Some staff from SAMI (Science and Math Insitute) visited us today! We showed them around and answered their questions and they sat in on the freshman class. They participated in our relaxation exercises which really helped calm everyone down! :-) Then we talked about why plant-based foods are so good for us, especially those with more odor,flavor, and color. It's because the way they work in nature is how they work in your body! They keep away disease and bad stuff in nature because of their strong odor/color and they do that in your body too! Cool,huh?
The sophomores discussed self-awareness and understanding how our actions affect others. We talked about reflecting inward when something is not right with another person. Figure out if you are responsible for the negativity coming towards you. . .or not! We practiced this by talking about how it affects students when some one is hecka noisy during our quiet relaxation time. This led to the noisy culprits asking to be excused during quiet time. Yes! Way to take responsiblity! Hopefully next year they can actually stay in the classroom and sit quietly. Baby steps. . .
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Catching Up
I haven't blogged in about a month! Sorry. I have been a bit overwhelmed. Slowly, I am getting organized and my efficiency is kicking in.
In CLASS we have been working with Dr. Phyllis Bales on relaxation techniques. She has taught us how to "ground," how to "run energy" through our bodies, and how to "pull our auras in." What we've learned is the power of the imagination to calm ourselves. Some of this has been difficult for some of the kids to get. But today it seemed we had some breakthroughs with the freshmen who appear to be understanding how to calm themselves and are actually using the practice in their lives outside of class.
The sophs are such a bizarre class with really loud kids and really quiet kids and not too many in the middle. Some of the sophs are simply disruptive during our quiet relaxation time which is highly annoying to the rest of us. Next time I think I will ask the noisy ones to step outside so the rest of us can relax.
In CLASS we have been working with Dr. Phyllis Bales on relaxation techniques. She has taught us how to "ground," how to "run energy" through our bodies, and how to "pull our auras in." What we've learned is the power of the imagination to calm ourselves. Some of this has been difficult for some of the kids to get. But today it seemed we had some breakthroughs with the freshmen who appear to be understanding how to calm themselves and are actually using the practice in their lives outside of class.
The sophs are such a bizarre class with really loud kids and really quiet kids and not too many in the middle. Some of the sophs are simply disruptive during our quiet relaxation time which is highly annoying to the rest of us. Next time I think I will ask the noisy ones to step outside so the rest of us can relax.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Time Management and Goal Setting
I had to rearrange the classroom because of the high number of sophomores! I can't fit them all around the table. So now the place looks less like a seminar room and more like a normal classroom.
We got our binders organized and I had the students write their long term and short term goals and tape them in their binder or put them somewhere on their binder where they will see them all the time. Then I had the kids write out on a weekly calendar their typical week. They also wrote how they could spend their time better at school, at Peace and at home. I will spend some time going over these and share them with the students' mentors. There will probably be lots of opportunity for conversation and support from mentors.
We got our binders organized and I had the students write their long term and short term goals and tape them in their binder or put them somewhere on their binder where they will see them all the time. Then I had the kids write out on a weekly calendar their typical week. They also wrote how they could spend their time better at school, at Peace and at home. I will spend some time going over these and share them with the students' mentors. There will probably be lots of opportunity for conversation and support from mentors.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Juniors and Seniors Get Organized
It's strange having such a big class of seniors! We are up to 7 total now! Up from 3 last semester. Two of our seniors went to the Historically Black College Fair. One was accepted to Bethune-Cookman and the other to Norfolk! Wow!
I taught/retaught the Juniors and the Seniors how to take Cornell notes and how to organize their binders. We are all set and ready to rock this semester!
I taught/retaught the Juniors and the Seniors how to take Cornell notes and how to organize their binders. We are all set and ready to rock this semester!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Getting Organized/Cornell Notes
I retaught the students how to take Cornell Notes. They really need to take better notes in class, then finish the process at Peace, writing test questions and a summary of their notes. They are going to hate this, but it gives them a chance to interact with the material 2 more times and sets them up to study better for tests.
We also got new school supplies and got our binders organized. I had 17 kids in the sophomore class today! 1 is from Bellarmine and is just auditing the class, but 16 are enrolled! Wow!
We are now up to 35 students total enrolled in CLASS. This is up 10 students from last semester! It's almost like if you are a Hilltop Scholar, you are in CLASS!
We also got new school supplies and got our binders organized. I had 17 kids in the sophomore class today! 1 is from Bellarmine and is just auditing the class, but 16 are enrolled! Wow!
We are now up to 35 students total enrolled in CLASS. This is up 10 students from last semester! It's almost like if you are a Hilltop Scholar, you are in CLASS!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
What color is your grounding cord?
Today Phyllis came and talked to the Juniors and Seniors about "getting grounded." She had us imagine a cord connecting us to the center of the earth. It was funny to hear what the different kids' cords looked like:
a string with a ball
a slide
a bike
a snowboard
a chicken!
The point is for the kids to have a way to imagine themselves connected to something, to feel safe and relaxed. From here we can have better results with our daily meditation that we do at the beginning of each class.
a string with a ball
a slide
a bike
a snowboard
a chicken!
The point is for the kids to have a way to imagine themselves connected to something, to feel safe and relaxed. From here we can have better results with our daily meditation that we do at the beginning of each class.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Freshmen and Sophomores Get Grounded
Today was the first day of second semester. We have one new student joining the freshman class and four new students joining the sophomore class!
After reviewing the CLASS expectations and attendance policies, etc., local psychologist, Phyllis Bales worked with the students on grounding their energy. I have taught the students how to sit still and focus on their breathing as a relaxation technique. Phyllis built on this by having the students imagine they are dropping a cord of energy down into the earth and anchoring it at the center of the earth. It was interesting to listen to the students descriptions of what that was like. Some didn't get it at all. Some felt more relaxed, some felt tingly. Phyllis will continue to work with the students over the next couple of months. We will see her again in a couple of weeks.
After reviewing the CLASS expectations and attendance policies, etc., local psychologist, Phyllis Bales worked with the students on grounding their energy. I have taught the students how to sit still and focus on their breathing as a relaxation technique. Phyllis built on this by having the students imagine they are dropping a cord of energy down into the earth and anchoring it at the center of the earth. It was interesting to listen to the students descriptions of what that was like. Some didn't get it at all. Some felt more relaxed, some felt tingly. Phyllis will continue to work with the students over the next couple of months. We will see her again in a couple of weeks.
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