Resilient Kids Blog

Resilient kids is a yoga and mindfulness program that is incorporating in classrooms throughout Providence. This program has improved student’s academics, and overall behavior. When I started to watch the video I thought of when I went to Promising Practices in Fall 2012. When signing up for the workshops I noticed one was titled Zumba and movement in the classroom. During the workshop I was able to participate and see first hand how this is successful with children. Movement is so important to a children’s attention while learning. Having programs such as yoga, or Zumba in class give student’s opportunities and an outlet to redirect their behavior.

One of the students interviewed in the video mentions how even at home if he gets upset or angry he works on his breathing to calm him down. Providing students skills and tools such as mindfulness is extremely important. Kids do not know how to calm down, but with practice and these technics they can achieve this. These students are benefiting from improvements in memory, attention, self-esteem, mood, and importantly stress. I feel like this is important in any grade or age group. Children in middle or elementary school are more open to these activities, but I feel high school students could benefit as well. High school is an extremely stressful time causing students to be anxious, stressed, and have low esteem. I know personally having someone teach me these skills at a critical time like high school could make a huge difference.

Event one

For my first event I went to the group-advising event. At this event we discussed our classes for next semester and exchanged help between one another. I was still unsure of what classes I would be taking in the fall and this event helped me finally decide. Since this is my first year as a youth development major I am still myself trying to figure out my plan of study. This was also the first time I was apart of group advising. Group advising is helpful because I was able to ask people right there what classes to take, and what professor. Even though I think of myself, as fairly new in this major I was able to still give my peers advise and help.

My friend who is also a YDEV major often asks me about our class and what we do. I told her technology is very important, which we use to read articles online, watch videos, and then blog about them. The course documents are all online as well as our syllabus. When I think of the technology we do use in class I think of the article Digital Natives, and Digital Immigrants. In college technology has played such a major role in all our classes. Today as the generation of Digital Natives we grew up with technology and excel when technology is mixed into our courses. 

Three helpful links:

1) https://sites.google.com/site/ricydev/home

• This is the link for the YDEV advising central. This link is helpful because if you still leave advising with some questions, this website will have the answers for you.

2) List of possible concentrations

• This google doc shows a list of concentrations students can have. I think this is extremely helpful for people who are still unsure of what they are going to have as there concentration. 

3) List of possible minors

• This is another google doc that shows a list of minors. This is also helpful if students are still trying to figure out if they have credits towards a minor, or what they have an interest in.

Creating Culturally Relevant Education

I actually enjoyed watching this video about Creating Culturally Relevant Education. I liked hearing the different cultures and how school was in different places. Teachers in Pakistan are more like your mothers, one of the students explained. They care about your actual learning instead of how your grades look and if you obey the rules. “It like you have a mom at school, and a mom at home”. These students get the point across that today teachers need to break the traditional roles. Breaking these roles will get teachers out of the just getting through the class and not really caring. In order to be successful in school you have to have a teacher that loves their job, and supports their students.

In the video it shows a quote:

As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration…”

When this quote came on the screen I thought it was extremely powerful. It is important teachers do not use their power as torture, but as inspiration. Inspiration is what students need to succeed. Another student mentions how her teacher in the past has helped her through a lot of things because she supported and pushed her. The teacher would always ask her how everyone was at home, and gave her that motivation she needed to come back to school everyday instead of giving up. They grew a bond with the student as a mentor, more then a teacher. I think today teachers need to combine being a teacher and being a mentor for their students. Teachers need to challenge themselves and challenge their students to get to know them with a deeper connection.