Wellness Wednesday
Your Counselor - Ms. Mutter, & PBSES Coach - Ms. Kusunose
From Ms. Kusunose
The theme this week is around Flexible Thinking. We are experiencing changes in our lives, in our daily routines, and practicing flexible thinking skills will help with coping with the changes. Please reach out if you want more ideas!
WHAT is flexible thinking?
Flexible thinking skills are important social skills for kids to learn. It is the ability to be able to think about problem solving, thinking about something in different ways, and coping skills to help deal with change.
WHY are flexible thinking strategies important to practice?
Six Ways Kids Use Flexible Thinking to Learn
(click above for details)
· Flexible Thinking and Real Life Learning
· Flexible Thinking and Reading
· Flexible Thinking and Writing
· Flexible Thinking and Language Learning
· Flexible Thinking and Math
· Flexible Thinking and Studying
HOW can students practice flexibility strategies at home?
(click above for details)
Play word games - Read Amelia Bedelia books - Tell jokes and puns - Make up new rules for old games - Do an everyday thing in a different way - Practice self-talk
Watch and discuss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfDe5mYWlkY
Newcastle Bedtime Quilt
Take a look at the Newcastle Bedtime Quilt! You can hear stories read by different staff members at Newcastle!
From Ms. Mutter
Resource: Here is a great article on flexibility as it relates to anxiety, and how we can help our kiddos in this area.
Movement: Seattle Kids Yoga is offering free live online yoga! Click here for more information.
Resilience Tool: My favorite flexible tool is a hoberman sphere, but I like to call it the "Breathing Ball", because it really helps kids and adults to have a visual/sensory experience of taking a big belly breath - just as the lungs expand and get smaller as we breathe in and out, so does the breathing ball.
Sometimes it takes some nice, full breaths to be able to calm down and see a different perspective, or to accept the unexpected. This is because in times of crisis or transition, our "fight or flight" brain is often activated, in an attempt to protect us from threat or harm. Deep breathing, however, activates our parasympathetic nervous system and helps our minds and bodies to feel more relaxed. This relaxed state helps us to be more flexible thinkers and problem solvers!
See the below short video clip for how it's done :)
Nami Kusunose, PBSES Coach
Kailey Mutter, School Counselor
Email: mutterk@issaquah.wednet.edu
Website: http://counselorkail.weebly.com/news