Showing posts with label well-being. Show all posts
Showing posts with label well-being. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Education : Best of 2021 : Semester #2





credits: Education International


"Education International stands in solidarity with the teachers, students, and people of Ukraine and calls on the international community to stop the bloodshed and do their utmost to avoid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Europe."

Education International 

Since the first news on television and stories of the war flooded the social media feeds about the war in Europe students crowded around teachers to ask them about it. At home, parents had the same questions and help their kids . 


"In a conflict that has been called the world’s “first TikTok war,” children and teenagers have had access to a mass of information that is often unverified and troubling, and may trigger anxieties."


There was some anxiety mixed into the questions, and they were using adult terminology they didn’t fully understand, but it was a hot topic for all our students.





A  kindergarten destroyed in Stanitsa Luhanska, Ukraine
credits: Lynsey Addario for The New York Times


Hundreds of schools have been destroyed during the war in Ukraine. Anxiety and fear are common reactions to the events in Ukraine, but students also want more knowledge and understanding, especially as the situation worsens.


I remembered September 11. Students came to school and entered in the classroom after lunch. They saw in the news the terrific images direct on television.


"It was a school day like every other day. Lunch time. Some teachers appeared at school before the beginning of the classes and told us to watch the news on the television. We stopped our lunch  and went to Teachers' room."


War is dreadful, and the images of Ukraine’s bombardments are so cruel. After two years of pandemic, it’s important to keep in mind the social and emotional wellbeing of students while talking and explaining lessons from Ukraine.


“It’s a difficult one, isn’t it?” said a teacher in her elementary school classroom “My instinct would be to protect you,” she reasoned.






credits: Andrew Testa for New Yok Times

.
Credit...

Some European children are worried that the war in Ukraine could spread to their own countries.


"As Europeans have grappled with the shock of facing a war on their doorstep and a frenzied news cycle, many teachers have had little time to process what was happening — they had to provide answers, and fast."


The job of teachers is to help students understand and process the news at an age-appropriate level while giving them opportunities to dig more deeply into the events, make connections to the history of Europe.


I'm sure all the teachers and parents are doing their best.  


Looking back the roundup 2021 I've come up with what's been the best posts of #semester2 of my blog The Digital Teacher G-Souto. The selection is based on page views but also based on pedagogical relevance of the most-read posts.


Here are the Best of semester #2

























via TIF News

"Shine bright like a diamond. 

You're a shooting star I see"

My special choice of the #2nd semester 2021? Bright Holiday Season, Shine Bright... Hillcrest Primary School : Sorrow.

It broke my heart! What started as a joyful day of celebration ended with the entire Tasmanian community stunned & heartbroken.




credits: Twitter/NickMcCallum7




The deaths of six children after a jumping castle was lifted into the air from strong winds at a school end-of-year celebration as condolences flowed into the grieving  small coastal city.

The sixth student has died last 19 December, after Hillcrest Primary School's end of year celebration event.


Holiday season was there. Christmas season is children's big dream. 


Hoping to have inspire you in your lessons all over the last year.


Teachers are teaching with passion in such difficult moments. Guiding your students the best you can helping them to adapt to a different world and prepare to a new the future. Give them hope, joy, help them not to be so anxious with this terrible time.


Your mission from the heart!


G-Souto

05.04.2022
Copyright © 2022G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Education : Best of 2021 : Semester #2 by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.


Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, December 4, 2020

November in Review & Intl Day of Persons with Disabilities




 


"As the world recovers from the pandemic, we must ensure that the aspirations and rights of persons with disabilities are included and accounted for in a -inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world." 

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General 

The 3 December was the International Day of Disabled Persons. The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992. 

It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

  • Five things we need to know:

Ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, celebrated every year on 3rd December, here are five things you need to know about living with a disability during COVID-19:

Here are five things you need to know about living with a disability during COVID-19:





  • Persons with disabilities: Did you know?


Of the one billion population of persons with disabilities, 80% live in developing countries.

An estimated 46% of older people aged 60 years and over are people with disabilities.



credits: Getty Images

One in every five women is likely to experience disability in her life, while one in every ten children is a child with a disability.

