https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc EGP 335--80 en-us 2020-02-25 18:21:01 UTC 2025-10-23 20:58:52 UTC hello@padlet.com samharwood20 https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450407725 This article on mental health from PBS describes the story of many different students between middle and high school ages who struggled before or after transitioning to high school. They were able to take time off from school to help their depression and anxiety get better. Since it is hard for many students to come back to school and return to their typical schedules, a program was put in place to provide emotional and academic support as they come back to ensure they are improving. Every day for one period, she would go to the BRYT program’s classroom for these supports. This was also created to increase student's attendance rates after coming back from a long break due to mental health. Teachers should realize it’s hard for students to meet expectations when they have hard things going on outside of school. This article is important for PK-4^th grade teachers because students will always have baggage they bring to school, but we have to provide them with support, and the tools to help them. We need to teach them it’s okay to have emotions, but you are safe at school, and it’s okay to ask for help when you need it! This BRYT program would also be helpful in an elementary school for students who suffer from trauma, but set up differently to form to an elementary schedule. 

]]> 2020-02-25 21:00:58 UTC https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450407725 samharwood20 https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450408157 This article on healthy eating is from Nemours KidsHealth which explains many tips on how to work with children who are picky eaters or children who don’t like to try new things. It begins to explain how toddlers begin learning through their experiences around them, trying new things, and independence is many times first tried through eating.  It is important to not bargain with the child, but to encourage the child to eat healthy foods, and if they refuse don’t force it. Also, the “if you eat a few more bites, you can get dessert” trick only reinforces that the dessert is the most important part of the meal. It is better to eat together, encourage positive eating habits, and serve the correct portions of foods. Listening to the child of what they like and don’t like can help the adult structure meals to help them try new things and expand their food experiences. Especially for PreK-Kindergarten teachers, this is helpful to engage children in positive eating habits early on. This will then allow for them to continue eating healthy as they grow up and help them physically develop. 

]]> 2020-02-25 21:01:54 UTC https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450408157 samharwood20 https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450408459 This article on physical activity from The Washington Post describes the increase of children learning yoga and the many benefits it has for the children. Yoga is being done in schools much more now, and some of the benefits include: “improved balance, strength, cardiovascular health, decreased anxiety, boosted memory, and better academic performance” (Randall, 2020). Yoga teaches children how to self-regulate their emotions and control their body when they have an abundance of emotions. Studies have shown consistent yoga in children have decreased stress and negative emotions, but similar to physical activity, mindfulness needs to consistently worked on to continue it’s benefits. Teachers can successfully use yoga within their classroom of all ages to help children in a variety of ways. Yoga can be used as a warm up, morning routine, brain break, calming down system, or daily routine! This allows students to engage in a physical activity while also self-regulating. 

]]> 2020-02-25 21:02:39 UTC https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450408459 samharwood20 https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450408889 This article on safety and preventing unintentional injury, from the CDC News Room, it focuses on the prevalence of playground injuries. There are so many playground related injuries for children 14 years old and younger, and research should be done to help prevent them from occurring. More than half of the injuries on the playground are fractures or contusions, and many times injuries occur with playground equipment happen at schools. Traumatic brain injuries have increased over the past few years, occur at school, and happen on the playground. To prevent injuries from happening, it is important to check the play area to have safe materials, ensure children are using equipment correctly, look within the play area for any potential injury causing objects. As PreK-4th grade teachers, our students will be on the playground all the time, and should understand the risk factors, and ways to prevent injuries. Teachers can also teach our students these risk factors to look out for and tell them to inform a teacher when they see something that may not be safe. 

]]> 2020-02-25 21:03:24 UTC https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450408889 samharwood20 https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450409921 This article about personal health and wellness from the Sleep Foundation explains strategies to help anxious students with sleeping. When students don’t get enough sleep, they are unable to function properly throughout the day, and are more likely to develop anxiety or depression. Some strategies include: allowing the child to talk aloud about their fears and nerves, have a consistent schedule, teach the child strategies to help them relax such as deep breathing, stretching, and visualizing a happy place, and have a bedtime routine. The bedtime routine should also include electrons put away at least an hour before bed because the blue light can cause the child to not fall asleep as quickly. As teachers of PreK-4^th grade, it is beneficial for us to understand strategies to help children with anxiety and sleeping because we may have a student who needs help with that. Teachers can use these strategies like talking about their feelings and relaxation techniques in the classroom as well to help students who struggle with anxiety. 

]]> 2020-02-25 21:05:53 UTC https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450409921 samharwood20 https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450410533 In this article about violence in schools, from The Washington Post, describes how some schools are having active-shooter simulations with simulated gunfire to ready students if it were to happen. It describes how there are not many studies that actually show these drills are effective. Many teachers say that they are more traumatizing to children than helpful. Some schools shared that monthly drills are excessive and traumatizing to the children, causing them to have extreme anxiety. Some teachers were forces to be shot at with pellet guns in training's for active-shooter encounters. Two major teacher unions are speaking out to stop these outrageous active-shooter stimulation from occurring and emotionally hurting students. Unfortunately, as teachers in a Pre-K-4^th grade classroom, an active-shooter situation can happen, and it is important for us to know the procedures to keep our students safe. However, we should not be giving our students anxiety with anticipation as if it will happen. 

]]> 2020-02-25 21:06:50 UTC https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450410533 samharwood20 https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450411050 In the article about Youth Tobacco use, from the FDA, it describes the modern form of smoking, the effects it has on youth, and prevention plans in place. Many daily adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18. Regulation of tobacco and educating students of it’s harmful effects are important in the hope to decreasing tobacco use. There are many ways of educating children about these harmful effects, but one that is engaging, is using advertisements when discussing. The new flavors of tobacco become more attracting to children, like candy, which is feeding into the issue of tobacco use. Some agencies have banned flavors like fruit because it was attracting the young audience. Laws put in place such as: being 18 years or older with an ID, products cannot be in vending machines, and free samples are not allowed. As Pre-K-4^th grade teachers, it is crucial for us to instill knowledge of the harmful effects early on, so they understand why they shouldn’t use tobacco if offered to them when they are older. 

]]> 2020-02-25 21:07:54 UTC https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450411050 samharwood20 https://padlet.com/samharwood20/ay3mmq0x35yc/wish/450411625 In this article about helping children who are grieving, from The New York Times, talks about how to help a child when they have lost a pet. When a child looses a pet, it is often the first experience a child has with death. (Fraga 2017) Most children remember the day they lost their pet, as it is similar to losing a family member. When the child knew before it happened, they were able to understand better because the parents were able to prepare them for the pets passing. However, when a pet dies suddenly, it is harder for a child to comprehend why it happened. The age and developmental stage of the child affects their understanding of death and how they cope. Some strategies to help children cope include, allowing them to let out their emotions through play, read age-appropriate books about a pet death, and allowing them to ask questions so they can better understand. When teaching PreK-4^th grade, our students are young, and a pet’s death may be the first death they experience, and it can be very hard for them. We need to be a stable support system for them to help cope and understand. 

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