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Children act out all the time, but "naughty" behavior does not indicate naughty kids. When children deal with stress, their brains move into a fight-or-flight mode. All of our brains do this. It's the brain's way of saying, "you're in trouble, and you better do something about it."

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This month, students and teachers across the country are returning to classrooms amid an ongoing pandemic. Many have spent the past year dealing with illness, economic hardship, virtual and disrupted learning, racial unrest and more. Some have lost parents, caregivers or loved ones.

Tish Jennings is a professor at the University of Virginia's School of Education and Human Development and an expert on teacher stress, mindfulness and social-emotional learning. In 2018, Jennings published a book on the trauma-sensitive classroom that outlined how compassionate practices can create a better learning environment for all students.

We caught up with Jennings to talk about how trauma-sensitive practices can help students adjust to the classroom this fall - and set the foundation for a successful, enriching school year.
Q. Can you explain how trauma affects learning and academic achievement?
A. When any of us are dealing with trauma, we prioritize our survival. It's a built-in biological reaction to situations where our lives are threatened in some way or another.

For example, if you're living through dangerous circumstances, you can become hyper-attuned to threat around you all the time, so you can protect yourself. We call that hyper-vigilance. And that's problematic for children when they're trying to learn, because if their attention is constantly directed toward preventing anything threatening, they can't focus their attention on academic tasks - especially those tasks that require a deep, focused attention, like reading or math, that requires working memory.

The other one that's common is something called dissociation. It's basically emotionally shutting down because whatever the person is dealing with is too difficult to actually process. That can take a lot of different forms, but with younger kids, the common thing is looking dazed, spaced-out or depressed. If you're dissociating, you're not following what's going on around you. A teacher may call on a student to answer a question, and they will be completely lost.

Depending on the child, it can also go along with behavioral problems. For example, if you've been exposed to a lot of hostility growing up, you may over-interpret behavior as hostile. So if I'm a kid with this tendency walking down the hall and somebody bumps into me accidentally, my first thought might be that they're trying to hurt me and I might lash out without thinking. I'm overreacting to any situation that I think is threatening, and I'm interpreting other people's behaviors as threatening even when they're not.
Q. What exactly is trauma-informed or trauma-sensitive teaching?
A. The term "trauma-informed" comes from the clinical world; people who work in clinical psychology use that term when it comes to treatment approaches. "Trauma-sensitive" is mostly used in schools and other applied settings, where it's more about the everyday processes that should be sensitive to the needs of traumatized folks.

There are processes we can do in schools that are good for everybody that are trauma-sensitive - they provide a sense of safety. That's the No. 1 thing. Everybody feels safe, everybody feels accepted. Everybody's identity and needs are recognized and honored, and everybody is valued for what they have to contribute. All that is the foundation of trauma-sensitive teaching.
Q. You published your book on the trauma-sensitive classroom in 2018. How have the events of the past year or two affected your thoughts on trauma-informed teaching?
A. Back then, when I was exploring this issue, I realized that trauma-sensitive work has to be employed at the universal level - for everyone. A lot of time in schools, we have these tiered approaches with certain interventions for the general population and different interventions for kids who are identified with special needs. However, it's really hard for adults in school settings to know whether or not a kid has had traumatic experiences, so it's really hard to identify them and target them specifically. Parents often tell their children not to talk about these problems with anyone outside the family. There's a lot of stigma in our culture around trauma, and parents and kids worry that they will be separated if people learn what is going on at home. This adds a layer of difficulty.

I saw pretty clearly in 2018 that everybody needs to understand how to create these environments that will help kids who are exposed to trauma. Since COVID, it's just become more and more obvious that this is the case. Now so many more people are experiencing trauma - from COVID, from the results of COVID and the tangential effects.

The other thing that became clear to me when I was working on the book, and is even more clear now, is that trauma is defined by the person experiencing it. Depending on the resources you have to draw upon as an individual, an experience can be more or less traumatic. And how you identify that experience is what counts. I don't think we, as observers of another person, can tell what they're going through - depending on the situation, something can have a horrible impact on one person and not such a bad impact on another person.
Q. How would you describe the unique role that teachers can play for their students who are dealing with trauma? In other words, what abilities and limitations do teachers have to address trauma in their students?
A. First of all, I think it's really important for teachers that the whole school recognize that the system needs to be trauma-sensitive. It can't all land on the teacher's shoulders - they can't do it without support. For example, the principal, social workers and any other mental health professionals who work in schools need to be available for teachers. They need to have systems in place and back-up systems so that when teachers do need help, they know where to get it.

That said, there's a lot teachers can do to support kids. Once they recognize these symptoms and understand what students are going through, they can reinforce that feeling of safety over and over again. That's something they may need to do a lot - be attuned to when a student is not feeling safe and stepping in and helping them see what's actually going on in the situation. Giving them extra time and help self-regulating.

For example, let's say I need an eraser in the other room. My tendency as a teacher might be to choose the one kid I know I can count on, but it might actually make more sense to choose the little girl who's disassociated over there - to give her a task to show her that I trust her to do something important, and that she has something to contribute that's valuable. Little things like that.

So I think it's about being sensitive, being responsive, recognizing the perspective of the kids, building that sense of safety, and working with the rest of the staff in the school to find approaches that work best for those kids.
Q. What do school leaders need to know in order to best support both teachers and students - academically as well as socially and emotionally - during the return to classrooms this fall?
A. Before COVID, teachers were already stressed to the limit. Many of them have their own trauma histories as well. It creates a very complex intersection of their own trauma, the system and the stress they're dealing with, students who are also experiencing trauma, and then having to adapt to COVID on top of that - the pressure of these many layers of stress have been compounded by COVID. Also, teachers are still being held accountable for their students' outcomes.

