In today’s breathing exercise we will be counting our breaths and matching them as we breathe in and out.
Educators |
Matching and counting breaths is a great tool to slow and regulate breathing, helping let go of any nervous tension that you can feel in your mind and body.
Reflection with students |
Today's lesson teaches children the difference between positive and negative thinking and how to become mindful of negative thought patterns and replace them with a more realistic positive thought that makes them feel better.
Educators |
Today in our lesson we will be exploring Monkey Mind, and what it is?
Let's Begin |
As we have discussed in previous classes we have thousands of thoughts running through our head every day. Some of the thoughts are HELPFUL and some are UNHELPFUL thoughts.
A HELPFUL THOUGHT or POSITIVE THOUGHTS helps us feel confident happy and brave. An UNHELPFUL THOUGHT or NEGATIVE THOUGHT makes us feel worried nervous sad. These UNHELPFUL thoughts come from our MONKEY MIND.
Monkey Mind is the part of your brain that races from one UNHELPFUL THOUGHT to the next, chattering endlessly, wanting things, judging or criticizing things instead of focusing on what they are supposed to be doing!
Discuss |
How do we practise having more positive thoughts?
When you notice an UNHELPFUL or NEGATIVE thought you can just say to yourself "THANKYOU MIND" and then choose a more POSITIVE or HELPFUL thought.
Another great way to change a NEGATIVE thought into a POSITIVE thought is to imagine you are changing the channel on your TV. Except all you need to do here is change the channel in your mind.
When you notice an UNHELPFUL thought popping into your mind imagine you are holding a remote, press CLICK and change the channel to POSITIVE news and more HELPFUL thoughts.
Remind your student's UNHELPFUL THOUGHTS are NEGATIVE THOUGHTS and are like a monkey running away instead of focusing on what they are supposed to be doing!
Let's Begin |
Let your students know you are now going to read out some NEGATIVE THOUGHTS and you would like to check how they make us all feel. Some examples.
Invite students to share how negative thoughts can make them feel. Some examples.
Now invite students to share some HELPFUL or POSITIVE thoughts. Some examples.
Invite everyone to share how HELPFUL or POSITIVE thoughts can make them feel. Some examples.
Reflection with students |
Practise |
Imagine you are standing beneath an ancient oak tree. You place your hands on the trunk and your eyes rest on the patterns and textures you can feel upon your fingertips. As you breathe out a wave of peace washes over your body.
Educators |
Play this meditation as many times as you like, but remember, just one meditation one week at a time.
Educators |
Slide to your students' journal to your desktop and print.
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