Stress Reduction Launch Grant

The launch grant this year supported me to think creatively about how I share stress-reduction, mindfulness-based interventions with kids at the MS. I thought about how I could incorporate elements of arts & crafts, science, technology, - using the Maker Space, the MS campus location, etc.

I piloted this by designing a monthly drop-in "Wellness Wednesday" for kids to test-run, create, explore different dimensions of stress-reduction, mindfulness, etc. We launched with the idea of random acts of kindness and how they create big blips of pleasant feelings even indirectly. Kids designed and decorated 'kindness stones' that they then placed around the campus for people to view, move and even take with them. 

Another month we expanded on positive feelings by viewing a video experiment on the connection between gratitude and happiness and then, in a slightly devious way, having them do the experiment themselves and see the impact on their own ratings of happiness. We also looked at physiological aspects of stress that sparked curiosity and some creations. For example, we tried experiments that tracked body temperature and the connection with feeling stress and tracked it. 

We explored the connection between tiredness and desire for more sleep which resulted in creating weighted, scented eye pillows. Other explorations continue to look at tech/science ways to track physiological markers of potential stress and crafts to ameliorate it, - for example, by universal demand, we will create the highly scientific, evidence-based stress reducer called, in layman terms, slime.

Stefanie Haug, MS Counselor

Wellness Wednesdays

This year Stefanie Haug, MS Counselor (called "Ms. Stefanie" by students) is piloting an artsy way to help kids explore parts of themselves and relax. It's a monthly drop-in activity in the Makerspace called "Wellness Wednesday." She already hosts with Nurse Joanna a weekly drop-in lunch, called Mindful Lunch, where students can chat and explore the ways their bodies and minds are connected and how to navigate stressful experiences that arise. Wellness Wednesdays is a monthly drop-in where kids can create things on a similar theme of mind-body and stress reduction.

The first of the monthly Wellness Wednesdays explored the power of positive messages and random acts of kindness. The new Head of School inspired the idea with her story of Kindness Stones. Building on that, Ms. Stefanie and Ms Grinspan, the MS Tech Specialist, led students to consider uplifting messages and how to display them on rocks. Over 15 students dropped in and decorated rocks with messages for friends, family and for the community. Strolling around the MS campus, you'll come across many rock 'pep talks' sprinkled around the building with messages like "you rock!"

Upcoming monthly crafts remain a surprise until the week they're announced.....however the next craft combines socks and sleep......to find out more, stop by the Maker Space on a Wednesday. The next Wellness Wednesday will be Nov 15th and then Dec 6th.

At the end of September, MS Maker received a much needed update to the space – installing a sink, cabinets, new workspace, and a better organized flow for students.

This image above is inspired by an image from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation's 

Mindfull Bells Sounds page.
Thich or Thầy in Vietnamese refers to teacher.

Thich Nhat Hanh is a teacher, a peace activist, a poet and writer

who continues to teach about the importance of living in the present moment.

"The only way to truly develop peace, both in one’s self and in the world."

Thich Naht Hanh was nominated for the Noble Peace Prize by MLK, his close friend.

In honor of MLK let us take a moment to 

PAUSE & BREATHE

Daisy Pellant: Inner Balance Project Launch Grant 2015-2016

This year, 35 faculty members, PK-12, embarked upon a project to use technology to support mindfulness practice. Using a generous Launch Grant, Inner Balance iOS sensors were purchased to provide biofeedback in the form of heart-rate variability (HRV) when using the Inner Balance iPhone app. Two-hours of training focused on the goals of the year and the benefits of mindfulness practice, and the completion of a standardized, externally-validated survey kicked off the year. Throughout the year, participants were expected to be active in an online Haiku classroom both to respond to a bi-weekly prompt and respond to a colleague in the group. Mid-year, we had a face-to-face check-in and mindful practice session. The year ended with the completion of a post-survey. 

Compliance with training and initial survey completion was 100%. Compliance with participation in the Haiku site was only 25% and I would recommend a better accountability system for a future endeavor. Compliance with the post-survey reflects Haiku site compliance. Anecdotally, members who participated regularly reported benefits from the training, technology, and Haiku community. Additionally, most participants reported enjoying the training and the chance to support mindfulness practice using this accessible technology.              

To see the full project slideshow click here