Right now, I think we all need to take a pause from those kinds of expectations. It's going to take time for all of us to recover, and for districts to expect kids to get back on track right away is unrealistic. And could be harmful, actually, to put that kind of additional pressure on teachers while they're trying to recover the social-emotional climate of their classroom and build these support structures and feelings of connection.

That takes some time and effort, and if you try to skip over that and just start diving into academic content, you're going to lose half the class right away. Because how to be in school, we see now, is so much more about social interactions and the community that you build than the academic content. The academic content is important, but it relies on this social foundation that has to be created and cultivated.
Q. What advice would you give to teachers about how to take care of themselves as they approach this coming school year?
A. I think the first is really prioritizing self-care. I know a lot of people talk about self-care and it's become a buzzword, but being able to take time to examine what their needs are and how to fulfill those needs has to be a priority for teachers. Because if their needs are not met, their stress level will impact their teaching. We know that. And I can't say it's all up to the teachers to manage their stress; administrators need to know that, too - there are a lot of structural factors in the school that cause stress that could also be eliminated or removed from teachers to help them as well. But self-care is something we all need to spend time on, and I think in some ways, COVID has clarified that.

The other thing that I think teachers can do is to learn how to recognize the signals of the stress that they're feeling. Mindfulness can really help with that, because when you practice mindful awareness, you start to notice sensations in your body more. For example, if I'm starting to feel anxious or frustrated, my shoulders might creep up, or my jaw might start to tense, or I might start feeling warm, and those signals give me the message: "Ok, I'm feeling stressed. I need to take a couple of breaths."

I think slowing down, noticing and being more aware of our stress and intentionally calming ourselves down will really help. When a situation arises in a classroom, teachers are the adult in the room, so they need to be the one to start the de-escalation process. If they start noticing tension arising in themselves or a student, it's about giving space for that and taking some time to calm down. Don't try to rush into solving a problem immediately.
Q. What would you say to people who are concerned about learning losses and students' ability to rebound from the pandemic?
A. Kids are incredibly resilient when given the support they need. When I was a new teacher, I worked for a while in a psychiatric ward with kids who were severely traumatized. One of them was a 4-year-old who barely had any language. He had basically spent his first few years of life in a crib with nothing - severe neglect. I worked with him every day for an hour or two, starting with building a relationship so he would trust me. We would read stories, play games, do those kinds of things. As soon as we started building this relationship, his speech started to improve. Then he started learning the alphabet. He learned so quickly that he was almost up to the average 4-year-old by the time I left. I was just astounded by how quickly a child can learn once they recover and they have a person who cares about them and spends time with them.

Of course, most of our students aren't that severely damaged. So I think if we do this preliminary community-building first, we'll see that kids will learn quickly and catch up quickly. If school leaders have faith in kids, and faith in this process, they will see results. It may take some time, but they will catch up. And we will maybe have better systems that actually address the needs of kids better.

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Q&A: Why Trauma-Sensitive Teaching Matters Even More in 2021

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This month, students and teachers across the country are returning to classrooms amid an ongoing pandemic. Many have spent the past year dealing with illness, economic hardship, virtual and disrupted learning, racial unrest and more. Some have lost parents, caregivers or loved ones.

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By Trynia Kaufman, MS

At a glance

Trauma-informed teaching considers how trauma impacts learning and behavior.

Trauma can slow down or completely stop our ability to learn.

Kids experiencing trauma are more likely to fall behind in class or get in trouble for behavior issues.

Imagine you're being chased by a tiger. Your heart races as you feel a surge of adrenaline preparing your body to fight, flight, or freeze. Now imagine that right after escaping the tiger, you have to learn how to multiply fractions. You would likely find this task near impossible, even if you usually find math easy.

Trauma-informed teaching starts with an understanding of how trauma can impact learning and behavior. With this approach, educators think about what student behavior may be telling them. And they reflect on their teaching practices to find ways to better support students who may be experiencing trauma.

Trauma can slow down or completely stop our ability to learn. When our bodies sense a threat, energy rushes toward brain regions specialized in averting danger. This is essential for keeping us alive. But it also means that energy shifts away from the brain regions that help us learn.

When students are experiencing trauma, they might be more distracted or take longer to complete tasks. They may be more irritable or jumpy. And they're more likely to fall behind in class or get in trouble for behavior issues.

Dive deeper

Tell us what interests you

About the author

About the author

Trynia Kaufman, MS is the senior manager of editorial research at Understood. She is a former educator and presents nationwide at education conferences.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Jerome Schultz, PhD is a clinical neuropsychologist and lecturer in the Harvard Medical School Department of Child Psychiatry.

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Trauma-informed teaching considers how trauma impacts learning and behavior. Trauma can slow down or completely stop our ability to learn. Kids experiencing trauma are more likely to fall behind in class or get in trouble for behavior issues. Imagine you're being chased by a tiger.

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3 Trauma-Informed Practices Backed By Science

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All children face disappointment and fears, but some students deal with more serious, often traumatic, hardships at home. The term "trauma" can encompass many situations, explains Lori Sanchez, Ed.D. "In the past, when you talked about a child experiencing trauma, you assumed abuse or neglect," she says. "Now we understand that trauma can mean a lot of things-families dealing with divorce, serious illness, a natural disaster, a military deployment, and more." Of course, you can't undo the painful experiences your students have gone through, but you can make a difference in their learning and their resilience by bringing innovative strategies into your classroom.

