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Showing posts with label staying healthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label staying healthy. Show all posts

Keep Them Healthy and Learning

It's that time of year! 

There are plenty of germs around, and it's likely they're sneezing on each other, as well as their teachers!

Keeping them healthy and learning: This blog post has suggestions and resources to help both teachers and parents during the Coronavirus pandemic, social distancing, and time away from school.

Typically, my blog posts are directed at teachers, but this one is for teachers, parents, and caregivers. 

If you're home with little ones, or if you're sending work home to little ones, this is a great time to teach them about looking out for germs and protecting themselves. Here are some great books: 


And some great videos for them to watch... the key is handwashing: do it right and do it often!

 

 

Some other suggestions if you have kiddos home for an extended time:

1. Establish a schedule! Set aside a time for reading, writing, educational games, and even a little screen time.

 2.  Make sure they get outside to play! That fresh air is more important than ever!

3. Social time! Although we're trying to keep them away from each other, let them FaceTime their friends. Humans are social animals, and they need each other. Social distancing can lead to loneliness. 

4. Family time! Hopefully, there's time to enjoy each other. Board games and puzzles are perfect ways to have family fun. If you're adventurous, do some baking with the kiddos, or even some crafts!

5. Be sensitive to their worries! It's a good idea to see this time as an "adventure," but understand that they really do know why this is happening, and may have worries and anxiety over the situation. Let them talk about their feelings, but try to help keep them from dwelling on their negative feelings

6. Address your own concerns as well! I don't think any of us have ever experienced a pandemic quite like this before! Luckily, we have the internet to keep us from becoming socially isolated. Try to follow the same expectations we have for the kiddos: avoid too much screen time, stay active, stay social as much as you can, and don't dwell on the "what ifs."  

7. Check in on others! This is a hard time for all of us. Think of the elderly, and those with physical limitations. Reach out to working parents who are struggling to find child care. Help out those families who won't be fed breakfast and lunch at school for a few weeks. Many people are suffering financial loss at this time. How can we help them?

 A few other resources to share to keep children learning:

This is one of my newer Boom Learning resources that I've set for free because of the need for online learning during the Coronavirus crisis.  Enjoy!  Healthy Habits Digital Task Cards 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Healthy-Habits-BOOM-Learning-Digital-Task-Cards-5325118?utm_source=blog%20post%20for%20corona&utm_campaign=healthy%20habits%20boom

 If you enjoy the Boom Learning platform, here is a link to more Boom Learning Resources.

 I've also set this resource for free during this crisis. Let's keep these kiddos thinking about staying healthy! 

Healthy Habits: a booklet for visualization, illustration, and discussion
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Healthy-Habits-Informational-Text-for-Students-to-Visualize-and-Illustrate-434931?utm_source=blog%20post%20for%20corona&utm_campaign=healthy%20habits%20for%20illustration



I also have a several resources that are free, that can be sent home for fun work! See these resources HERE: Free Resources

I also wanted to let you know my TpT store will be on sale for the next few days at 20% off to help you out during this crazy time. I hope this helps!

And please, reach out to others. Let this crisis show who you really are. Let it bring out the best in us. 


Keeping them healthy and learning: This blog post has suggestions and resources to help both teachers and parents during the Coronavirus pandemic, social distancing, and time away from school.





A Good "Ugly" Cry! It's good for you!

I'm sure you've all had one of those good, ugly cries.  The cleansing kind. The kind that makes you feel FREE when you're done.

Experts say a "good ugly cry" is healthy for you, and teachers might just need a little something to help the tears flow. These songs always help me!

Some benefits of crying:

  • Crying releases toxins.
  • Crying improves vision.
  • Crying improves your mood.
  • Crying aids sleep.
  • Crying relieves stress.
  • Crying dulls pain.
  • Crying boosts communication.

Sometimes I know I need to cry, but the tears just won't come. If I need to trigger the tears, music will usually help me out. 

