GED 526 - Special Topics: Stress Management and Self-Calming Practices for Elementary School Teachers and their Students

Challenging times can find us caught up in our troubled thoughts and feeling helpless, anxious, out of control and exhausted. By using regular stress management practices, teachers and students can, among other things, soothe the nervous system, quiet the agitated mind, enjoy a sense of well-being, improve self-esteem, and enhance learning potential. In this course students will learn about stress symptoms and their effects, the power of thoughts, the body/mind/breath/spirit connection, support for sleeplessness, foods as stressors, and stress reduction approaches, including: mindfulness and breathing practices, gentle yoga, positive self talk, assertiveness, massage, guided imagery, art work, journaling, music/sounds, and environmental and room arrangement considerations. Participants will be encouraged to develop a regular personal practice as well as a regular classroom practice.

Credits: 3 cr.