To help students deal with stressful situations at home, many schools are using innovative trauma-informed strategies. Here are some of the most effective tools for teachers.

Look beyond the behavior

Research has shown that traumatic experiences alter the brain and can affect children socially, emotionally, behaviorally, and academically. It's a quadruple whammy. Toxic levels of stress and anxiety shape behavior and may make kids appear angry, depressed, checked out, uncooperative, or distracted, says psychologist Jamie Howard, PhD, of the Child Mind Institute in New York City. "When you adopt a trauma-informed perspective, you approach that student's behavior with openness and curiosity," she says.

"Rather than jumping to the conclusion that she's a problem, ask yourself, 'What happened to this child and why is she behaving this way?' " Howard recalls one student she worked with who didn't want to go to the front of the classroom to write on the board. "He seemed defiant, but actually it was scary to him to have his back exposed to the whole room," she says. It turns out he had an unstable home life and was bringing some of his fears and insecurities into the classroom.

Build relationships

You already know how important it is to have good relationships with your students. But for children who have been affected by trauma, strong connections are vital. Rich relationships with teachers help children form the foundations of resilience.

Building bonds is a central component of August Spiegelberg's classroom at Bruce Vento Elementary in St. Paul, Minnesota, where more than 90% of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Spiegelberg regularly invites one or two of his fourth graders to eat lunch with him, using the opportunity to get to know them better. "I ask questions and then set them up to answer what they feel comfortable sharing," he says. He also tries to form relationships with the student's whole family. "But when a parent isn't super responsive, I try even harder to build a relationship with the child. The better we know students, the better we can teach them."

Create a safe environment

You play a critical role in making your students feel welcome in your classroom. "Students have to feel secure and connected, both to adults and to peers, in order to learn," says Susan Cole, director of the Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative in Boston.

That's the kind of environment seventh-grade teacher Lauren Jansen, EdD, fosters at North Middle School in O'Fallon, Missouri. "I'm keenly aware of how my students interact with each other," she says. "When I see anything negative beginning to happen, like one student picking on another one, I stop it immediately and have a conversation with the child, reminding them why it's not OK. My classroom is a place where students know they can be themselves and won't be made fun of."

It's also key to recognize that any student, regardless of their home life, can grow scared and anxious by a national news story such as a school shooting or a devastating hurricane. To ease children's fears in the wake of a tragedy like this, talk about the news as a group (in an age-appropriate way, of course), and reassure them that they're not in danger.

Meet students where they are

To help a student experiencing trauma feel settled in the classroom, you might need to make special accommodations. When Lori Sanchez, EdD taught sixth grade, she came up with creative solutions for students who were dealing with the aftermath of trauma.

She remembers one student who had been abandoned as a baby. Although the child was living with wonderfully supportive adoptive parents, she would periodically burst into tears in the middle of class, afraid that her parents were going to leave her. Sanchez kept a phone on her desk and allowed the girl to call her parents whenever she got anxious. "Just knowing the phone was there was enough to calm her," she says.

Perhaps you have a student in your class who's cranky and disruptive in the morning because he doesn't have a regular bedtime, or who melts down easily because her parents are fighting. Setting up a "safe space" in your classroom, where a child can take a short break to calm down, de-stress, and even take a short nap if they're tired, can make a world of difference.

Be predictable

Feeling out of control is one of the hallmarks of traumatic experiences, so adhering to a clear, predictable routine in your classroom provides students with a sense of stability. Tammi Mueller, a first-grade teacher at Riceville Community School in Riceville, Iowa, has students who live in foster care, a situation that often involves trauma and disruption. "I try to keep a scheduled classroom to help anchor the kids," she says. "I have a visual schedule at the front of the room, and I keep to a routine as much as possible. If I have to change things, I make sure I tell them."

You can't adopt a trauma-informed approach in your classroom all on your own. It takes teamwork and sharing what you know with colleagues. "Meet with the educators and others in your school and start a study group," advises Susan Cole. Think about strategies for working with a small team and get the support of your principal. The best news is that trauma-sensitive techniques don't just benefit kids who are struggling; they help all your students build resilience, confidence, and well-being.

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Trauma-Informed Strategies to Use in Your Classroom | Resilient Educator

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All children face disappointment and fears, but some students deal with more serious, often traumatic, hardships at home. The term "trauma" can encompass many

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Stress, Trauma, and the Brain: Insights for Educators--The Neurosequential Model

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Meeting Students Where They Are: Trauma Informed Approaches in Post Pandemic Schools

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Hi! My name is Kent Hamilton and I am a Physical Education Teacher in the Plain Local Schools in Canton, Ohio! I love coming up with creative ways to keep students active at school and at home! Twitter: @MrHamiltonPE Facebook: Middlebranch-Avondale PE

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YOGA | MINDFULNESS | RELAXATION FOR KIDS!
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Join 250,000+ teachers bringing mindfulness to the next generation

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"If every 8 year old is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation."

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Discover what's possible if every school day began with a few moments of mindfulness. Together let's equip students with tools for resilience, self-care, and stress management.

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Age-specific resources to help you bring mindfulness into the classroom

A self-care guide to support you during the school day and beyond

A free sampling of meditations, music, Sleep Stories, breathing exercises and more

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Just as we put on our oxygen mask first, we can best support the health and happiness of others by taking care of ourselves first.

Meditate regulary to reduce stress, prevent burnout and improve your relationships with students, parents and colleagues.

Listen to Calm Music and Sleep Stories at the end of a busy day to help you wind down and fall asleep with ease.

