter 2. This video provides a brief history of where mindfulness began, what it is, what it is not, and all the benefits that come with practice.
H: We close with an invitation to find one mindful moment each day. You can help build this habit in students by asking them what they did for their mindful moment today.
MINDFUL EATING
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Knowledge, Autopilot, Increase Awareness
Format: Video
Prerequisite: What is Mindfulness?
Miss Sophie guides students to slow down and use all their senses in taking one mindful bite. She challenges them to recognize everything that went into making that bite available for consumption (farms, factories, drivers, packaging and preparation). By taking a mindful bite every day, students will begin to develop a habit of slowing down and enjoying the food they have.
Journal Prompt: Take one mindful bite each day, and write what you noticed.
MINDFUL LOOKING
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Knowledge, Autopilot, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Format: Video
Prerequisite: What is Mindfulness?, Heartfulness: Part 1
Miss Nicole invites students to observe things right in front of them and to see if they can develop a curiosity for observing something new or different that they had not previously noticed. This is a precursor to the “Curious Noticing” activity in the Practicing section.
SENSORY DRAW
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Confidence, Self-Compassion, Autopilot, Recognize Inner Voice
Format: Video
Prerequisite: Heartfulness: Part 1
All you need is something to write with and something to write on, and we can do this activity together. There is no right or wrong way to draw these lines. The idea is to trust yourself and go with the first thing that comes to you without overthinking. Miss Vanessa will call out some descriptions, and students are instructed to draw a line that represents that word or phrase. For example, a “sunny” line, a “sour” line, a “confused” line.
N: Invite your students to reflect on this activity by asking the following questions:
– How is this mindful?
– Did they hear their committee of critics? What did it say?
– How does this relate to the theme of this chapter?
30-SECOND SCRIBBLE
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Confidence, Self-Compassion
Format: Video
Prerequisite: Heartfulness: Part 1
This exercise is just about scribbling! Here are the instructions we give to students:
Put your pencil in the middle of a blank piece of paper or page of the journal, and move it all around your paper without lifting it for the next 30 seconds. One more thing…no peeking! Try either looking away or closing your eyes. Ready, set, go!
Once you’re done, take a close look at your paper and find an image/shape/object…something that comes through in your art. You can stand back from the paper or even rotate it to see all perspectives. When you find that one thing, color it in or mark over it with a darker color — something to make it stand out. You can even give your picture a title.
This is a fun and accessible introductory drawing exercise for reluctant artists. Art enthusiasts also love it. When repeated, most students find something different each time.
Journal Prompt: Try this activity again. Using a blank piece of paper, put your pen or pencil in the middle, and set a timer for 30 seconds. No peeking…ready, set, start scribbling! Once your timer goes off, write in the space below what it was like the second time and how you made sense of the mess.
INTRODUCING THE WEATHER ANCHOR
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Knowledge, Increase Awareness, Identify and Name Emotions, Develop Accurate Self-Perception
Format: Video
Prerequisite: None
One-word check-ins are an essential part of relational best practices. Sometimes it can be difficult for students to answer the question, “How are you?” for a variety of reasons. One reason for this is because they might not really know. We offer this opportunity to ease into the routine of checking in by answering in the form of a weather pattern. Start by introducing this concept using the explanation offered in this video. Then, use the “Weather Anchor” visual found in the Centering section for subsequent check-ins throughout this chapter.
BRAIN SCIENCE: PART 2
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Knowledge, Brain Science, Increase Awareness, Develop Accurate Self-Perspective
Format: Video
Prerequisite: None
This lesson is based on Dr. Dan Siegel’s hand model of the brain. Students are invited to make a fist with their thumb tucked into the center and to follow along with Miss Sophie as she describes each part and its role, how these parts all work together, and what happens when they don’t. By understanding what happens when we “flip our lid,” we can build awareness and the ability to feel it coming, potentially preventing it or shortening its course.
Journal Prompt: Make a hand model of the brain again, and say all the parts out loud that Miss Sophie talked about in her video before writing them here. Write what each part does. Describe a time when you “flipped your lid.”
MINDFUL DOODLING: PART 1
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Confidence, Self-Compassion, Practice Using Anchors, Recognize Inner Voice
Format: Video
Prerequisite: None
Based on “Zen Doodles” or “Zen Tangles,” the art of doodling is a beautiful single-point-of-focus practice during which the room often gets very quiet. Both coloring and doodling have been shown to increase focus and listening.
This video, the first in a series of four, shares a few of Miss Vanessa’s doodling creations so students can see where this practice is heading. To start, we offer a worksheet of 12 doodling patterns partially completed, that students will fill in. This worksheet is available in their journals and also in the Enriching section. Sneak preview: Part 2 of this series uses the same worksheet but without patterns. Students can create them either by following along on the video or by making up their own.
Journal Prompt: Here are some simple patterns that you can use to get started with mindful doodling. See if you can continue each of the patterns below to fill in the boxes. If you are using the electronic journal, you can use this page for reference while you doodle the patterns on a blank piece of paper.
DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK...
