Whole Child Health in Schools
“Healthy schools and healthy home life is preventative medicine at its best!”
These are programs that Dr. Monika Herwig has either created or endorses to bring more spirit, connection and wellness into schools. They nourish the growing child on all levels and support the heart, head and hands connection as well as the connection to each other and our community. Contact thrivingkids@opentowellness.ca for information on the yearlong storytelling mentorship program for teachers or homeschoolers with children ages 3 - 9 years old.
Storytelling
Dr. Monika works with both Parents and Teachers to bring storytelling to the different ages. The recent studies documenting the effect of oral storytelling on brain development brings storytelling into the brain-building and empathy-cultivating camp. Curriculum components like storytelling are needed in our schools more than ever.
Storytelling is one very practical, joyful way to bring the art and health benefits of mindfulness into your child's curriculum and home.
Calm, connected, joyful classrooms and homes have the potential to change the way we are with each other in the world in one generation. The impact of creating healthy foundations in childhood is like no other. Dr. Monika has brought her approach to storytelling - also known as 'Storytelling with a Pause' - to a variety of groups from teachers, to parents, to homeschoolers. Seniors and children were brought together in a powerful project funded by the Banff Foundation Grant in 2015 - 'Bridging the Generational Gap with Stories' - where seniors were taught this technique to then share stories with the grade 2 class. Huge success!
For schools, Dr. Monika provides mentorship on the storytelling essentials that increase engagement, connection and enjoyment through a process called the 'Story Embrace'. It can turn any ok delivery of a story into an engaged delivery to show you how to really - and so simply - harness the magic and power of story for our children and ourselves. She guides the building of a collection of stories for life events to support the students as life happens as well as a curriculum to follow throughout the year to grow the connection to our natural world. Stories that focus on the core values of your particular school are assembled as well and add substance to your school's culture and the children's sense of self, place and belonging.
Some favourite books/resources: Stories for Challenging Behaviour by Susan Perrow, anything by Suzanne Down (junipertreepuppets.com), Nancy Mellon(master!) or Hugh Lipton. Susan Perrow has new collections of stories in e-book format available at this link - http://susanperrow.com/e-books/ .
WITCHAMAROO'S HOME! (-:
A clip on a simple way to increase receptivity of our young listeners. You will learn a little more as to what works for you every time you tell a story so take a couple deep breaths and jump in. Your love for your children and presence will carry you. PS - Perfectionism is not invited to this party - presence and play and beauty are!
What Workshop Participants Are Saying ...
"Sharing a story orally with my pre-K class was way easier than I thought! I couldn't believe how engaged the children were. Then that night my own children at home were having a hard time settling for bed and I started to tell the story. It was like magic. For the nights that followed they wanted to hear it over and over again. This is such a powerful way to really connect with the children in our lives. Thank you Dr. Monika for teaching me this."
J.I. elementary school teacher with early literacy specialty and mother of 2 boys.
" I had lost my empathy. I had retired from teaching. I was burned out and realized I had lost my empathy for others. I knew that wasn't right but I didn't know what to do to get it back. Somehow I ended up in the Intergenerational community program learning oral storytelling and puppet plays with Dr. Monika. She taught us some simple fun ways to share story wit the grade 2 class at Alpenglow. Such a simple thing to do that I wished I had had when teaching. It gave me the ability to reconnect in such a soulful, mindful, heart filled way. Somewhere in the journey of it I got my empathy back! Thank you so much Dr. Monika."
J. E. retired teacher
"Thank you Dr. Monika for teaching myself and the other Seniors 'Storytelling with a Pause'. The 8 week Intergenerational Storytelling Project where you taught us how to share stories orally in such a magical way with the grade 2 children at Alpenglow Community School impacted me more than you probably realize. I am a retired school teacher and at the time was feeling lost. I was really going through a tough time wondering what I could still offer of value. I was coming up short. Learning storytelling in this way and seeing the enjoyment of the children as we shared story with them gave me a new lease on life. I now use the storytelling with the children at our church and with my grandchildren. I love sharing and growing my new skill. Heart-felt thank you!"
J.B. grandmother extraordinaire
Learning Knitting Through Story
This 8 week curriculum piece nourishes the child on all levels. So much of the regular curriculum can be brought into this activity. In the end you are left with a lovely, love-filled blanket that the children can use to add more warmth in the world: raise money with through a raffle, give to the school's Roots of Empathy baby, gift it to a pregnant staff member at the school … so many possibilities. The health and overall learning benefits of knitting is well-documented and researched. Knitting has the similar effects to yoga and meditation and the rhythmic-criss cross nature of it is excellent support for right-left brain integration and development.