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Lauren Daly Clark

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When given a choice today, this kiddo wanted to hear more from @KingJames himself on "managing emotions". Thank you @calm for opening this door for us. This was truly a special moment today ❤️✨

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@MissEEpstein

I often use @calm during writing sessions at school. There are lots of relaxing instrumentals that help my children to focus (they also know that if I can't hear my music, they're too loud). They love it. Today I'm using it as relaxing background noise whilst reading. 😌

Feeling stressed or anxious? I encourage you to take time to breathe and meditate. @calm is a wonderful resource that I've used by myself and with students for years. Free for educators. #meditate

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Join 250,000+ teachers bringing mindfulness to the next generation.

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Go For a Walk (Our 5th Grade Once Rocked This)

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Go For a Walk (Our 5th Grade Once Rocked This)

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Take Action

Incorporate some of the ideas below to help children incorporate exercise into their daily routine and create a lifelong habit.

Create a walking club. Meet in a designated area before (i.e. Morning Mile) or after school (i.e. Active Afternoons) and set a walking goal for the week (i.e. a certain number of laps or amount of time).

Build in 10 minutes between classes or before lunch to walk around the school as a class.

Schedule a weekly walk with the entire school (Walk on Wednesdays), pairing older and younger children together.

Encourage students to "walk and talk" during recess instead of sitting. Keep your students moving!

Schedule a weekly "Walk with the Principal" or other role model (i.e. teacher, Mayor, other local leaders) where all students have the opportunity to participate.

Organize a Walk Across America or another geographic area (i.e. state, community, a location being learned about in class, etc.).

Students walk measured laps where each lap represents a unit of distance in a journey from their school to specific destinations, which are mapped on a school bulletin board.

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Walking Programs - Action for Healthy Kids

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Incorporate some of the ideas below to help children incorporate exercise into their daily routine and create a lifelong habit. Create a walking club. Meet in a designated area before (i.e. Morning Mile) or after school (i.e. Active Afternoons) and set a walking goal for the week (i.e.

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Wiggle While You Work: Study Finds Bouncy Bands Keep Students On Task

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Bands that let students stretch their feet back and forth while sitting can reduce off-task behaviors, an independent study has found.

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Use these two free mindfulness breathe boards to help kids and young adults practice mindfulness to help promote happiness, attention, and emotional control. By learning to first focus on our own breathing, we can begin the mindfulness practice. Using a breathe board can help learners more concretely and visually understand what it means to control our breathing.

Mindfulness means being present in the moment with your thoughts and feelings without making judgements. It is being aware of what is happening but not being overwhelmed. Coloring is one technique that helps practice mindfulness in a fun way.
Why Teach Mindfulness
Research has shown many positive outcomes when you practice mindfulness. People of all ages and abilities can practice. It is a great strategy for kids struggling with depression, anxiety, anger, lack of attention, or other behavioral concerns.
How to Use
Have students trace their finger around the shape or line of each board, breathing in and out as they go. The breathe boards can be printed and placed on a student's binder, on a desk, in a calm down area, or anywhere else where a student might need to focus on breathing and mindfulness in the moment.
Buy The FULL Mindfulness Activities { Mindfulness Activities }
Help kids and young adults practice mindfulness to help promote happiness, attention, and emotional control. Mindfulness activities include listening to music, coloring, making crafts, and much more. Activities are specifically tailored to kids and young adults.
{ Mindfulness AND Coping Strategies }
If you need more, consider getting this huge set of mindfulness and coping strategies activities. It includes structured lessons, task cards, crafts, and more all focused on helping kids and young adults manage their emotions in a more positive way.

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Disclaimer: These resources and materials are for supplementary support/education purposes and not intended as a replacement for counseling, education, or other necessary supports. Educators, parents, counselors, and others who utilize these materials are encouraged to seek out additional support, as needed.

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Use these two free mindfulness breathe boards to help kids and young adults practice mindfulness to help promote happiness, attention, and emotional control. By learning to first focus on our own breathing, we can begin the mindfulness practice. Using a breathe board can help learners more concretel...

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The 5-4-3-2-1 Method: A Grounding Exercise to Manage Anxiety

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Playing some relaxing music during learning breaks can help settle everyone's minds and refuel our reserves so we can tackle the rest of the day. Regardless of whether you and your students prefer nature sounds, guitar strumming, or piano music, there is truly something for everyone out there. Oftentimes, relaxing music for kids to play in the classroom is accompanied by a video with peaceful imagery. Soothing sights and music can help settle big emotions following a particularly stressful event like standardized testing. Music in the classroom has so many benefits including (but not limited to) improving mood, assisting in cognitive development, and enhancing creativity. Check out our favorite selections of relaxing music for the classroom!

1. Happy Background Music for Children

These peaceful tunes will certainly give growing minds a well-deserved break.

2. Happy Relaxing Music for Children

This light instrumental hang-drum song is perfect after a stressful morning.

3. Relaxing Guitar Music

While school can sometimes be stressful for students (and teachers!), the strumming of this guitar will chase your worries away!

4. Instrumental Background Music for the Classroom

This instrumental selection should be featured on any list of relaxing music for kids to play in the classroom.

5. Relaxing Music for Stress Relief

The underwater sounds will wash your cares away so you can think more clearly!

6. Calming Music for Children in the Classroom

Regardless of whether students are writing, studying, reading, or doing homework, this video will help create a positive learning environment.

7. Fine Art Music and Paintings

Listen to the music of Debussy and more while watching a slide show of beautiful paintings.

