Mindfulness - Phoenix, Arizona · Kids: •The Family Book, Todd Par •Calm Down Time, Elizabeth...

Teacher Training

FocusedKid

s

Brain

Mindfulness

Welcome to FocusedKids™

1. Intro

• Beginning With You

• The Developing Brain

• The Puppets

• The Calm Down Basket and Calm Down Corner

• Intro to self-regulation and co-regulation

2. Taming the Dragon - recovering from meltdowns

Mindful activities for co-regulation and Self-regulation

3. Pausing Your Classroom

Mindful Classroom Exercises - daily practice

4. On-going - FK newsletter, using resources, form your

own group to meet and practice

What is

FocusedKids?

1. A simple curriculum of mindful

exercises

2. For ages 0-5

3. Teaches kids, parents, and teachers

about their brains,

4. The skills for co-regulation, and self-

regulation.

5. A simple curriculum of mindful

exercises

6. For ages 0-5

7. Teaches kids, parents, and teachers

about their brains,

8. The skills for co-regulation, and self-

regulation.www.focusedkids.org

Why FocusedKids?

Developed specifically for

preschool ages, FocusedKids

supports adults and children in

mastering the developmental

steps of:

1. Managing emotions

2. Controlling bodies

3. Maintaining focus and

attention on a task

These are the executive function

skills of self-regulation, and are

foundational for all other

learning.

What We Do

First we teach kids about their

brains using puppets to

represent three key parts.

For the 0-3 population we

teach parents the same lesson.

What You Can Do

Learn the basics about the brain

Learn and use short mindful strategies to your advantage

Practice “brain breaks” every day

Learn the basics about the brain

Learn and use short mindful strategies to your advantage

Practice “brain breaks” every day

The brain is born wired for potential…

it needs experiences to shape the outcomes.

It is growing fastest, and is most pliable between the ages of 0-5

Brain Lesson Video

https://vimeo.com/268423906

Kids feel empowered to be in charge of their brain!

What’s going on in there?

The 0-5 Brain

• We are building the foundation of the brain architecture

• Tantrums: the still-developing brain is overwhelmed by mental demands

• We’ll actually delay development of their intelligence if we stress

them out with unrealistic expectations.

• The neurological processing in the three-to-five-year old’s brain is

twice as busy as that of a college student, and maybe adults!

• A preschooler has 100 billion brain cells (neurons), with 77%

in the cerebral cortex

• The neurons are forming connections which transmit information

from neurons to other cells….eventually 1,000 trillion!

The result of this massive mental exertion?

Raging typhoons of bewildering data

storm and flood the preschooler’s brain.

Dikes break, emotions are swamped, tears cascade, screams explode.

Strategies for helping a chaotic jungle

of neurons getting "wired" together

• Activate their minds

• Be gentle

• Chatter with them

• Provide social engagements to help develop social skills

• Play games and activities that demand attention control

• Model self-control in your own behavior

• Categorize the world to enhance math and logic learning

• Provide a healthy diet

• Body Building: 30 min/day of running and playing outside

• Limit screen-time to 1 hour/day or risk:

hyperactivity and shortened attention spans

What are Brain Breaks?

• Brain Breaks are a quick and effective way of changing or

focusing our physical and mental state.

• They are also a useful tool to use to help activate,

energize and stimulate our brains.

The most effective brain breaks incorporate some level of physical movement in order to stimulate neurological pathways and h

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl5QodAFu

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Shake Break

Then they learn about

the “Calm Down

Basket.”The basket contains various

sensory tools

to assist in helping kids calm

down, focus, and

be able to return to the task at

hand.

The basket contains various

sensory tools

to assist in helping kids calm

down, focus, and

be able to return to the task at

hand.

The Calm Down Basket

Calm-Down Corner

Your Brain at the Calm-Down

Corner

The Breath

The Senses

The Body

The Breath

The Senses

The Body

Using the Breath - Sphere

190-3 with their parents

Using the Senses - Listening

When We

Listen to the

Chime,

We are Calm

and Focused.

All the parts of

the Brain are

Working

Together!

Using the Body: Movement for Integration

Exercise: Tick Tock

A brief word about trauma…..

