WELLBEING LEARNING A wellbeing guide for upper school students

 Healthy(and(wealthy(in(Europe((

 2nd(Comenius(Regio(Project(2012(=(2014(

 EU’s(Lifelong(Learning(Programme(

 Escola(Básica(e(Secundária(Dr.(Pascoal(José(de(Mello,(Ansião,(Portugal(/(Piikkiön(yhtenäiskoulu,(Kaarina,(Finland(/(Create(amove(Oy,(Finland(  May$14,$2014$

 Prepared$by:$Create$amove$Oy$

 www.create.fi$

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Table of Contents

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 A wellbeing learning guide created together with upper school students of Piikkiön yhtenäiskoulu school in Finland. The guide was created by Create amove Oy, a wellbeing learning company.

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Introduction(to(wellbeing(learning(

Wellbeing(themes( Making(of(wellbeing(guide(for(upper(school(students(

Partners(in(the(Comenius(Regio(Programme(

Wellbeing(exercises(and(instructions(

Exercise(1:(Waking(up(the(body(

Exercise(2:(The(Windmill( Exercise(3:(Stretching( Exercise(4:(Relaxation(and(awareness(visualisation(

The(Wellbeing(TreeTM(

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What is wellbeing learning?

 As(a(teenager(you(go(through(many(changes.(The(body(and(the(mind(develop(and(change(which(sometimes(may(create(challenges,(perhaps(even(anxiety.(Wellbeing(learning(can(help(you.(It(can(make(the(changing(process(a(little(easier(and(even(bring(joy(to(this(unique(time(of(your(life.(You(learn(to(understand(the(change(and(also(learn(new(useful(exercises(and(skills(to(ease(the(changing(process.((

 Wellbeing learning is experiential learning. It can mainly be taught and learned through experiencing things for yourself.

 In the wellbeing learning process, you examine life’s relevant wellbeing factors and learn to recognize them in your life. What makes you feel good? What makes a group happier?

 Wellbeing learning provides useful and practical tools and exercises to taking care of yourself. It can also bring more meaning and happiness to life.

 Wellbeing learning is as natural as learning any other skills in life or school.

 Wellbeing learning is both an individual and collective process. Wellbeing factors and skills are examined and experienced in the physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects of wellbeing.

 Wellbeing learning is examined through 5 main themes that are:

• relaxation

• interaction and communication

• body care

• concentration and attention

• awareness and mindfulness

This(guide(focuses(on(relaxation(and(bodywork.(

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Creact® Wellbeing Themes

Awareness and

mindfulness

Concentration and focus Body care Interaction Relaxation

Students

Class Wellbeing learning

Respectful interaction © Create amove Oy

School

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Making of wellbeing guide for upper school students

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Students were divided into small groups to create

their own instructions for exercises that they were taught in the workshops.

1 excersice per group.

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Create amove created a wellbeing guide based on the material sent by

the students

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The wellbeing guide for upper school

students is published

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Students sent their instructions to Create amove

- photos, videos and text

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Create amove had 3 workshops with the students of

Piikkiön yhtenäiskoulu

school, Finland

 Wellbeing Learning

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Partners in the Comenius Regio Programme

 Two schools and a company:

• Escola Básica e Secundária Dr. Pascoal José de Mello, Ansião

•  Piikkiön yhtenäiskoulu, The City of Kaarina, Finland

• Create amove Oy, Helsinki, Finland, a Finnish company specialized in wellbeing learning

Portugal Agrupamento de Escolas

de Ansião

Finland Piikkiön yhtenäiskoulu,

Create amove Oy

Wellbeing exercises and instructions

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We recommend that you try out some of these simple exercises that we have put in this guide.

You can also find the best exercises for your wellbeing.

 It’s always nice to exercise in a group. You can take turns in leading your class to best bodywork and relaxation exercises that you know. Sharing is caring!

 Experiencing something new challenges your brain and can strengthen your self-esteem. Most of all, they give you a good feeling and make you more relaxed physically and mentally.

 The exercises in this guide may help you when:

• you feel tension

• you feel stress about tests, homework or performing

• you have a hard time concentrating on school work

• you have difficulties with sleeping

• you are feeling down or sad

 The(following(instructions(to(exercises(were(made(by(the(8th(grade(students(at(Piikkiön(yhtenäiskoulu(a(Finnish(school(in(the(city(of(Kaarina.((

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Exercise 1: Waking up the body

Stimulating the body with touch and clapping is an effective way to wake up the body and make you feel more aware.

Benefits of clapping:

• Increased blood flow to muscles which reduces muscle soreness after working out.

• Releases tension in the muscles from surface to deeper parts of the muscles.

• Invigorating! You feel more awake and aware afterwards.

 You can help out your friends with the most difficult parts to reach – the upper back between the shoulder blades. Form a circle with your classmates and clap respectfully each others backs.

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Waking up the body

1. Relax and clap your thighs and legs calmly.

2. Continue clapping through the body. Clapping releases tension from the muscles and stimulates the body.

3. Massage your head and scalp instead of clapping hard.

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Exercise 2: The Windmill

The best movement exercise for your back, for relaxation and for concentration

 The Windmill exercise warms up the spine and the back.

