Those who teach must never cease to learn.
Showing posts with label wellbeing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wellbeing. Show all posts

Thursday, September 24, 2015

DEESA - Measuring Social & Emotional Learning Levels in Students

Yesterday I attended an ACER Webinar about the Devereux Strengths Student Assessment (DESSA), which could be useful in the classroom for measuring the social and emotional learning of students before and after a particular well-being program is followed. It points to areas that individual students and the overall grade need for further development.

Friday, September 18, 2015


I visited Montmorency Primary School today and the Year 5/6 students are right on track with their Smiling Mind posters! Great to see! Smiling Mind is a unique web and App-based program developed by a team of psychologists with expertise in youth and adolescent therapy, Mindfulness Meditation and web-based wellness programs. Smiling Mind is a free tool that assists in improving the lives of young Australians, and is available online or as a smartphone App.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Exciting Movie-making Wellbeing Program for Primary Classroom Use!


Calling all primary school teachers! Interested in trialing a revolutionary Social and Emotional Learning program with your students, free of charge? It's an empowering, wellbeing program that's launching officially soon in Australia and the US, and we have the chance to use it on a free trial basis now. The developers are looking for feedback from teachers on content and design. This children's program was created by the people from Mind Movies. So, what's a Mind Movie? It's a 3 minute video, a digital "vision board", representing your best life. In the user-friendly online platform you access an extensive library of powerful affirmations, beautiful images, motivating video clips and uplifting music, or you can upload your own, to add to your movie. I have personally created several movies and watch them daily on my phone to support my mental/emotional health and to reinforce my goals in life. The positive effects have been amazing! The children's version of Mind Movies is a SEL program developed specifically for use in primary school classrooms. There are two components: P.D. (Personal Development) for Kids, which is the explicit teaching and learning part, and the Dream Design Movies platform (creative digital design). If you're a classroom teacher interested in trying this program free of charge, message me with your email address and login access will be sent to you from the Mind Movies team! I'm passionate about student wellbeing and this is a powerful tool to empower students in school and in life.
This is Natalie Ledwell, Mind Movies co-founder, and P.D.for Kids/Dream Design Movies writer and developer. I met her at a neuroplasticity/meditation workshop and she's absolutely passionate about bringing this program to children around the world.