This was great to read, Kate. I wish you'd have been my teacher!
I've been writing late at night recently, which has never been my optimal time for creativity. But, I've been having more success with it lately, and I think it's because I've been doing a 10-20 min practice beforehand. It helps me find more energy and get into a zone of focus, but also by doing it I feel like I get to set a boundary between all that has happened in the day before then and what's about to happen. Freeing in that way.
Sep 29, 2023·edited Sep 29, 2023Liked by Dr. Kathleen Waller
This is such a great post and so timely! Super useful! I will be in the classroom for the first time in forever, starting in November teaching young students. I love, love, all about this. Esp. "As teachers, we constantly read the room. Are students getting it? Falling asleep? Confused? Hungry? In response to these situations, we sometimes plough through lessons with little success, and other times pivot in unexpected ways to bring the classroom alive again." So, so true. I like to do little improv games (from my acting days) to break the ice, anything to make those lightbulbs go off!
Edit: Lion's Breath... unrelated aside, I watched Kung-Fu Hustle the other day and Lion's Breath was a super finishing move of one of the characters. 😅 A silly movie.
This is really great, Kate. Quite inspiring. I wonder how these could be applied to my own classrooms of science (beyond just refocusing attention and energy) and whether the students would be take to it. It's got me thinking :)
I think I should also apply some of this to my own writing sessions, to help centre myself.
I love this. Students spend most of their time in classrooms in crouched postures and in uncomfortable and often undersized seats--as if the mind and body had nothing to do with each other. We pay too little attention to the body in the classroom. I’m thinking about trying some breath work at the beginning of college classes to improve focus.
It's great to read about the interesting exercises you did with your students and how stimulating they found them. I think there's no doubt as to the benefits of "healthy body, healthy mind", not just from the points of view of physical fitness and wellbeing but as an integrated idea to stimulate creativity. I remember as a young child in infants school in the 1970s doing moving to music in class. It wasn't just dancing, it seemed designed to stimulate imagination. Not as advanced and focused as what you are talking about but on the same lines, I think. A bit like this funny clip of Joyce Grenfell...
As a primary teacher I can still relate to this article. We encourage lists on movement in class, lunch and social times as the mind body connection is so important. Last year I taught my class the story of Romulus and Remus and we put it all to movement. A yea on they still know it. The movement connects to the words and helps with their retention. Great piece.
I love these ideas! Another reason why online classes can be so challenging.so much static energy!
This was great to read, Kate. I wish you'd have been my teacher!
I've been writing late at night recently, which has never been my optimal time for creativity. But, I've been having more success with it lately, and I think it's because I've been doing a 10-20 min practice beforehand. It helps me find more energy and get into a zone of focus, but also by doing it I feel like I get to set a boundary between all that has happened in the day before then and what's about to happen. Freeing in that way.
This is such a great post and so timely! Super useful! I will be in the classroom for the first time in forever, starting in November teaching young students. I love, love, all about this. Esp. "As teachers, we constantly read the room. Are students getting it? Falling asleep? Confused? Hungry? In response to these situations, we sometimes plough through lessons with little success, and other times pivot in unexpected ways to bring the classroom alive again." So, so true. I like to do little improv games (from my acting days) to break the ice, anything to make those lightbulbs go off!
Edit: Lion's Breath... unrelated aside, I watched Kung-Fu Hustle the other day and Lion's Breath was a super finishing move of one of the characters. 😅 A silly movie.
This is really great, Kate. Quite inspiring. I wonder how these could be applied to my own classrooms of science (beyond just refocusing attention and energy) and whether the students would be take to it. It's got me thinking :)
I think I should also apply some of this to my own writing sessions, to help centre myself.
I love this. Students spend most of their time in classrooms in crouched postures and in uncomfortable and often undersized seats--as if the mind and body had nothing to do with each other. We pay too little attention to the body in the classroom. I’m thinking about trying some breath work at the beginning of college classes to improve focus.
It's great to read about the interesting exercises you did with your students and how stimulating they found them. I think there's no doubt as to the benefits of "healthy body, healthy mind", not just from the points of view of physical fitness and wellbeing but as an integrated idea to stimulate creativity. I remember as a young child in infants school in the 1970s doing moving to music in class. It wasn't just dancing, it seemed designed to stimulate imagination. Not as advanced and focused as what you are talking about but on the same lines, I think. A bit like this funny clip of Joyce Grenfell...
https://youtu.be/ZXhHFgDRNBQ?si=JIS-Nd8ke2gzxRp7
As a primary teacher I can still relate to this article. We encourage lists on movement in class, lunch and social times as the mind body connection is so important. Last year I taught my class the story of Romulus and Remus and we put it all to movement. A yea on they still know it. The movement connects to the words and helps with their retention. Great piece.