Persons with disabilities in the world are among the hardest hit by COVID-19.





credits: Brian Mitchell / Getty Images

Education:

Disability inclusion is an essential condition to upholding human rights, in education and of course in school curricula. 

Of the 100 million or so children around the world with a disability, 80% of them are in developing countries. In these countries, 40% of children with disabilities don't go to primary school and 55% are not in secondary education.

Beyond those stark facts are millions of other children with disabilities who are in classrooms but are left feeling excluded, intimidated and unvalued by the failings of school systems.

"For most people, technology makes things easier. For people with disabilities, technology makes things possible,"

Vibhu Sharma




via The Hindu

The tools for identifying learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. These manifest as problems with listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities.

"A lot of young people feel dumb or stupid. Dyslexia can affect different aspects of their life besides reading, from being able to tell from left and right, or reading a map,” 

Shae Wissell, Dear Dislexy Foundation

Prominent young Australians who have dyslexia are Jessica Watson, who sailed around the world solo when she was just 16, and Alex Edmondson, an Olympic medal-winning cyclist.




Dyslexia

My goal is to demonstrate to teachers, parents that  inclusion is possible for kids and citizens with disabilities and to highlight actionable opportunities in the different curricula in school. Sport, music, art are offering excellent opportunities for inclusion. I wrote many posts about persons with disability on this blog.

There is a special one. The most read all over the years: Schools :The Present, a short animation on teens disabilities !

As a teacher, I had a lot of students with different disabilities and always in inclusive classes along my career.

Of course, we must prepare a common core standards-based curriculum and resources list that helps us weave ability awareness-themed activities and inclusion education into our classroom throughout the year.
Of course, I prepared my students to respect the rhythm of their peers with disabilities. They could understand their disabilities and helped their 'different' classmates in their learning.
On the other hand students with disabilities learned to work in group and they did enormous progress in their own learning.

We need to strengthen our collective efforts for universal access to essential services, including immediate health and social protection, education, digital infrastructure, accessible information, employment and other socio-cultural opportunities in order to ensure that persons why disabilities are not left behind in times of crisis and beyond.

And now let's write about the posts of November. About 70% of us are affected by restrictions in Portugal. 


Here are the most popular posts of the last month:

There are measures to deal with coronavirus outbreaks are in place across Europe. Many involve the reintroduction of restrictions that had been eased after initial lockdowns.

Here in Portugal, schools are working but there are two special measures for two long week-ends, the 1st December, Independence Restoration Day and next Thursday a Catholic holiday. We are under a third national lockdown until at least 17 December. And there is a curfew from movement between country's municipalities is prohibited. 

Be safe! Take care!

G-Souto

04.12.2020
Copyright © 2020G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®


November in Review & Intl Day of Persons with Disabilities by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Schools : A lesson of Mindfulness : Youth soccer team & his coach in Thailand






cartoon: unknown
@asjadnazir



Youth Soccer team and coach in the cave
credits: AFP/ Getty

"Don't worry!"
This was a group message from the 12 Thai boys and their soccer coach who were trapped in a flooded cave since last 23 June. The boys became trapped when they entered the cave system, leaving their shoes and bags near the mouth of the cave to write their names on the wall.

 In a risky operation led by the Thai navy Seals, an international team managed to get the boys through a complicated and often narrow exit route. The boys and their coach had been rescued today, last day of cave rescue.

 There was a Portuguese diver who wants to be incognito as the most part of international divers team. Solidarity is this!

 Three navy seals and a doctor, who had been with the boys, emerged safely from the cave several hours later.




Former Navy Seal Samarn Kunan

We can't forget navy seal former Thai Navy Seal Samarn Kunan, 38, volunteer, died while trying to help rescue the young football team trapped in the cave Tham Luang Nang Non.




cartoon: unknown
@asjadnazir
An exchange of letters between relatives has been released after they were found by two English divers the last 3 July.
Below are some messages translated into English:

credits: Thai Navy Seals
https://www.bbc.com/news/world/
How can a youth soccer team aged 11-16 years and his coach 25 years old be so calm, resilient to survive? Meditation was the key of their courage, patience, peaceful mind.