8. Relaxing Music With Ocean Waves

The calming and rhythmic sounds of the ocean can feel so soothing to busy minds.

9. Happy Relaxing Guitar Music for Children

The sweet plucking in this video feels so positive and refreshing.

10. Relaxing Nature Sounds

Practice some meditation in your classroom while you mellow out to the sounds of birds chirping and water flowing.

11. Minecraft Soundtrack

Regardless of whether or not you love Minecraft, this instrumental soundtrack is great for a break between lessons.

12. Instrumental Music for Relaxation

What's better than a relaxing video that includes piano music? One that also features soothing guitar strumming!

13. Morning Relaxing Music for Children

When the mid-morning doldrums appear, try this choice for relaxing music for the classroom.

14. Positive Background Music for Kids

This video is so uplifting and sweet and perfect for a well-earned break or even for study time.

15. Classical Music for Kids in the Classroom

This video exposes students to classical music. It features a violin performance of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons, Concerto No. 4 in F minor."

16. 3-Minute Timer With Music for Kids

This plucky video can help with time management since it features a 3-minute timer. You can also try this one for classical music. Also check out the 1-minute, 5-minute, and 20-minute timers!

17. Relaxing Music for Children With Animals

Perfect for promoting calm and mindfulness and also an appreciation for nature and the world around us.

18. Disney Piano Selection

Disney movies have arguably the best soundtracks out there, so why not play this collection of relaxing instrumental songs in your classroom?

19. Coffee Shop Ambience

The calming jazz music in this video is perfect for the start of school since it will call to mind the crisp fall air and changing leaves.

20. Ambient Music for Studying

The tranquil music in this video will help students focus while reading a favorite book or studying for a big exam.

21. Comptine d'un autre été

This beautiful song from the movie Amelie would calm anyone, but if you teach French, you have even more reason to play it!

22. Quiet Music Plus Baby Animals

This video proves that relaxing music for the classroom can be equally adorable and soothing!

23. Krishna Flute Music

This flute music will have your students in a Zen state in no time!

24. Soothing Drum Music

While drums are often thought of as being noisy, this video proves that they can be calming as well.

25. Rain Sounds and Relaxing Music

Do you and your students find the sound of rain relaxing, but the skies are clear? This video provides the perfect soothing backdrop to any classroom.

26. Sensory Experience

What's better than a calm-down corner? A calm-down corner that features this video of lanterns floating while calming music plays!

Do you use calming music in your classroom? Share your tips and ask questions in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

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26 Relaxing Music Videos for the Classroom

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Whether you're at school or teaching online, life gets stressful. Here's a list of relaxing music for the classroom to help find your Zen.

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Free Social Emotional Learning Poster: Feelings Check-In & Coping Tools

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Hang up this freebie in your classroom, hallway bulletin board, school counseling office or home to remind students to check-in with their feelings and make healthy choices. ❤️ If you like this free social emotional learning poster and are looking for more SEL trauma sensitive classroom resources, m...

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This DIY Positive Affirmation Coloring Banner was designed to be a hanging-from-the-walls-heart-felt "I Believe in You," inspiring message from the teacher (or school counselor) to students. Invite students to color individual flags and discuss with them how coloring (creating, & making art) can be a great coping tool to relieve stress. AND also talk about the power of positive self-talk and affirmations. While students color, invite them to think about how each of these messages can be applied to empower their lives, letting them know that anytime they need some inspiration, they can look up at the walls to remind themselves of their greatness. This classroom or office decor is great for building classroom community, a sense of belonging, and helping to create a trauma-sensitive (trauma informed) SAFE classroom.

Includes 39 unique positive affirmation designs, plus comes with your choice of 4 headings. There are also two sets, a black-color filled center or blank color-filled center.

The headings are:

"Dear Class", "Dear Students," "Dear You," and "Dear Ones,".

The 39 positive affirmations include:

*You Are Lovable

*You Have What It Takes to Climb On

*You Are Good Enough

*Believe In Yourself

*Never Give Up On Your Dreams

*Stand Tall As You Are

*You Are Important

*Your Words Have Power

*Act With Kind Courage

*You Were Made For This Challenge

*You Belong

*You Are Brave

*You Matter No Matter What

*You Are Strong

*Trust Yourself

*You Are Fun

*You Are Creative

*You Are Safe Here

*You Are Beautiful Inside and Out

*Treat Yourself With Gentle Kindness

*Embrace What Makes You Unique

*You Are Worthy of Respect

*You Got This

*Choose Compassion Towards Others and Yourself

*Mistakes Help You to Learn And Grow

*You Are Seen

*You Are Clever

*You Can Do Tough Things

*Your Bravery Is Stronger Than Your Fear

*Peace Begins With You

*You Are Awesome

*Listen To Your Heart

*You Are Inspiring

*You Are Loved

*You Are Appreciated

*You Have the Power to Create Change

*You Are In Charge of Your Attitude

*You Were Born to Stand Out

*Be Amazing, Wonderful, Fabulous You

Save 30% when you purchase this set in the POSITIVE AFFIRMATION BUNDLE!

For additional positive affirmation resources, check out:
*STRENGTH & POWER Affirmation Cards & Brag Tags *Spirit Animal Inspired *POSITIVE AFFIRMATION BRAG TAGS and SELF-ESTEEM CARDS for younger children *FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS and SELF-ESTEEM CUFFS *POSITIVE AFFIRMATION FORTUNE TELLERS *Positive Affirmation Cards & Growth Mindset Brag Tags *Positive Affirmation Brag Bracelets with Character Traits Classroom Rules, Expectations & Beliefs COLORING BANNER - "In Our Class" Bunting
Joy To You!