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Knowledge, Self-Compassion, Growth Mindset, Identify and Name Emotions, Develop Accurate Self-Perception
Format: Video
Prerequisite: Heartfulness: Part 1
Building on the “Arms Out” video from Chapter 1 where students were invited to question their thoughts and ask themselves whether or not they were true, this video further develops students’ growth mindset. Miss Nicole goes deeper into the subject in this chapter and also offers a worksheet available in the students’ journal.
Journal Prompt: In the talk bubbles below, see if you can remember an unsupportive thought you had this week. Write it down on the left side. Then, try to shift your language to be more supportive, and write the new statement on the right side. We included an example to get you started.
AUTOPILOT
Format: Video
Prerequisite: Heartfulness: Part 1
Just like the plane that flies itself, we can do things without really thinking about it. Miss Sophie explains how these actions can get hard-wired in our brain with a game we call “Sit Reach Hand Foot.” She first guides students to do those four actions. Then, she switches their meaning. For example, “sit means reach” and “reach means sit.” By bringing more mindful attention to the things we are doing (like reading or watching Netflix), we can turn off autopilot and regain control.
Journal Prompt: After watching this video, spend a few minutes responding to the questions below.
1. What do you think “Neurons that fire together, wire together” means based on Miss Sophie’s video?
2. What is something that you do on “autopilot”?
3. Why would it be helpful to take back control, and how will you do that?
Enriching
Sometimes we offer videos outside our curriculum lessons, or images or coloring pages that help illustrate a concept. The videos are all linked from this section. Images or coloring pages can be easily downloaded for saving and/or printing.
Videos
How to Get Rid of Stress in 60 Seconds
Prince Ea discusses stress and ways to reduce it, specifically by bringing your focus back to the present and/or focusing on your breathing. He also invites us to answer the following three questions, which would be a great activity for advisory or small group lunch circle.
1. Are these thoughts that my mind has true?
2. Am I absolutely sure they are true?
3. What would I be without these thoughts?
How to STOP Negative/Stressful Thinking Once and For All
In this video, Prince Ea shares the idea that we are more than the thoughts we think. He shares similar messages to the ones in this chapter for increasing self-knowledge and developing an accurate self-perception. His videos are fast and full of information; therefore, we often recommend that students watch them twice.
N: Ask students the following questions:
– What does his suggestion of “not identifying with thoughts” mean, and how is it relevant
to the theme of this chapter?
– How can they “observe” thoughts rather than “identify” with them?
Worksheets
This worksheet is referenced in the “5-4-3-2-1” video and is also available in both the print and online versions of the Chapter 2 Journal. Invite students to try this activity using the worksheet for the first time they go on a “Sensory Scavenger Hunt” as a place to record their findings. If printing is not an option, students can recreate this worksheet on a blank sheet of paper. In the future, students can try it anytime they need to, even without the worksheet or jotting down their findings.
Journal Prompt: You can do this Sensory Scavenger Hunt anywhere and anytime. The first time, use this sheet to record your findings. In the future, you can just note them in your mind. Lastly, add one thing you’re grateful for right now; then, take a deep breath in, let it out, and SMILE!
MINDFUL COLORING #1
Coloring has been shown to increase focus and reduce stress. We offer this coloring page as an opportunity for your students to try it. It is also available in the print version of their journals.
MINDFUL DOODLING #1
Mindful doodling has been shown to increase focus and reduce stress. We reference this doodling worksheet, with 12 boxes containing partially completed patterns, in the “Mindful Doodling: Part 1” video. Invite students to practice completing the patterns in these boxes either from this worksheet or from the page in their journal. Additional patterns will appear in each of the upcoming chapters.
Enriching
These activities are best done in person. We describe them for you to lead with your students if and when you are all together during the upcoming school year.
THEME DEFINITION: SELF-AWARENESS
The description below is intended to provide context for this chapter and language for you to use to share this theme and its benefits with students.
The ability to see ourselves clearly, to learn about our own view of and feelings about ourselves, and to understand how our thoughts affect our behavior are all components of self-awareness. Developing this competency is the foundation of emotional intelligence and the basis for self-regulation and impulse control. People with increased self-awareness are more fulfilled, more creative, more effective leaders, better communicators, and are less likely to lie, cheat and steal.
Learning about one’s feelings, emotions, and habits of the mind is new for many students and can require many new vocabulary words. In a safe and supportive environment, we present multiple opportunities for students to explore their inner worlds, to name their feelings, and to listen to their inner voice.
Being present to what is there, once we discover it, is challenging work. Psychologists refer to a state of “flow” or “being in the zone” where you are fully immersed in what you are doing, connected to something bigger than yourself, and fully present. This state is shown to increase happiness. (January 2011 Real Simple “The Science of Happiness”)
In covering this first core competency defined by CASEL, we first invite students to notice what’s going on in their minds, their bodies and their hearts. This includes recognizing and naming emotions, recognizing habits of the mind, taking notice of the inner voices that rehearse and replay in their heads for much of the day, making accurate statements about themselves, and learning how they monitor our inner worlds. Starting with the ability just to notice, or build self-awareness, we lay the foundation for deeper work in upcoming chapters.