 1. Stand with your feet pointing forward, legs shoulder width apart. The ankles are relaxed and the knees slightly bent. Keep your eyes open and look forward.

 2. Rotate you upper body from side to side. Keep your arms relaxed and let them swing from side to side with the movement.

 3. You may close your eyes and concentrate on the movement and the sensations in your body. Continue for as long as you like.

 4. Slow down before completely stopping in the middle. How does it feel in your body?

 This exercise helps you with concentration and warms up the spine. It also gives you information about tension in the body.

 It even gives you information about how well you can concentrate and focus on what you are doing at this very moment.

 Is your mind wandering to different places, things that happened yesterday or is it focused on the movement? You can bring your focus back gently to the exercise whenever you become aware that your mind has wandered somewhere else.

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Exercise 3: Stretching

 This next stretching exercise is good for helping reduce lower back pain, since it stretches the hamstring and calf muscles at the back of your legs.

 Stretching is good for you when you do it right and with the right attitude. Stretch and relax!

 Benefits of stretching:

• Increased blood flow to muscles which reduces muscle soreness after working out..

• Flexibility increases which allows you to exercise more easily.

• More movement in the joints, which helps you to keep better balance.

• Reduced stress and better recovery. Stretching relaxes muscles that are tense due to stress or anxiety. Endorphin-boost makes you feel good.

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1. You need 2 people to do this to enjoy it more.

 2. Decide which one of you will stretch first. This person will then sit on the ground or floor with legs straight and arms relaxed. The other person kneels down behind the stretching friend and places both hands gently on the shoulders.

 3. Now the person stretching may bend forward with a round and relaxed back. The other person will support the one stretching with his or her hands. The right hand stays still and provides support. The left hand presses down gently with the palm of the hand on your friend’s back. Press and release and move down the back a few times. You may also massage the shoulders and upper arms. Finish the massage with a long and slow stroke over the back from top to bottom.

Stretching with massage and support

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 Continues…

 4. Sit behind your friend with you backs facing each other and lean back carefully and help your friend relax and deepen the stretch. Feel the warmth and support of your friend’s back.

 5. Gently straighten your upper body with an in-breath and exhale when you sit up.

 6. Change parts with your friend and repeat from the beginning.

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Exercise 4: Relaxation and awareness visualisation

 1. Lay down on your back or your stomach. Try to find a position that is relaxed, symmetrical and comfortable for you.

 Your body and mind need to have a break now and then. Relaxation and awareness visualisation is a good exercise to boost your recovery and to relax.

 Benefits of relaxation and awareness visualisation:

• Better concentration and focus

• Remembering improves

• You become more mindful and aware of yourself, your body and others

• It can help you to have a better sleep and makes it easier to calm down before sleeping

• Blood pressure and pulse decrease and the body recovers

 The next exercise you can do from 1 minute to half an hour. You can do it together with your classmates at school or in your bed at night when it’s hard to fall asleep.

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3. Close your eyes and become aware of your body. Feel the contact of your body with the floor or mattress you are lying on. Feel your body as a whole from toes to the point at the top of your head. If you feel tension in any part of the body, try to relax it, let go of the tension or thought that is holding you back from relaxing. You can use your breathing to deepen the relaxation. Imagine that with every out breath you let go of the tension in the body or the mind.

 2. You can make a pillow out of your bag to make your position comfortable.

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 4. Concentrate on your thoughts and feelings.  5. If you are doing this exercise together with others, give everyone a chance to relax.

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The Wellbeing TreeTM  You can do this exercise just by thinking about it, but it might be helpful if you write down some key words.

 1. Take out a piece of paper and draw a tree in the middle of it.

 2. On the left hand side, list all the positive things that help your wellbeing. Think about these factors in the personal level as well as the interaction and social levels.

 3. Personal wellbeing: What are the things that make you happy and feeling well?

 4. Interaction: When you’re in interaction with some one, what makes it good and helps you feel well? Is it maybe a good friend that listens to you?

 5. Social wellbeing: What helps the wellbeing of your class?

 6. On the right hand side of the tree, write down key words that describe what are the challenges for wellbeing in your personal life, in interaction with others and in your class.

 7. You can do this exercise with your classmates or friends and compare your thoughts. Talk about them to learn about how others experience things in life. It’s a great learning opportunity!

The(Wellbeing(TreeTM(is(a(tool(to(think(and(structure(wellbeing(factors(that(affect(your(wellbeing.((Try(it(out!(

 Social(wellbeing(

 Interaction(

 Personal(wellbeing(

 +( !"

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Thanks!

 A warm thank you to all the 8th grade students of Piikkiön yhtenäiskoulu school for the work they have done to create this guide with us. The pictures are of high quality, participation in workshops enthusiastic and respectful.

 A special thanks goes also to Escola Básica e Secundária Dr. Pascoal José de Mello, Ansião for an inspirational visit to their school and the students for the wellbeing workshops.

 Thank you the Comenius Regio team and organisation for this great opportunity to create something new with your students for students’ wellbeing.

 Create amove Oy

 Marika Torniainen, Tuula Styrman

 www.create.fi