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Positive Affirmation COLORING BANNER *Empowering Stress-Reducing Classroom Decor

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This DIY Positive Affirmation Coloring Banner was designed to be a hanging-from-the-walls-heart-felt "I Believe in You," inspiring message from the teacher (or school counselor) to students. Invite students to color individual flags and discuss with them how coloring (creating, & making art) ca...

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The purpose of mindful coloring is to have students pay attention to applying color and design to help bring awareness to the present moment without allowing other thoughts, worries, or fears penetrate the mind. Mindful coloring focuses the mind on a simple, relaxing activity which helps inspire creativity while reducing stress.

Taking the time to incorporate mindfulness activities such as this, in your counseling program, can help create a calm and inviting environment for your students. These FREE coloring pages would be a great addition to a designated Calm Down Spot in your office or classroom.

This download includes 4 mindfulness coloring pages.

Happy Coloring!

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The purpose of mindful coloring is to have students pay attention to applying color and design to help bring awareness to the present moment without allowing other thoughts, worries, or fears penetrate the mind. Mindful coloring focuses the mind on a simple, relaxing activity which helps inspire cr...

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Mindfulness Techniques Workbook is a workbook students can make with coping skills and regulational strategies that they can use within any classroom while being discreet.

Contains:
✔ My Mindfulness Strategies Booklet for students

This booklet is a part of the:
❤️ Understanding Mindfulness--Character Trait Lesson

You may also like:
❤️Emotional Regulation Character Trait Lesson Bundle
❤️ Character Traits Focus Board--Editable to Make Your Own Bulletin Board!

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Once you have purchased this resource don't forget to come back and leave feedback to help you gain some TpT credits! If you want to keep up to date with my sales, new resources, freebies and so much more click the green ★ next to my store name!

What are TpT Credits?
You can gain TpT credits by going back and leaving feedback on any purchases that you have made. The credits build up and then you can use them off future purchases - from any seller on TpT!

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Mindfulness Techniques Workbook is a workbook students can make with coping skills and regulational strategies that they can use within any classroom while being discreet. Contains: ✔ My Mindfulness Strategies Booklet for students This booklet is a part of the: ❤️ Understanding Mindfulness--Ch...

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This is a small taste of my larger Mindful Rotations Pack, focusing on having a mindful brain and body. Great addition to any growth mindset lessons! A flipbook that get your kiddos thinking about how to be mindful by controlling their breathing, actions, and bodies.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this product, please email me at AmandaThompsonsTeachings@gmail.com. Positive feedback is always appreciated! Feel free to also connect with me on Instagram @thompsonsteachings

Interested in the full pack? CLICK HERE FOR MINDFUL ROTATIONS PACK

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This is a small taste of my larger Mindful Rotations Pack, focusing on having a mindful brain and body. Great addition to any growth mindset lessons! A flipbook that get your kiddos thinking about how to be mindful by controlling their breathing, actions, and bodies. If you have any questions or sug...

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Mindfulness brain breaks with simple yoga poses for kids! Use these guided cards as a way to practice mindfulness in the classroom. It doesn't take very long, but the effects can be long-lasting and far-reaching.
When should I use these cards?
Start your day in a mindful way!

Use at transition times or when you just need to settle down.

Finish your day and send your kids out into the world with a mindful head and heart.
Why should I try mindfulness practice?
Sometimes the simple act of slowing down and listening to your breath is enough to become aware of your actions, to work out negative feelings, and to interact in a kind way with others. Daily mindfulness practice can have a huge impact in our dealings with others and how we choose to respond.

#weholdthesetruths #kindnessnation

This is a FREE sample (4 cards) of Mindfulness Brain Breaks.
CONTENTS 4 Brain Breaks Cards
Each card comes in full page size. To create smaller cards, print at 4 per page. Instructions can be printed on the back. All of these exercises are meant to be done either at a chair/table, or standing. None of these require floor space, so they can be used with many grade levels.

Treat *yourself* as well! These are amazing if you spend a lot of time texting, at a computer, or simply have tension to release. Your neck and back will thank you!

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ Related Resources ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼
Mindfulness Bundle Bucket Filling Labels FREE
☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

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Mindfulness brain breaks with simple yoga poses for kids! Use these guided cards as a way to practice mindfulness in the classroom. It doesn't take very long, but the effects can be long-lasting and far-reaching.When should I use these cards?Start your day in a mindful way!Use at transition times or...

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This meditation freebie is a guided visualization entitled "A Walk through a Hidden Garden." The download includes an mp3 audio file and supporting documents, which are all contained in one .zip file. In the meditation audio, listeners will imagine walking through a garden with colorful wild flowers and a little stream. The entire audio is accompanied by soft and soothing music. The audio is designed to be brief so that students can take just a moment out of their busy day for a bit of mindful self-care. Furthermore, this audio can be used for distance learning and homeschooling, as students can listen to it from home.
Included in the zip file:
*mp3 meditation audio file, duration: 3:00

*printable meditation script

*printable open-ended debriefing questionnaire
Where can this resource be used?
In-class

For distance learning

For homeschooling
How is this audio helpful for middle school and high school students?
As a developmental psychologist, I know how common it is for middle school and high school students to experience anxiety, as well as feelings of low self-esteem, insecurity and loneliness/isolation. Guided visualization can help strengthen confidence and self-worth and reduce anxiety. However, meditation audios are usually tailored to adults. This meditation audio is designed specifically for middle school and high school students; it is a brief audio, so young listeners will be less tempted to get bored or experience mind wandering.