Self-regulation is the conscious control

of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Self-regulation is influenced by:

• the environment

• interactions with others

• temperament of the child

Co-regulation is:

• warm and responsive interactions that provide support,

coaching, and modeling for children

• requires the attending adult pay attention to the child’s

clues

• respond consistently and sensitively

For infants and young children

having the regular experience that their

needs will be met,

allows them to relax and begin to develop

self-soothing skills.

For infants and young children

having the regular experience that their

needs will be met,

allows them to relax and begin to develop

self-soothing skills.

nurturing

environment

children can

begin to

demonstrate

understanding

of self-control

concepts,

and start using

them.

By the age of

three, given a

supportive,

nurturing

environment

children can

begin to

demonstrate

understanding

of self-control

Temperament matters:

• A child’s temperament can impact their ability to regulate

• Emotional intensity varies in children

• Children respond differently to sensory stimuli

• Children differ in their ability to make transitions

Each requires a calibrated response that matches the

unique needs of the child

When caring adults co-regulate their responses

to the unique needs of the child, they support the skill of

self-regulation!

Brain on Upset

Child is in emotional

overload =

Amygdala Hijacks Brain =

No problem-solving until

calmed down!

Kids learn to calm

down

using their breath,

their bodies,

and their senses.

Breathing

Using the puppets and other props

makes the experience of breathing

conscious and concrete

Focusing

While a 3 or 4-year-old

child can't yet sit and

pay

attention for extended

periods of time,

developing focus and

concentration is vital.

Focus-building is a must

for kindergarten

readiness.

The Breath

The Senses

The Body

Energy Release and Ground

We all have times during the

day when we are sluggish or

stressed. A few exercises to

help them wake up their

systems and release excess

stress, then re-ground can

help.

Moving

Children are just

beginning to learn

how to identify and

manage their

feelings, and rely

on the adult for

guidance.

Children are just

beginning to learn

how to identify and

manage their

feelings, and rely

on the adult for

guidance.

Feelings Awareness:

Name it to Tame It!

Feelings

Managing Big Feelings…

When we are frustrated, Ms Elefante has a hard time ‘remembering’

what to do to feel better. Can you help her calm down?

Pausing Your Classroom

Mindful Classroom Exercises - Daily Practice

FocusedKids Mini Book of Mindful Exercises

Great Online Resources!

www.focusedkids.org

A focused class!

A focused class!

Local Resources

• www.mindfulnessfirst.org (we collaborate with FocusedKids)

• In school services

• Mindful School (4 years):

Crockett Elementary (Balsz)

• New Mindful School:

Simis Elementary (Madison)

• Online teacher training

• Community and business services

Join our mindful community for

teachers and parents!

• Meets monthly

• Online

• $10 per month

• Monthly lessons

• CEU’s Available

• Forum

• Discounts on resources

ResourcesDeveloping Brain:

• Your Child’s Growing Mind: Brain Development and Learning From Birth to Adolescence, by Jane M. Healy,

Ph.D

• Intelligence and How to Get It, by Richard E. Nisbett

• Help Your Preschooler Build a Better Brain: Early Learning Activities for 2-6 Year Old Children, by John

Bowman

• Seven Times Smarter: 50 Activities, Games, and Projects to Develop the Seven Intelligences of Your Child,

by Laurel Schmidt

General:

Ages 2-3:

Adults:

• Whole Brain Child, Dan Siegel, Tina Payne Bryson

Kids:

• The Family Book, Todd Par

• Calm Down Time, Elizabeth Verdick and Marieka Heinlen

Ages 4-5

Adults:

• Mindful Child, SK Greenland

• Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents), by Eline Snel and Myla Kabat-

Zinn

• Still Quiet Place, Amy Saltzman

• No Drama Discipline, Dan Siegle, Tina Payne Bryson

Kids:

• Beautiful Oops! Barny Saltzberg

• Color Monster, Anna LLenas

• Penguin Problems, Jory John and Lane Smith

• The Day The Crayons Quit, Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers

• How to Take the Grrr Out of Anger, Elizabeth Verdick, Marjoan Lisovskis

• Adventure Skill – Self-Regulation Flash Cards, by Move with Me Yoga Adventures

(These sturdy 5.5” x 8.5” cards, with colorful images on front and easy-to-follow directions on back, offer

child-friendly activities that support well-being and enhance social-emotional learning….)