Dear colleagues, do you practice brain breaks with your students?
Brain breaks are short breaks that allow us to distract for a while, relax, and come back to work with new energy.
This practice is great for people of all ages, from school children to managers.
Some types of brain breaks and when they can be used.
1. To recharge
When you feel that energy in the classroom is running out and there is still a lot of work ahead, try listening to uplifting music and dancing. If that's not possible, take a short walk while listening to music through headphones. Physical exercise like a 5-minute workout is also helpful.
2. To switch attention
After working on one task for many hours and feeling stuck, a creative brain break can help. You can try drawing, reading a book, or doing a puzzle to switch your focus and give your mind a break.
Drawing, modeling with plasticine, photography, and building with Lego - all the things that seem interesting to you and your students are great creative tasks that allow to unload your brain and get a new dose of inspiration.
- To to calm down.
To focus, it's important to slow down your thoughts and redirect them towards something soothing. For example, yoga or breathing exercises can help. Some examples of a breathing practice we were discussing in this topic Stress-management for students (and teachers): activities to reduce stress
Another option is to write down your thoughts in a journal, listen to a calming melody, or meditate.
What breaks do you prefer? What helps you and your students best?
Please share in the comments.