Click here to check out my other meditation audios
Terms of Use
Copyright © 2020 Psychology by the Sea. All rights reserved by the author. This product is to be used by the original downloader only. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Graphics found in this PDF are copyrighted and cannot be extracted or used outside of this file without permission or license. Intended for classroom and personal use ONLY.

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Mindfulness Meditation Audio, Flower Garden Imagery, Guided Visualization, ASMR

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This meditation freebie is a guided visualization entitled "A Walk through a Hidden Garden." The download includes an mp3 audio file and supporting documents, which are all contained in one .zip file. In the meditation audio, listeners will imagine walking through a garden with colorful wild flowers...

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Three Words only strategy is a great way to keep it short.

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Morning Focus-Daily Meditation Videos for the Classroom

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Morning Focus-Daily Meditation Videos for the Classroom

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Ride the wave, climb your mountain and greet your day! Morning Focus brings teachers and parents a simple program that will start your students day off with a positive mindset. The program only takes 5-6 minutes each day and will provide students with the ability to recognize stress and navigate it in a positive way, helping to improve self esteem.

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The 2x10 strategy: a miraculous solution for behavior issues?

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The 2×10 strategy is simple: spend 2 minutes per day for 10 days in a row talking with an at-risk student about anything she or he wants to talk about.

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Notes just for the teacher-could be as simple as Post-its on your desk.

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Any teacher who has dealt with difficult parents knows the stress it can cause. Whether parents demand excessive communication or won't even return your phone calls, there's no denying that an unhealthy parent-teacher relationship can make your job a whole lot more difficult.

Luckily, building a positive parent-teacher relationship through proactive communication has never been easier. Here are four free tools to help build connections, reach more parents, and save you time.

1. Remind

Remind is a teacher favorite for parent-teacher communication. It allows teachers to communicate by text message without having to give out their personal cell phone numbers.
Further reading: Tips for Teachers on Dealing with Difficult Parents
According to its website, Remind is currently used by 2.5 million teachers in more than 70 percent of U.S. public schools. It is preferred by many secondary teachers who may communicate via text with both parents and students.

Remind messages can be simple text reminders, file attachments, or photos, and can be sent to an individual parent, a specific group, or the entire class. As a parent who had to leave her crying child at school on the first day of kindergarten, I am forever grateful to my son's teacher who eased my mind by sending a picture through Remind of him happily playing with classmates later that day.

2. ClassDojo

ClassDojo is a more comprehensive tool that includes the ability to send text messages, utilize a classroom management system, and create a class story-similar to a Facebook page. Unlike Remind, ClassDojo's behavior management system allows teachers to award or deduct points for positive or negative behaviors.

Many teachers keep ClassDojo visible on their interactive smartboards during class so students can monitor their points and behavior. Behavior reports are instantly available and can be downloaded and shared with parents. This report data can be helpful when you need to contact a parent with concerns, as it documents the child's behavior in a clear and objective manner. Before contacting parents with concerns, it is always better to initiate positive contact first, and thankfully, ClassDojo offers plenty of opportunities to reach out.

3. Bloomz

Particularly popular with elementary teachers, Bloomz is a tool similar to ClassDojo. Bloomz also has a behavior tracking feature and allows teachers to easily and quickly communicate both positive and negative reports home.

Bloomz has a design similar to Facebook and offers the ability for parents to comment or like posts and images. Elementary parents appreciate that Bloomz offers the ability to communicate with both the teacher and other parents in the class. Some popular Bloomz features are the classroom calendar and volunteer sign-up tools, which allow parents to create and manage sign-up sheets and volunteer for holiday parties or classroom celebrations through the app.

4. ClassTag

ClassTag has many features similar to Bloomz and is also typically preferred by elementary teachers. Like Bloomz, ClassTag enables parents to sign up via the app to volunteer or help with classroom activities. ClassTag also allows teachers to create newsletters and schedule parent-teacher conferences.

While many teachers struggle to build relationships with parents for whom English is not the primary language, ClassTag offers the ability to send messages to parents in their preferred language and have their responses translated back into English. ClassTag boasts that its most engaged teachers connect with 96 percent of their students' parents-and these teachers typically post at least one classroom announcement and 10 photos per week.
Further reading: Positive Parent-Teacher Communication
Frequent, positive communication is the key to building a thriving parent-teacher relationship. This school year, find the communication tool that works for you and energize your parent engagement.

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4 Communication Tools to Energize the Parent-Teacher Relationship

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Any teacher who has dealt with difficult parents knows the stress it can cause. Whether parents demand excessive communication or won't even return your phone calls, there's no denying that an unhealthy parent-teacher relationship can make your job a whole lot more difficult. Luckily, building a positive parent-teacher relationship through proactive communication has never been easier.

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Open Up About Yourself-Share Your Stories

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Open Up About Yourself-Share Your Stories

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Are you looking for something that's easier to print with a few more options? Check out
my other product Meet the Teacher/Team pack of Templates

If you are looking for a way to introduce yourself to parents, this is it! #meetmyteacher has three custom colors to choose from! These printables are editable. You will customize to make the handout all about you! Instructions are contained in the file as well as a short Youtube video for those that may not have much experience with inserting/shaping/sizing photos in PowerPoint.

#meetmyteacher is perfect for the first day of school, meet the teacher night, supply drop of night, or back to school bash! Celebrate going back to school in style!

