"I found the day very well organised with a good balance of practical sessions as well as an opportunity to learn about and discuss the philosophy of children's yoga. The style and pace of delivery was excellent." ...more - Chris Kirkpatrick, Teacher, Town Lane Primary School.

Stress Management INSET – Workshop Outlines

A relaxed, alert state of mind is essential for the health, well being and optimum learning for both educational/support staff and their pupils. These training events offer a toolkit of key skills for developing and maintaining this state and introduce techniques which can relieve both physical and psychological stress through exercises for the body and mind. The techniques are first experienced by the staff for their own benefit and then applied to suit the needs of their pupils.

Justine Aldersey-Williams delivers the Karmatime INSET events. She is a former secondary school teacher who has worked within nursery, primary and seconday schools teaching Yoga, Peer Massage and various other relaxation techniques since 2005.

Justine can tailor a training programme to suit your needs and has previously offered specialised courses to support SEAL, School Sports Partnerships and mental health provisions. Previous events have included the following:

Introductory INSET in Stress Management - 3 Hours 

The stress management workshop gives staff an overview of various techniques which can help alleviate stress from the physical, psychological and emotional self with an emphasis on experiencing the benefits of each practice themselves. It includes short taster sessions in each of the follow-on INSETs which can also be used as mini-breaks for pupils within the school day.

• How stress affects behaviour and learning

• The link between the body, mind and breath

• How movement affects learning

• Taster sessions in:

1.  Peer Massage
2.  Tai Chi
3.  Yoga
4.  Meditation

• Modelling a relaxed, alert state with children

• Benefits for staff and pupils

Follow-on INSETs – for tackling stress in the body

Yoga - 3 Hours Suitable for staff who wish to use yoga mini-breaks within the school day

An introduction to yoga for children enabling staff to use an easy to learn yoga routine within the school day along with mini-breaks to re-engage attention during the school day.

• Historical overview of yoga philosophy

• How yoga can benefit children

• Yoga asanas (postures)

• Effects of back bending, forward bending, twists and balances

• Yoga mini-breaks

• Guiding a relaxation

Peer Massage - 3 Hours

Enabling staff to use the Massage in Schools Programme (MISP) with Foundation, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils

• Overview of MISP

• The MISP routine

• Creating massage stories

• Re-enforcing literacy and numeracy

• Benefits of peer massage

This workshop is accompanied by a Power Point presentation which can be used as an aide memoir after the event. The presentation also includes visual aids for each part of the MISP routine and this can be shown on a white board when practicing with pupils. Each participant will also receive a handout.

Tai Chi - 3 Hours

Enabling staff to deliver a choreographed Tai Chi routine as part of the P.E. or P.S.H.C.E. curriculum and mini-breaks within the school day.

• Origins of Tai Chi

• Making exercise mindful

• Understanding the energy system

• Tai Chi routine

• Tai Chi mini-breaks

• Benefits

Follow-on INSETs – for tackling stress in the mind

Meditation

Meditation is a state of mind which can occur through the practice of disciplined concentration techniques. When habitual thinking patterns (which may include negative ‘self-talk’) are re-trained by focussing attention, a feeling of deep peace and contentment can spontaneously arise. This workshop introduces fun concentration techniques to suit various learning styles

• Defining meditation

• Relaxation, visualisation, concentration

• Creative and visual meditation

• Auditory meditation using music and mantra

• Benefits of meditation

• Stilling mini-breaks

Follow-on Specialist INSET – for tackling stress in the body & mind

Yoga - 6 Hours Suitable for staff who wish to start an after-school yoga club

A comprehensive overview of yoga for children enabling staff who practice yoga to apply their knowledge to children through ‘move-along’ stories which can be linked to the curriculum. This longer event includes elements of the ‘Feel Good, Breathe Easy’ INSET.

• Historical overview of yoga philosophy

• How yoga can benefit children

• Yoga asanas (postures)

• Effects of back bending, forward bending, twists and balances

• Linking physical exercise with literacy through ‘move-along’ stories

• Breathing exercises

• Yoga games and songs

• Using props

• Yoga mini-breaks

• Structuring a yoga class

• Creating and delivering a guided visualisation

"The resources you have given us to work from are really excellent and very easy to understand.The manual itself is invaluable and just what we need to inspire us to get going!" - Christine Ward, Teacher, Town Lane Primary School

Contact us about INSET