ONE WORD CHECK-IN: WEATHER
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Knowledge, Autopilot, Increase Awareness, Develop Accurate Self-Perception
Prerequisite: Introducing the Weather Anchor
Checking in with your students is critical, especially this year, and is an essential part of relational best practices. Yet, we often respond to the question, “How are you?” with an autopilot-type answer or find it too difficult to answer the question for a variety of reasons. This one-word share can bring your group together in a discreet way while building safe space.
Once you and students have watched the “Introducing the Weather Anchor” video, you can use the Weather Anchor visual found in the Centering section. Ask students to take a few breaths and find their weather word — just one word that describes how they are feeling in that given moment. Remind them of three important things:
- Try not to judge the weather word that comes up.
- If they’re really uncomfortable they can pass.
- It’s ok for two students to have the same weather word.
Remember to get a thumbs up or a nod from the group to be sure everyone has a weather word before starting; otherwise, they will be thinking about what they’re going to say rather than listening to the words being said in the circle.
H: Invite students to check in once each day to find their weather word, even if they don’t share it with anyone. This gives them an opportunity to continue to practice increasing their awareness and to recognize how often their “internal weather” can change.
SIT REACH HAND FOOT
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Knowledge, Autopilot, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Prerequisite: Autopilot
A great listening game that points out the concept of autopilot. Start by having students follow these simple actions as you call them out: “sit” (from a standing position bend both knees as if you’re about to sit in a chair), “reach” (from a standing position, stretch both arms overhead), “hand” (extend one hand forward), and “foot” (balancing on one leg, extend the other foot and leg forward). Go through those cues a few times in random order.
Easy, right? Now switch “sit” and “reach”, so “sit” means “reach” and “reach” means “sit.” “Hand” still means “hand” and “foot” still means “foot.’ Try a few rounds this way.
Finally, switch “hand” and “foot” so that both pairs are reversed. Keep calling out each word in no particular order, and watch the concentration muscle working hard!
Please Note:
- Often having you as a visual anchor is helpful, so do the motions as you call them out for the first few rounds. The more you play this game, the less prompting the students will need.
- See if you can add additional pairs — either ones you suggest or ones the students suggest. (e.g. “hop” and “spin” or “jump” and “clap,” etc.)
N: Ask students these noticing questions:
– How was that?
– What happens when they respond to the cues on autopilot?
– What else do they do on autopilot?
10-COUNT SIT & STAND
Key Concepts/Goals: Self-Knowledge, Autopilot, Practice Using Anchors, Increase Awareness
Prerequisite: None
Moving slowly gives us an opportunity to notice all the complexities of what happens during simple movements, like sitting and standing, which we do multiple times each day.
Ask your students to get up and then sit down quickly. Then, ask them what they noticed. Generally, it will be a limited list of findings. Now, ask them to do the very same exercise very slowly (on your count) seeing if they can move from seated to standing for a full count of 10. Pause, then ask them to reverse it, going from standing to seated, on your count, for the full count of 10. Try it twice, and count out loud for pacing. Be sure students are moving for the full count, as opposed to waiting until the last count to sit down or stand up.
N: Ask students these noticing questions:
– What did they notice?
– Why do they notice more when moving slowly compared to moving quickly?
– Can they think of other times when slowing something down might be helpful?
STUDENT JOURNAL DISTRIBUTION
Key Concepts/Goals: Mindfulness, Practice Using Anchors
Prerequisite: None
Student journals come in 2 formats — print or Google Docs. (also on the Student Site)
- Click here to download the PDF that is best used with pen and paper.
- Click here to open a digital journal in Google Docs that you can post to your Google Classroom and “make a copy for each student.”
Students will be accessing this file for all activities listed with an asterisk on the Chapter Overview chart. Please share the following information with students as an introduction to the journal writing activities. This information is also listed inside the journal for repetition.
Journaling is an opportunity to connect your head and your heart and has been found to relieve stress, anxiety and depression. Journaling is not every student’s favorite activity; but in the spirit of keeping an open mind, we encourage students to try completing each of the journal prompts in this chapter before opting out of journaling altogether.
It is also important to establish safety with the journals, and let students know whether or not the content is being reviewed, and whether or not they’re being graded.
In general, we offer the following guidelines for responding to the prompts:
Be honest — no one is reviewing this work!
– Try not to get caught up with spelling or grammar — just keep your pen moving.
– No judging…and if judgment starts happening, you can write about that too.
STUDENT CHAPTER REFLECTION
Format: Form (also on the Student Site)
Prerequisite: Majority of the Chapter 2 Material
Once you and your students are ready to move on to Chapter 3, please ask them to submit the form found through the link at the bottom of the Student Site. Some responses are short-answer and some are checkboxes. The questions on the form are listed here for your reference:
- What is mindfulness?
- Which anchors feel most comfortable for you at this point?
- Have you become more aware of your mental chatter, feelings and/or self-talk?
- Which activity or video in this chapter was most helpful in naming and becoming aware of feelings and emotions?
- What is one thing you have learned about your brain and mindfulness?
- Describe a time during this chapter when you were more aware of your actions, your feelings, your emotions, or your thought patterns.