Mindfulness Training for August

You are being invited to attend a special Mindfulness training this August 2018.

It has been a challenging year for many and it has been recognized that the students/school/site where you work and support have been extra challenging this past school year.

Many of you hold unique jobs within the Board and support at risk students which can take a toll on you and your life balance. We want to recognize that you need to take the time to refresh and prepare yourself for the beginning of the school year.

This two-day course is being offered free of charge by the Educational Assistants Association through money made available through a grant from the Ontario government.

Many who take this course have found that it doesn’t just provide them with the tools to “look after themselves’ but in many cases, these practices can be shared with the students that we work with and help them to learn how to self-regulate and deal with problems.

In some cases, I know that the PD offered by the Board may not seem relevant to your job but this has proven to be very useful in your everyday work life.

We realize that this is being offered during your non-work time and some of you do have other jobs during July and August, but we are hoping that you will be able to take this time for yourself.

Both Colleen and I have taken this course and it has been a mental life saver some days and the feed back from other Members has been very positive.

Please RSVP if you are able to attend as there is a waiting list but you are being given first chance at this two-day seminar.

Kathryn Pittman, President

Below is more information:

Introduction to Mindfulness for WRDSB Educational Assistants Association August 28 and 29, 2018

at St. Brigid’s Villa, Ignatius Jesuit Centre, Guelph

Agenda for August 28, 2018

Arrival Practice My introduction and an overview of the two-day session

A taste of Mindfulness practice – engaging all our senses to experience and appreciate the ordinary

Discussion of that practice, participants introduce themselves, perhaps sharing their intention for the next two days

General discussion: What is Mindfulness?, who does it?, how is it practised and why does it work (brief introduction to the neuroscience behind mindfulness)

Practice: Sitting Body Scan and Breath Awareness

LUNCH

Stress and how Mindful Practices can help manage stress

Mindful Movement, Breath Awareness Practice

What happens to us physically when we are under stress ( the neuroscience of our stress reaction)

Breathing Practices to use to regulate the stress response

How to respond rather than react

Small group discussion and sharing of the experiences

Agenda for August 29, 2018

Arrival Practice General discussion about Day 1’s practices, any comments? observations?

The Importance of Self-Compassion – what is it? – the benefits of it – the neuroscience behind self-compassion and why it works – how to do it, the 3 point Self-Compassion break

Breath Awareness with self-compassion practice

Mindful Listening, sharing about the self-compassion practice/ empathetic listening

Sharing Kristin Neff’s work on self-compassion versus self-esteem

Mindful Movement break

LUNCH

Arrival Breath Awareness Practice

Dealing with Emotions and Anger – the neuroscience behind our emotions, our negativity bias – how mindfulness can help be aware of our emotions without reacting to them – rating and labelling emotions – practices to help self-regulate

Loving-Kindness Breath Awareness Practice

Taking in the Good: how to notice and appreciate the good that happens, how to savour the positive

Wrap-up with sharing/ discussion and what Participants can do next