World Teachers Day - a big thank you and announcing my new course for Teachers

It’s World Teachers Day, a day to officially honour and give gold stars for the above and beyond efforts that teachers have made during the last 18 months. Yet sadly, these vast, extra pressures have understandably taken their toll on teacher wellness. The 2020 Teacher Wellbeing Index carried out by YouGov and Education support, reported 81% of teachers and 89% of school leaders described themselves as feeling ‘stressed’ or ‘very stressed’.

Teachers deserve a helping hand and support so as a thank you for all their dedication, I wanted to share 5 simple, empowering and effective ways to help teachers to move from Stresses to Smiles® so please feel free to share!

Small things make a big difference - ‘Bank’ and savour all the moments in your day that make you smile or feel good. Your morning cuppa, a hot shower, a hug from a loved one, a big smile from a pupil - these are key energy boosts you can use later in school! 

Protect your energy – Keep your phone away from your body and even further away at bedtime (ideally off or on airplane mode). Avoid sitting by or near routers. These are all invisible stresses that can drain and disrupt your energy.

Build a stress release toolkit that works for you - do a breathing exercise (see let it out, lights out below), move around or watch my stress support video that helps you to relax and release tensions, wherever you are. Taking time for you helps your class so don’t feel guilty. The more you feel good and thrive, the more your class will thrive as your energy is contagious.

Talk to yourself as you would a pupil - So often we say the cruellest, unfair and demotivating words to ourselves, when like the children, we are actually doing the best we can with what we have at the time. Be kind to yourself.  

Let it out, lights out! - Your logical mind switches off at night time and your emotional, often over-reactive mind takes over, so no clear decisions will be made in the middle of the night. Write down what's on your mind before you lay down, then get snug and if you mind is still racing, try box breathing; Breathe out for four seconds, pause for a count of four and breathe in for four through your nose, pause for a count of four and repeat! 

Announcing my new course for Teachers and children
Stresses to Smiles for Schools®

I believe every teacher deserves to be provided with an effective, empowering wellness tools that help them to be in the best wellness space for themselves, and also for their class, creating an optimal teaching and learning environment, and an improved quality of life for the teacher, both in and out of the classroom.

I also believe that in addition to the 3 r’s (Reading, writing, arithmetic), how to ride a bike, or play an instrument, there is another set of 3R’s that are key life and wellness skills children need to learn in school to thrive in the classroom and in life – how to Relax, Release stresses and Rebalance.

That’s why it was really important for me to use my expertise to support both teachers and children with my new Stresses to Smiles for Schools® programme - A ready to deliver, structured, classroom based inclusive course which easily integrates into dedicated lesson time and everyday teaching in bitesize elements.  The programme shows teaching staff how to use the effective, stress reduction and emotional wellness tools for themselves first which is key, and then secondly how to optimally share them with the children using the fully prepared, fun, interactive and empowering lesson resources.

To date, the programme has created positive shifts in:-

·       Academic progress and attainment

·       Class behaviour, class engagement

·       Confidence levels, concentration and focus

·       Emotional resilience, safeguarding and wellbeing

What teachers say

“It was amazing, it was one of the best things that I’ve done in my 32 years of teaching. Their responses at the end showed how much they had learnt, and how much your sessions had had an impact on these children. They just got it. It was brilliant.” Year 3 Teacher

“It ticked the boxes for all the children, from the children who have SEND (additional needs) right through to the children who are high performing.” Year 3 Teacher

What children say

Dear Lou…

...I like the tapping places on the side of the head. It helps me to stay calm and under my eye helps me to go to sleep. Thank you. Girl, age 7

...tapping helps me when I am stressed or angry Boy, age 7

…I really liked it all because it is calming – Girl, age 7

Teachers play such a valuable role in society and are ideally placed to share life lasting emotional wellness skills to children, yet they need to be supported first and be provided with quality, expert training and fully prepared resources to best help the children.

If you would like to receive this Stresses to Smiles® support for your school, please see Optimal Vitality www.optimalvitality.co.uk/school-wellness for more information.

Best wishes.

Lou

lou@optimalvitality.co.uk

07966 502611