This page consist of the wellness resources that enhances teaching, leading, and learning for all ages.
1. Mindfulness : Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. is internationally known for his work as a scientist, writer, and meditation teacher engaged in bringing mindfulness into the mainstream of medicine and society. He is Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he founded its world-renowned Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Clinic (in 1979), and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society (in 1995). He retired from his positions at the medical center in 2000. The Center for Mindfulness has been under the leadership of Dr. Saki Santorelli since that time, and during those years, it has grown remarkably and its programs have become more and more influential both in the US and internationally. Learn more…
2. Social Emotional Learning: This special issue of the journal The Future of Children examines the development of social and emotional learning (SEL) in school and afterschool settings, finding that these skills are essential for children and that teachers and OST staff need professional development to help children acquire them. The issue also covers major policy issues in education like teacher preparation, school discipline, and school-based assessment for intervention and accountability purposes. The editors urge a greater focus on outcomes at the teacher and classroom level; a focus on skills appropriate to each grade and age; and that measurement should narrow in focus but be broader in context and depth. At its core, the editors write, social and emotional leaning involves children’s ability to learn about and manage their own emotions and interactions in ways that benefit themselves and others, and that help children succeed in schooling, the workplace, relationships, and citizenship. Learn more…
3. Restorative Justice: Restorative justice is a theory of justice that focuses on mediation and agreement rather than punishment. Offenders must accept responsibility for harm and make restitution with victims. The concept has been around for hundreds of years, with indigenous people, like the Maori, using restorative justice successfully in their communities for generations. In the late 20th century, restorative justice gained traction in the US and other countries as various groups sought to improve the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. Learn more…
4. Interdisciplinary Curriculum: Mike, a 2nd grader, defines mathematics as “something you do in the morning.” Unfortunately, his statement reflects an internalization of mathematics as an experience to be absorbed from 9:45–10:30 a.m., and certainly before recess. We rarely explain to students why the school day is designed as it is. It should be no surprise then that students look at the arbitrary divisions for reading, math, social studies, science, art, music, and physical education and begin to define the subject areas as separate bodies of knowledge with little relationship to one another. Learn more…
5. Nutrition: Ninety percent of all public high schools in the United States teach ninth- and 10th-graders basic nutrition, while 80 percent offer nutrition education to 11th- and 12th-graders, too, according to the Institute of Education Sciences. The overall goal in teaching nutrition to high school students is to give them the tools they need to make healthy eating choices for a lifetime. The way the nutrition curriculum looks across public high schools can vary, but almost all of them attempt to accomplish similar goals. Learn more…
6. Curriculum in Physical Education: Curriculum — one of the four essential components of physical education — is the written, clearly articulated plan for how standards and education outcomes will be attained.
School districts and schools should have a written physical education curriculum for grades K-12 that is sequential and comprehensive. It should be based on national and/or state standards and grade-level outcomes for physical education, and should include learning objectives for students as well as units and lessons for teachers to implement.
The physical education curriculum should mirror other school district and school curricula in its design and schedule for periodic review/update.
Overall, the physical education curriculum serves the purpose of standardizing the curriculum in a school district across schools and ensuring equitable education for all students. It also results in improved teacher quality and increased consistency in instruction. Learn more…
As education evolves and shapes our future, our ability to make a change to our culture of teaching and learning is ever more needed. Allowing students to succeed is a community based effort with everyone placing a stake of the child’s development and future for the better. This resource page will be evolve and change as education changes. The goal is to create and share content readily available for anyone looking to improve our world through well researched and functional application of educational skills.
Resources:
Mindfulness: https://www.mindfulnesscds.com/
Social Emotional Learning: https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/pages/the-future-of-children-social-and-emotional-learning.aspx
Restorative Justice: https://www.weareteachers.com/restorative-justice/
Interdisciplinary Curriculum: http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/61189156/chapters/The-Growing-Need-for-Interdisciplinary-Curriculum-Content.aspx
Nutrition: https://healthfully.com/433592-nutrition-in-the-high-school-curriculum.html
Physical Education: https://www.shapeamerica.org/publications/resources/teachingtools/teachertoolbox/curriculum.aspx
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