As learners return to school, teachers and staff will be concerned about their mental wellbeing. The COVID-19 pandemic will affect children and staff in different ways, many of which are invisible but may have a significant emotional impact that may manifest itself over time in a variety of unhealthy ways.
This free values-based COVID-19 emotional toolbox is designed to support schools with a contribution to the mental wellness of learners and staff.
Values-based Reflection
Taking part in a values-based reflection or visualisation is especially important for our inner wellbeing. Even more than ever, being safe is of principle importance at this particular time. We know that it is part of our human right to inhabit a safe space: that safe space includes the mind. Taking part in trusted daily or regular reflection activities perhaps through visualisation techniques in assembly and lesson times calm our body, our emotional state and our mind. So, Values-based reflection is about giving people a release – a safe space to come together. This in itself is liberating. Like a good book, it offers freedom and liberation of your mind, and deepens the understanding. At the same time, it can also be an extraordinary act of connection. When a whole class – or school – is doing it at the same time it is ‘being alone with others.’ This can be reassuring and very comforting. When engaged in regularly, it goes further, developing inner and outer harmony and maturity of thought and emotion through optimistic thinking and action
We all know about the deep wellness connection between the body, our emotions and the mind. Put simply, Values-based reflections feed the mind, the soul – and the body.
To access the resources, click the link below:
valuesbasededucation.com/reflections/
Family VibEs
Family VibEs is a set of easily accessible resources for families, to encourage family values in the home.
It encourages families to come together, explore a single value each week to foster happy and nurturing homes in times of uncertainty and stress.
To access the resources, click the link below:
valuesbasededucation.com/family-vibes/
Values in the Spaces
‘Social distancing’ got us thinking about the physical s-p-a-c-e-s there have to be between each of us right now – and the spaces that always exist between people anyway, just because we are all different.
We started thinking, what if all those spaces between people could be filled with our values! Wouldn’t that be AMAZING?
This is a way of showing our values, using our values, and living our values without words. It might look something like this:
We believe we can make a big difference to one another to ourselves and to our world right now by ‘sending’ values and ‘seeing’ values in the spaces between us. We’re using our ‘mind’s eye’ (our imagination) to do good things.
Try it for yourself! Choose someone who is a space away from you this morning. Try ‘sending’ values and ‘seeing’ values in the spaces between you. Close your eyes and see your value – it might be a colour or a word or an image. See it filling the space between you and creating a lovely new atmosphere. You might even let the value make a protective cloud all around your chosen person. I wonder what difference it will make to how you feel – and even how they feel today? You could even try it with someone who you feel needs that value today, or someone you are feeling ‘not right’ with. See if it changes anything.
Values-based Yoga
Rob Reid, from YogaDad, is creating a series of values-based yoga that loosely mirrors the topics in Family VibEs. Rob’s classes comprise some short 60-second videos for a short reflection, and longer 10-15 minute videos for assemblies, themed on individual values. All sessions are suitable for socially distancing learners in a classroom or assembly. Rob has recorded a introductory short video on what to expect from the values-based yoga.
To access the values-based yoga videos, click the link below
youtube.com/channel/UClBZYHD2e6NZWEOUsni9V6w
Super-values Award
Mother Theresa said, ‘We cannot all do great things, but we can all do small things with great love’
At Values-based Education, we want to shine a light on the amazing things that people do in the course of their daily lives to make a difference for others. They don’t do it for the reward; they don’t do it for themselves; they probably don’t even think they have done anything special – but they have. While the person may not see the good they have done, we know it is an action of love and a gift to the world. Do you know a Super Values Hero? The International Values Education Trust have set up a new site for people to be able to nominate those who show great kindness or love. Go to the link below to nominate your Super Values Hero!
To recommend someone for the award, click the link below:
ivetfoundation.com/super-values-award