Ekkapol Chanthawong, an ancient Buddhist monk had the tool to all. Mindfulness. Ekkapol Chantawong is the only member of his family who survived the epidemic which overcame his Northern Thailand home town in 2003.




Ekkapol Chanthawong
https://thuvienhoasen.org/

Before the 25-year-old was a coach to the young boys on the Wild Boars soccer team he spent a decade as a saffron-robed Buddhist monk. He still stays at the temple from time to time and meditate with the monks there each day. at the temple, learning meditation. 

So, Chanthawong honed a skill that served him well and the boys in the Tham Luang Nang Non cave: meditation. 

“I always believed that Chanthawong would help them keep calm and optimistic, and he loved us very much,” 

Ms Sriwichai



Youth soccer team
Composite: Various

Yes, all the team is safe, and well, but too fragile to travel to Russia to watch the final game at the World Cup 2018. 

Their classmates and teachers are preparing a big welcome at schools were they are studying.

"Teacher, don't give us lots of homework!" they asked in the exchange of letters. No, teachers will not give lots of homework. These students will have a careful personal support of the school and teachers.




Image:Shutterstock.com
wavebreakmedia

Education: 

“Mindfulness is a powerful tool that supports children in calming themselves, focusing their attention, and interacting effectively with others, all critical skills for functioning well in school and in life,”

 Amy Saltzman, M.D., director of the Association for Mindfulness in Education

The implementation of school-based mindfulness programs for children is becoming more popular. Empirical research proving the benefits of mindfulness is only beginning to emerge.

It's not easy. Sitting completely still never is at that age. Yet students must concentrate on their arms, legs and "deep belly breathing." However mindfulness is more and more integrated into schools curriculum. And an experience on math grades shows:

"After analyzing measures, which included behavioral assessments, cortisol levels, feedback from their peers regarding sociability, and academic scores of math grades, the results revealed dramatic differences."




Compared to the students who learned the social responsibility program, those trained in mindfulness scored higher in math, had 24% more social behaviors, and were 20% less aggressive. 

The group trained in mindfulness excelled above the other group in the areas of attention, memory, emotional regulation, optimism, stress levels, mindfulness, and empathy.

Different schools in different countries are implementing mindfulness into school curriculum. More and more teachers are now qualified in meditation exercises to combat pupil stress.

I practice mediation. I'm a Yogi. And often I helped my former students to meditate some minutes before tests class. So I was fascinated when meditation recently started becoming mainstream again. 




Mindfulness/ meditation

"As a part of positive education curriculum, students learn how to combine mindfulness and character strengths techniques. The integration of mindfulness and character strengths offers a number of distinct benefits for student well-being."

The goal is for each young student to develop, integrate, and apply these mindfulness and character strengths strategies when dealing with school/life pressures.

If your are a qualified teacher, or you are a Yogi (as I am), you have the tools to help your students practising mindfulness, a way of making them stop, relax. Now lots of schools have signed up to mindfulness classes, both at secondary and primary level. 

In some countries, some high schools now get pupils to do meditation rather than detention.

Meditation can do a big drop-off in playground aggression, plus a rise in grades. However Richard Burnett, co-founder of the UK project, is wary of these model, especially where mindfulness is used to “correct” bad behaviour as opposed to being a practice in and of itself. 

“If you pitch it like that you’re feeding into precisely the achievement-based culture that’s putting such huge pressure on children,” 

Richard Burnett, co-founder of the UK project




Mindfulness/ NYT

Mindfulness has a valuable place in schools because at its core is the promotion of well being and self-support.

"Incorporating mindfulness into education has been linked to improving academic and social and emotional learning. Also, mindfulness strengthens some underlying development processes - such as focus, resilience, and self-soothing- that will help kids in the long run.”

G-Souto

10.07.2018
Copyright © 2018G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®
Creative Commons License
Schools : A lesson of Mindfulness : Thau youth soccer team G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
References:

Association for Mindfulness in Education
Mindfulness in Schools Education
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)