Session Description
Pick up some real-world calming tools to make your overall wellbeing a priority so that you can give your optimal self to your personal and professional life. Techniques will also be shared that can be used with students.
Meet the Presenter
Our presenter is Destiny Wagner, a Yoga Alliance certified RYT-200 yoga teacher. Destiny has over 20 years experience in education as a physics teacher and an instructional technology coach. She branched out to start her own company, Defend Your Destiny in 2019 to help others gain confidence and live a more well-balanced life through reality-based self defense, moving meditation, and yoga.
Learn more at www.defendyourdestiny.com
recognizing stress
Take a deep breath.
What do you notice happening in the body?
The Nervous System
Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)
fight or flight
engages when the body senses danger
adrenaline and glucose spike
all energy is directed towards survival
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PSNS)
rest and digest
engages when perceived danger has passed
dampens the body’s stress response
restores the body to a more calm and composed state
Physical Signs of Stress
personal triggers will be different for everyone
the awareness alone of your normal response to stressors will start to the process of alleviating the stress
notice then respond
try to take a small action to counter your physical stress, even if it is to take deeper, slower breaths
find something to break your OODA-loop
BREATHING
Where do you breathe?
shoulders
chest
ribs
belly
Ujjayi (oceanic) Breath
Inhale through the nose
As you exhale out the mouth, there is a slight constriction of the throat (like a straw that is starting to flatten) and an audible "HAAA" sound is produced.
Think about the exhale as if you were fogging up a mirror
A great way to clear or quiet the mind and to focus on the breath
Bhramari Pranayama (Bee Breathing)
Inhale through the nose
Hum gently on the exhale
Soothes the nerves
Lowers blood pressure
Take 5
Use the tactile feeling of tracing your thumb and fingers to help regulate your inhales and exhales
Three-part Yogic Breath
Belly breathing - 3 breaths
ribcage (lower) breathing - 3 breaths
chest/collarbone breathing - 3 breaths
connect all these motions into one breath - 3 breaths. (Inhale into the stomach, lower rib cage, and then chest. Exhale the opposite direction---first empty the chest, then the rib cage, then the stomach)
4-7-8 Breath
Exhale completely through the mouth
Inhale through the nose for a mental count of four
Hold your breath for a count of seven
Exhale out the mouth making a "woosh" sound for a count of eight
This is one cycle; repeat three more times for a total of four cycles
How fast you count is not important, but keep the ratio of 4:7:8 throughout
Patterns
ratio indicates "inhale:pause:exhale:pause"
⏸️ equal 4:0:4:0 ⏸️
🔼 triangle 4:0:4:2 🔼
⏹️ box 4:2:4:2 ⏹️
IN THE CLASSROOM
Two minutes of nothing
Play a soothing video or music while everyone pauses in stillness
no talking...no laptops...no phones...
just be
Two word check-in
After the two minutes of nothing, ask "how did that make you feel?"
At the beginning of class to gauge your class
At the beginning and at end of class to compare
Mentimeter word cloud, zoom chat, back channel, share out loud
Five Senses Activity
attribution: Therapist Aid article
Note or letter to future self
Advice on dealing with stressful situations
Hopes, dreams, goals (see futureme.org )
OTHER (covered in online course)
More Breathing Techniques
the ones we did not cover today listed above
Lion's Breath
Breath of Fire
Alternate Nostril Breathing
Stretches and Yoga Poses
seated
standing
ground
example sequences
In the Classroom (short breathing exercises)
Chest vs belly breathing
Mindfulness observation breath - count - don’t change, just observe
sighs & shh…
5 collective breaths together - bee breathing or just breathe
In the Classroom (more activities)
Stretch or movement breaks
Meditation
Body scan
Build community by sharing three wins and one challenge in the past week
In the Classroom (long-term projects)
Gratitude journal
Digital portfolio of images, quotes, etc that bring joy (I recommend Wakelet)
Vision board/goal-setting
Virtual wellness room
Moving forward
Habits (morning, evening)
Assess on a regular basis (daily, weekly, monthly)
A balanced approach (mind, body, spirit)
RESOURCES
Cultivating Calm online course - What people are saying:
This course was so motivating and engaging.
This has truly been the most personally and professionally worthwhile and remarkable workshop that I have ever taken in my 43 years as an educator. I'm just sorry that I wasn't exposed to the "Cultivating Calm" workshop presentations and videos earlier in my teaching career.
I found the sessions well paced and easy to follow. I have learned some new approaches that will not only work for me but with my students as well.
join like-minded educators for support and encouragement in self care and cultivating a sense of calm
a place where teachers can ask questions and share their knowledge about integrating technology in the classroom
learn ways to take care of yourself as well as being able to work with your students to nurture a more peaceful and balanced life in mind, body, and spirit in any subject area and at any grade level
Go from Exhausted to Exhilarated: Helping Educators Prevent Burnout through Self-Care, Organization, and Efficiency
makes a copy for you
includes a tab for tracking daily habits and a tab for daily affirmations and gratitude journaling
apps, breathing techniques, yoga asanas (poses), and more