For some, it's a good book, a romantic movie, or sharing thoughts with friends. 
 
Those often work for me. 

But mostly, it's music.

In particular, Broadway music. Many of my readers know my "other" love (besides teaching) is theatre, and I've performed in hundreds of shows. Broadway music touches me.

As I'm sure many teachers are in need of a "good cry" these days. I've been thinking a whole lot about children and their emotions. There are a whole lot of sad and scary feelings out there, and it concerns me. How do you teach about Lockdowns and Active Shooter Drills while holding onto your own emotions as well as those of the children? 

I've been in need of a good cry for a few weeks now.
Finally, I saw this video, and the floodgates were opened!

This is called "Found/ Tonight". It's performed by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) and Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hanson), both Broadway legends. These two musicals are both Tony award winners, and the performers are incredible. Most of the songs in Hamilton bring tears to my eyes, but The Story of Tonight is pretty amazing, as is You Will be Found from Dear Evan Hanson. The combination of both bring me a strength I didn't know I had. Hence, floodgates are opened!


This song from Pippin is one I used to sing (and still do) with good friends from college. I particularly like this version of Corner of the Sky, since it's sung by the original Pippin, John Rubenstein, whom I've actually met! (In 1990, he saw me perform in A Chorus Line!)  Sorry, there are no visuals with this one!


We're back to Hamilton. As I mentioned above, many songs from this musical make me cry. This one is when Aaron Burr (Leslie Odom Jr.) and Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda) meet their respective children.  
 


Speaking of children, (That seems to be a common theme in many of these Broadway songs that make me cry.) Far From the Home I Love is song by Hodel when she is leaving her home and family for a man she loves. Not a dry eye in the house after this one! This song is particularly poignant, since I played Golde in a production about 8 years ago, and my daughter played the role of Hodel, singing this beautiful song.
 
 

The story of a friendship. For Good is such a strong, sweet song from Wicked. I'm sorry I couldn't find a video with the amazing Idina Menzel, but at least I have Kristen Chenowith! The line, "you'll be with me, like a handprint on my heart" gets me going every time! 


I played the role of Lady Thiang in The King and I back in 2001. My daughter was only 8, and this was her first musical ever. My dad was my motivation for Something Wonderful. I still think of him whenever I hear it. This video is performed by one of my very favorite Broadway performers, Lea Salonga. This video transitions into Being Alive from Company. Being Alive sums up many of my thoughts on relationships.


What I Did for Love from A Chorus Line answers the question "What are you going to do when you can't dance anymore." I think the beauty of this song is that everyone can have a strong connection to it. Just fill in the word of your choice... "What are you going to do when you can't ___________ anymore?"

For a real deep cry, ask "What are you going to do when you can't teach anymore?"

I was in a production of A Chorus Line back in 1990. (I was also teaching 1st grade at the time.) The show ran for 6 weeks, 4 shows a week, and I cried onstage every night when we performed this song.

Rent is a pretty amazing show. I wasn't in this one, but I did perform Seasons of Love with a group in a Christmas Concert. (Fun alto part!) But seriously, it's the context of the song in the show that brings me to tears every time!
 

Les Miserables has several songs that are tear jerkers to me, but once I heard this song in the context of the armed service, I lost it, and do every time I hear Bring Him Home.
 

This has been a guaranteed tear-jerker for me since the early 90s when I saw Miss Saigon in London. (Yes, this is another show with a lot of tear-jerkers. The storyline pretty much rips out your soul!) I Swear I'd Give My Life for You is a sweet moment of love for a child in the middle of the hell that was Vietnam. This was years before I had a child, but I knew I would love my child like this.
 

This last video is a little "treat." This isn't going to be bringing on any "ugly" cry like most of these others do for me. But it's a sweet, sentimental tear.

I hope you don't mind that this video isn't quite the quality of the others, but I do happen to be in it! I'm Lucy... in the blue dress.) This is the final song (Happiness) from You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, from a production I did in 2007. I assure you, these people can sing a whole lot better than it sounds in this video, particularly that guy playing Charlie Brown!