Three colors are included just as in the thumbnail preview: teal, yellow, and pink. Each printable is editable:
Add your Name
Add a welcome
Add Info about you
Add Your favorites
add your own picture or graphic

Several versions of this document in each color palette are included. Options and ideas on using less ink for printing are also included.

*Please note: An editable file refers to certain text in the file {also picture in this case} that is customizable by you upon purchase. You will not have access to the layering of graphics for the picture layout. You will resize and reshape your own picture to fit in the layout provided. (please read above description carefully to see what is editable).

Due to TOU on graphics and digital background papers, the actual colors and graphics embedded in the file cannot be changed.

Please ask any questions you have about the file, prior to purchasing. Due to the nature of digital files, no refunds are available.

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Meet My Teacher: All About the Teacher {Back to School Printables}

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Are you looking for something that's easier to print with a few more options? Check out my other product Meet the Teacher/Team pack of Templates If you are looking for a way to introduce yourself to parents, this is it! #meetmyteacher has three custom colors to choose from! These printables are edi...

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Tiffany has the download if you're interested.

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Learn what your students love language is. Build better relationships with your kids by knowing what type of love is the most meaningful to them.

The 5 love languages are:

words of affirmation,

safe touch,

giving gifts,

quality time, or

acts of service.

This resource includes:

Two types of paper tests.

A Powerpoint with questions and students record answers on answer sheet.

A Google Slide with questions and students record answers on answer sheet.

Love Languages Posters

Student Charts

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The 5 Love Languages | Tests | Poster and Charts

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Learn what your students love language is. Build better relationships with your kids by knowing what type of love is the most meaningful to them. The 5 love languages are:words of affirmation, safe touch, giving gifts, quality time, or acts of service. This resource includes:Two types of paper tests...

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One day a student discovered a photo online from my days on the punk scene. I'm backstage at CBGB, the notorious punk venue. My white-blonde hair is streaked with blue. I'm wearing a leather jacket, fishnets, and engineer boots. I smiled when I saw the photo, but I was also terrified-what would my students think? What would their parents say?

My anxiety wasn't necessary. My students loved my punk rock music background, and they barraged me with questions about the music and the scene.

The Soundtrack to Your Life

My students are more likely to listen to hip-hop or techno than to punk, but that doesn't mean I can't use music as a bridge to reach them. At the beginning of the school year, I ask students to choose three songs that would make up the soundtrack to their life and explain why they made those choices. I learn so much about my students from this exercise, because they're excited to talk about the music they love. Alejandra wrote about the song "Estamos Bien" (We Are Good) by Bad Bunny. "The lyrics help me get back into my lane, and they give me strength to go forward," she wrote. Joel wrote about "Crossroads" by I Prevail. He said, "Sometimes I have feelings of doubt, but this song helps me cope with those troubling thoughts."

Using Music in Lesson Planning

When I was in high school in the 1970s, a teacher used protest songs to help us understand the opposition to the Vietnam War. More recently, I've created a lesson where I ask students to compare Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech to rapper Common's song " A Dream." I ask the students: Do Common and King have the same dreams? What's different? How close are we to achieving the dreams set forth in King's speech? What does Common hope for that King didn't? The students love this assignment, and they're anxious to dive in. Music can help students connect to history and better understand the use of language.
Further reading: Should You Let Students Listen to Music in the Classroom?
Back in the day, I learned about politics and government from punk bands like the Clash, the Dead Kennedys, and Crass. They fueled the activism that I still take part in today. Straight-edge bands spread the drug-free ethos that I found empowering. Contemporary artists like Lady Gaga, Joyner Lucas, and Childish Gambino do the same for today's youth. Asking students to discuss what they've learned through music can be a powerful lesson.

What if You Don't Like Their Favorite Genre?

Rap isn't supposed to speak to me the way it speaks to my low-income, urban students. If kids are our business, however, we need to know our business. When my students find a particular artist compelling, doing some research helps me discuss them with my students. Conversations with students about why they like the music, what it says to them, how it inspires them, or how it helps them find a release or escape in today's chaotic world can help you build relationships in your classroom. Do your homework so you don't look insincere or alienate your students.

What if You Don't Like the Content of the Music?

There's a great deal of misogyny in many musical genres. How can you negotiate the content of the music when you don't like it? I put it on the students. One of the assignments my students do is a feminist criticism of a music video. They examine how gender is presented in the video and explore the impact that the lyrics and visual representations have on the audience. My students immediately recognize damaging stereotypes and sexist attitudes.

Even artists like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood do not escape their critical eyes. In their videos for "Since You've Been Gone" and "Before He Cheats," respectively, the women destroy the property of their cheating boyfriends. Rather than being empowering, my students point out, the videos make women look like hysterical psychopaths who are unable to cope with rejection. At the end of the exercise, one student said, "Wow, Barile, you kinda ruined this for me. I'll never listen to music the same way again."

Can Listening to Music Help in the Classroom?

In my youth, punk music got me through some tough times. I know my students probably feel the same way about their tunes. While more research needs to be done, my students seem more motivated to work if they can listen to their music when completing some assignments. Listening to music can help the social and emotional well-being of students.
Further reading: How to Make Technology in Classrooms Effective and Exciting
These days, I use my punk rock music past to help build relationships with my students. We may not listen to the same songs, but music can help build connections to today's teenagers.

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A Teacher's Love for Punk Rock Music Helps Her Connect to Students

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One day a student discovered a photo online from my days on the punk scene. I'm backstage at CBGB, the notorious punk venue. My white-blonde hair is streaked with blue. I'm wearing a leather jacket, fishnets, and engineer boots. I smiled when I saw the photo, but I was also terrified-what would my students think?