If you are interested in having this program in your child's school you can approach the teacher/school and purchase the curriculum directly.
The other option available is to contract Dr. Monika Herwig to support implementation into the classroom. Basic package ($297): includes the Curriculum Modules and 2 hours of support visits/calls. Schools can hire Dr. Monika Herwig directly monika@opentowellness.ca.
Using the Story-based Knitting Program as a base the Grade 1 Class at OLS made two blankets as gifts for the not yet born babies of their teachers who were pregnant at the time. The gift part of the project was a surprise and the children managed to keep it that way (!) - the pride and love they emanated when presenting their blanket was … heaven. Each child completed one square and they were crocheted together to form this blanket. Huge thanks to all the parent volunteers, the mothers and grandmother from the community and the teachers for seeing the value in this and contributing their talents and time to this. See blog for more ...
Gardening
Please watch this TED talk and be amazed and inspired to bring gardening into your schools and community: http://news.therawfoodworld.com/teacher-can-vegetables-grow-walls-roofs-well-lets-try/
Gardening is empowering and grounding for children of all ages(including YOU).
This activity is an especially timely gift to offer students in the 3rd and 4th grade to support the 9-10 year developmental change but it obviously has no age limit - all can benefit greatly from it.
Currently in the Bow Valley the opportunities for gardening to be part of curriculum and life is growing. Alpenglow Community School, Lawrence Grassi Edible Gardens Project, and the Community Garden by the Hospital.
Pride. Teamwork. Confidence. Enjoyment. Through Chris from the Farm Box and Graeme the grade 3-4 teacher at Alpenglow School the class harvested the vegetables from the school's roof top garden and made soup. As you can see these boys don't have time for small talk and a photo - they are focussed on enjoying the thumbs-up soup they made with their class. These experiences promote wellness on so many levels: connection to the earth, whole good fresher than fresh food, connection with each other. Especially at this development stage in their life this is such a beautiful curriculum gift to offer the students as the step more into themselves as individuals in community.
Mindfulness in Schools - Yoga Nidra and much more ...
Yoga Nidra In Schools - these 15 - 20 minute imagination/story based mindfulness sessions balance the nervous system, build emotional resiliency, support brain growth and capacity and create healthy breathing habits in children. They are a potent addition to a school curriculum. It is a very simple practice. The children lie down on their backs on a blanket or yoga mat with a blanket and are taken on a guided breathing - body awareness - visualization journey. It is balancing for their developing nervous systems with the real life benefits of increasing the capacity for learning and retaining information, and for improved social-emotional communication, creativity and stress management.
"After my teenager had a Yoga Nidra session with Dr. Monika to support her with a chronic issue she did some uncharacteristic (yet super lovely) things that our family can attribute only to the Nidra. The way she interacted with her sibling that evening after a history of ongoing tension was ... well the only way I can describe it is she was "all heart". She was unguarded and emanated a grounded peace and kindness. It was as if she was seeing her sibling with new eyes. Oh, and even though it was the "kid's nidra" I sure enjoyed it as well!" S. S. Canmore mom to 3 gorgeous growing souls
Nature Connection and Local Herbs Education
Stories to connect to the land and hands-on workshops to make remedies. Dr. Herwig has created Fairy Camps where plants and nature are explored through experiential, playful learning. Storytelling and movement games igniting wonder, delight, curiosity and respect for our local land and environment is central.
Creating the space and time for their natural deeper connection to nature to deepen is often all that is needed.
Feast and Forage in Canmore with Your Child - E-book now available on Amazon!
Play, Touch and Movement based learning
www.nancyblanning.com
www.movementinchildhood.com
www.move-with-me.com
www.yogainschools.com
Temperaments
This is a helpful tool that Rudolf Steiner brought in as part of the underlying curriculum for teachers in Waldorf Education. Understanding the temperaments and learning how to practically work with them allows teachers, assistants and parents to work with and support the children in their care in a unique way allowing the child the experience of being deeply seen.
See blog entry on the Four Temperaments and Discipline for an invaluable tool for empathy and connection.
For more information on any of these programs email Dr. Herwig at inspired@opentowellness.ca. Dr. Herwig works with schools, homeschooling groups and parents on these topics and is available for mentoring calls by Skype and phone as well.