I hope it brings you a little Happiness!

 
Want a little more about the "good" kind of cry? 

Sometimes You Just Have to Cry! This post has some ideas for those times when you need a "good cry," but the tears won't come.

What makes you cry... in a good way?


Experts say a "good ugly cry" is healthy for you, and teachers might just need a little something to help the tears flow. These songs always help me!


Experts say a "good ugly cry" is healthy for you, and teachers might just need a little something to help the tears flow. These songs always help me!

Ten Ways to Stay Healthy

Teaching has many challenges! 

One of the big challenges is staying healthy! Winter is the worst, since the kids (and teachers) are all cooped up inside breathing the same air and touching the same germs. 
 
Ten Ways to Stay Healthy - There are things you can do to fight all those germs around us! Here are 10 things you can do!
 

Here are ten things you can do to help fight those germs and help your immune system do what it needs to do!


Ten Ways to Stay Healthy - There are things you can do to fight all those germs around us! Here are 10 things you can do!
1. Wash your hands! We all know this is the #1 way to fight germs!

Ten Ways to Stay Healthy - There are things you can do to fight all those germs around us! Here are 10 things you can do!
2. Eat healthy! What you put into your body really does make a difference! Of course we can't totally deny ourselves of the "fun" foods, but most of the food you eat should be healthy. In particular, avoid processed foods, they're mostly chemicals and very little nutrition that your body needs to fight germs.

Ten Ways to Stay Healthy - There are things you can do to fight all those germs around us! Here are 10 things you can do!
3. Exercise! Exercising helps your body in many ways. Many studies have proved that the same hormones produced while exercising help strengthen the immune system. (Plus, they make you feel happy: bonus!)

Ten Ways to Stay Healthy - There are things you can do to fight all those germs around us! Here are 10 things you can do!
4. Get fresh air daily! Yes, more studies have been done on the impact of fresh air on health, and it really does make a difference! Keeping all those kiddos (and teachers) cooped up all day breathing the same air just doesn't seem too healthy, does it?

Ten Ways to Stay Healthy - There are things you can do to fight all those germs around us! Here are 10 things you can do!
5. Get enough sleep! One night with insufficient sleep weakens the immune system. We need to keep that immune system strong, since there are germs all around us!

Ten Ways to Stay Healthy - There are things you can do to fight all those germs around us! Here are 10 things you can do!
6. Avoid too much screen time! The main reason we need to avoid too much screen time is because it keeps us from doing the things that help us stay healthy! (See the rest of this list!)

Ten Ways to Stay Healthy - There are things you can do to fight all those germs around us! Here are 10 things you can do!
7. Cope with stress! Laughter is a great way to cope with stress and help strengthen the immune system. (See THIS post.) Listening to "happy music" will also help melt that stress away! (See THIS post.)

Ten Ways to Stay Healthy - There are things you can do to fight all those germs around us! Here are 10 things you can do! 
8. Visit the doctor regularly! Keep up with your vaccinations and check ups! (That includes the dentist and gyno for women!)

Ten Ways to Stay Healthy - There are things you can do to fight all those germs around us! Here are 10 things you can do!
9. Drink plenty of water! I think we all know the importance of drinking plenty of water! Unfortunately, for teachers, we need to be careful about WHEN we drink the water. I tend to increase my intake when I'm about an hour from a bathroom break. 

Ten Ways to Stay Healthy - There are things you can do to fight all those germs around us! Here are 10 things you can do!
10. Strive to be happy! Being happy actually creates chemicals that help build the immune system
 
Check out THIS blog post for ways to be happy!

Here are some resources to help your students learn how to stay healthy:

If for some reason you are unable to fight those germs, HERE are some tips to help you with Sub Plans!

Sub Plans

Ten Ways to Stay Healthy - There are things you can do to fight all those germs around us! Here are 10 things you can do!

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