Teacher Toolbox
Mental and emotional wellbeing advice and resources; for you, your children and your classroom.Uncomfortable, edgy feelings for children and staff as schools re-connect
Most people in schools next week will be experiencing and operating with an internal ‘edginess’. It’s understandable, uncomfortable and perfectly normal under the circumstances. But how much openness and discussion will there be about these feelings? My worry is that...
Children teaching adults about joy, fun, gratitude and approaching each moment with a clean slate
Three mindfulness teachings, all before 8am, delivered to you by a 3 year old and 5 year old… Lesson 1 “Is it morning time?” asks my 3 year old at 6:50am. “It is.” I reply. “Yessss!” he responds, throwing the cover off his bed. What adults do you know (yourself...
Mindful Volcano Drawing: Teaching children to be aware of emotional reactions and eruptions
I’ve had a few conversations recently about people reacting in an aggressive manner rather than responding in a calm way. The first was a Headteacher receiving abuse from parents when reminded to wear a mask on site. The other was a friend in a supermarket...
Educators Finding Ease: Doing one thing well with full attention
You want your life to feel easier YET you work in education and there's no let up. No chance to feel relaxed whilst at work. It's full-on or nothing. However, it IS possible to bring elements of ease into your school day without requiring extra minutes or additional...
Counting Breaths: Mindfulness practice for teachers to use during the school day
What wellbeing practice have you got planned in for next week to support your learners? If you haven’t got any please have a go at this one. It’s great for calming, bringing attention IN to ourselves and for focus and concentration. All skills that are super important...
Mindfulness INSET Training for School Staff
Mindfulness isn't all gongs, postures and for people who have loads of time to spare. It's for you too. Calm, happy teachers cultivate calm, happy classrooms and calm, happy learners. For this world to change for the good, we need mentally and emotionally healthy...
Mindfulness for Schools and Families: When we’re finding things tough, go lightly by practising compassion towards yourself and others
I recorded this Compassion Meditation for schools but it can be enjoyed and shared at home too. Learning to be kinder, more understanding and forgiving of ourselves and towards others is an essential skill and something that should be practised regularly. Showing...
Feeling wobbly already about the first morning? Learn to ground yourself so you feel more stable and secure.
That first morning when children from Year 6, Year 1 and EYFS join other children in coming to school, will be wobbly for us all. To help you feel calm, supported and stable practise grounding yourself. Here's one way you can focus attention on you and your stability...
Minimise educator stress: Dealing with all the ifs, mights and maybes
With so much uncertainty around school reintegration and a regularly morphing future picture of what that should and will look like; it's easy to feel stressed, uneasy and worried as you try to make plans and important decisions for school staff, children and parents....
Adjustment time needed for schools, learners and staff
Once schools, children and staff start coming together again (whenever that may be), they're going to need time to adjust. Space to figure things out, to pay attention to their feelings and consider what's going on - within them and around them. No-one works well in a...