Volume 3, Issue 5 | May 2023
Decreasing Anxiety, Increasing Students' Confidence and Courage
As the 2022-2023 comes to a close, many educators are focused on plans for the summer. However, some of you are still trying to survive the last few weeks of what admittedly has been a difficult year. And as the academic year comes to a close, some of you are even thinking about how next year can be better.

This month’s HeartMind eNews includes something for each of you: the 6th article in our series on Student Anxiety and Dysregulation – an article that might help for those in classrooms right now, as well as advice on yoga for young children. We realize that when it comes to good practices, it never is to late to start ‘em up! Moreover, the practices we recommend are very simple, yet effective. Then the third article contains a summary statement of work CEI has been doing in Virginia as well as results of a national survey we conducted to gain information from educators, parents, and students about how to improve schools.
 
Some of you may be receiving HeartMind eNews for the first time. You can see an archive of our previous issues and also learn more about CEI at our website. CEI’s is a small non-profit dedicated to accelerating the adoption and implementation of evidence-based practices that address the holistic needs of students and staff. We offer practical solutions that help elementary and secondary teachers, principals, school psychologists, and other school staff reduce stress and symptoms of burnout, anxiety, and depression, including the vicarious trauma that affects many educators and school staff. You may be interested in becoming involved in our current research, conducted with Yale University, on Compassionate School Leadership.
Featured Articles
Anxiety and Student Dysregulation: A Few Key Strategies
Christine Mason, CEI Executive Director
This is the 6th article in a series on Anxiety and Dysregulation that started in December 2022.  
 
This past year, teachers and students have struggled to adjust as students have returned to physical classrooms. It has not been easy. Different schools have taken different strategies. 
 
Let’s focus for a minute on a student. A student who may be dysregulated and anxious. This student, like many others in your class, may be experiencing a running narrative, one that is filled with a desire to escape or freeze – to simply avoid being in a seat at a desk for 6 hours a day. During COVID, their school routines were dismantled. Although we are addressing young students, the suggestions we make will work for all ages. 
 
I recently spoke with Horacio Sanchez, author of the Poverty Problem. In our interview, he spoke of the need for rituals and routines – they provide a sense of safety. That and children want to feel that they belong, that we value them, and, even when they are disruptive, that we still want to be with them. We do this through being friendly, smiling, and showing that we notice them – in a good way. 
 
So, consider trying two things: 
  • Implementing rituals and routines – ones that are welcoming and something that students might enjoy. It could be playing music or writing in a journal for a few minutes at the beginning or end of class. 
  • Welcoming your students with an extra mega dose of joy – helping even the most isolated students to feel that you appreciate them and that they are an integral part of your class – that this is the place for them!
 
We invite you for the few remaining school days to include these with each class. You could even start to think about how to incorporate these into your routines for the next academic year. 
 
Then there is one more thing. This third element is most critical for youth who are struggling academically – a focus on success. This will mean using scaffolds, making accommodations, or going back to teach more basic materials. It will be hard for anxious students to feel secure if they feel a sense of alarm while trying to learn. If their brain is saying, “you can’t do this; you will fail,” then it will be hard for them to focus and it will be much, much easier to be a disruptive presence in the classroom...
Why Yoga Should Be a Part of Every Child's Life
Chandni Lal
Parents frequently enroll their children in sports at a young age to promote physical health, yet they overlook the significance of cultivating mental wellness through practices like yoga and mindfulness in childhood. A recent meta-literature review from JAMA Pediatrics revealed a doubling in anxiety and depression rates among children since 2019. Adolescents typically begin therapy or medication after they have developed mental health conditions, but by implementing holistic approaches at a young age, it is possible to prevent such disorders.

Science Says Yoga is the Answer

An individual who started playing soccer at the age of 7 may perform better than one who started playing a week ago. Engaging in prolonged practice of a sport or musical instrument enhances cognitive abilities, attention, and memory by conquering the resistance and complexities that accompany learning a new physical activity. Similarly starting Yoga at an early age may amplify the benefits of a yoga and mindfulness practice.

The practice of yoga reinforces various factors, including but not limited to:
  • Acceptance and compassion of the body and mind.
  • Opportunities to observe the nature of the mind and emotions.
  • Support staying in the present using breathing exercises.
  • Encouragement to listen to one’s own intellect rather blindly following the actions of others.
Lessons Learned and Pathways Forward: Examining Findings From Our Virginia Listening Tours
Whitney Becker & Leah Bullinger, CEI Research Assistants

“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” -Angela Davis

Over the past year, the Center for Educational Improvement (CEI) has conducted virtual Youth Listening Tours, primarily in Virginia. These listening tours give youth from middle school to college a platform to speak about the current issues they’re facing in school regarding the accurate portrayal of history, inclusion, book banning, academic freedom, and the future of education. Parents and educators also joined the call to action, sharing their recent insights and experiences with schools.

Working with a group of community activists, CEI designed an online process whereby educators, parents, and students can provide input on topics of concern in their Virginia communities. 

In addition, CEI put out a call for youth, parents, and educators to complete a listening session survey. Thirty-seven (53%) of the 69 survey responses came from Virginia. Below, we highlight themes from the initial listening session conducted in a small community in Southwest Virginia as well as the survey. The listening session responses come from a 90-minute discussion with 10 participants. 

Teaching Truth: Accurately Portraying History 

A major concern from many youth listening session participants was the lack of accurate portrayal of historical events, especially those pertaining to Indigenous groups, colonialism, and imperialism. Students, educators, and parents stated that much of the curriculum is “watered down” or falsely painted as a happy picture (e.g., the first Thanksgiving). Parents and students expressed the need for an accurate portrayal of history in their classrooms, particularly regarding colonialism and imperialism...
Upcoming Events and Announcements
Upcoming CSLA Podcast & Webinar Series

Where do neuroscience, poverty and educational impact intersect? Join us on this season's first episode, airing in June, as we talk with Horacio Sanchez, an expert on poverty, brain-based learning, and improving school climate. We will be discussing the ways that poverty-related trauma and brain development impact each other and how we, as a society, can utilize that information to improve educational outcomes. Archived episodes from Season 1 can be accessed here.

If you would like your school to participate in the CSLA, contact Dr. Christine Mason (chrismason@edimprovement.org).
Leading with Vitality and Hope -
Special 50% Offer

To receive a coupon for 50% off of the price of our latest book, send an email to chrismason@edimprovement.org with the title: “Yes!”

We will send you a link to a brief 4-question survey related to the morale of school staff, your vision for education, and your hopes for your students. When you return the survey, you will get a coupon and questions about your preference for a kindle or paperback version.
Yoga in Schools Workshop at Ram Dass Puri in New Mexico June 16

Join Dr. Mason at Ram Dass Puri in New Mexico on June 16 for her workshop “Yoga in Schools”.

Dr. Mason will lead a session for educators, yoga instructors, and parents, as well as a discussion group, and also will be available for a book signing. This is part of 3HO International’s Summer Solstice, a 5-day spiritual gathering in the high desert mountains of New Mexico. It is a rare opportunity to cleanse the mind, go beyond ego and feel your spirit soar.
You are also invited to join the HeartMind Community to receive discounts on publications and workshops, networking opportunities, and special offers for virtual consultations and additional resources from the Center for Educational Improvement.
Editor: Lauren Kiesel. Co-Editor: Meghan Wenzel
CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT
STAY CONNECTED