Breakfast Club Blog
The BOOST Breakfast Club Blog is a curated space where bloggers from around the world contribute content on a continual basis about a variety of topics relevant to in and out-of-school time. The BOOST Breakfast Club blog is at the heart of an ongoing dialogue where expanded learning and education professionals share their personal thoughts and stories from the in and out-of-school time field. They also tell us what they ate for breakfast!
The BOOST Breakfast Club Blog is Brain Food for In and Out-of-School Time Leaders!
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Releasing the Giving Hangover
This post was originally published on December 21, 2017. It seemed like a good time to reflect on our giving habits and how we teach our youth to show up for their communities. It never failed. I would receive mountains of canned goods, dry goods, and cash from well-meaning donors before Christmas (always accompanied by copious amounts of cranberry jelly), but the season inevitably came: The Giving Hangover. Call it the Winter Blues, or the Post-Christmas Slump, or whatever, giving always droppe...Read More
Don’t Look at the Chipped Paint on the Walls…
Even I have to admit, it’s easy it is to be distracted professionally by things that are relatively unimportant to our organization’s overall goals. How do we as executive and organizational leaders refocus our minds on what gives us joy in our work lives while also driving us towards our mission? This seems to be especially important as we deal with the lingering impact of the pandemic and start the process of emerging out of the collective fog that has permeated many classrooms, organizations,...Read More
Our Kids Are Stressed Out – 5 Ways to Empower Youth To Find Their CALMM
Focus, Pay Attention, Sit Still, Listen, Follow Directions… Just a few phrases youth are bombarded with on a daily basis whether it’s coming from their parents, teachers or other adults in their lives. As adults it can seem as if our words go in one ear and out the other and that children lack attention, motivation and behavior is something they have immediate control over or is an intentional response. Our kids Are Stressed Out – Empowering Youth the find their CALMM In my years as an education...Read More
Using Mindfulness to Transform Self and Students
My love affair with mindfulness began innocently enough. I was working as a primary care provider in an internal medicine office at the time. I was a newly graduated PA and quickly became surprised by how many patients would come in to the office over and over again for the same problems. So many people were continuing to suffer despite getting all the best medical care that western medicine had to offer. What was missing? I was determined to find out. At the time, I had not even done yoga, much...Read More
5 Stress Management Techniques for Educators
The impact of yoga and mindfulness for children has become a topic of research and discussion. The findings in many studies are that yoga supports children with focus, concentration, self-regulation, and coping with stress. Children and adolescents are faced with more stressors than ever before such as the pressures of standardized tests, social relationships and peer pressures, less time for physical activity, more time in front of technology devices (which can agitate the nervous system), and ...Read More
Mindfulness Practices For Afterschool Program Staff, Students And Parents
Why take the time to pause and introduce mindfulness as a practice that enriches the lives of our students, parents, and program staff? How might mindfulness also benefit us as educators? Soon after the presidential election in November 2016, many Latino and Muslim students and families in our partnering Los Angeles schools were experiencing a lot of anxiety and fear. In addition to obtaining information about community resources, the students, parents, and staff in our afterschool programs were...Read More
Grace and Space
Grace and Space. That’s what I’ve been saying to myself and others lately. We need to offer it to ourselves and to each other. Grace and space. The words just popped in my head, but once they got there they clutched on tight and won’t let go. 2018 has been a hell of a year, for me personally and I think for us in general. So, I think those are my words for 2019. I’ve never been a resolutions girl because I feel they just set me up for failure at the very start of a new beginning (which may be ju...Read More
Add Mindfulness to Your Day: 4 Farm to School Activities
Autumn can be a stressful time. School is back in session, holidays are on the horizon, and everyone seems to be busy, if not overwhelmed. With digital devices buzzing and growing to-do lists, prioritizing personal wellness and fostering a positive climate can be challenging. Thankfully, October is Farm to School Month and the celebration provides many opportunities to cultivate mindfulness. Below are 4 activities to try this month. Share your ideas in the comment section below or via Twitter us...Read More
Spice Up Your Fall with these 3 Back-to-School Staff Wellness Challenges
Staff wellness programs reduce stress and help all of us be more effective. When work is challenging, morale-boosting social activities ensure everyone feels appreciated and valued. Perhaps most important, active and engaged staff are important role-models and social supports for children. Here are 3 back-to-school fitness challenges to try this fall! Share your ideas in the comment section below and via Twitter using @healthiergen. Morning Mindfulness Do you start your day by opening your inbox...Read More
“Treat Yourself,” Simple and Healthy Ways to Celebrate
As we head back-to-school, I hope you’re making time to recover from a busy summer and practice self-care. This summer, I’ve tried to slow down a bit, unplug from technology when I can and enjoy reading a book – yeah, one made of paper! My favorite summer read has been The Deepest Well. It explores the impact of childhood adversity and the steps to take to counter those experiences. Like many people in America, I scored high on the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) questionnaire; now I’m findin...Read More
Rest and Restoration: Will You Take a Break This Week?
Editor’s Note: This blog was first posted on The Leadership Program‘s website on July 2, 2018. We have received permission from BOOST Blogger Erika Petrelli (@erikap) to repost. — Happy Fourth-of-July Week! The quintessential marker of “summer” for many of us. Since it’s on Wednesday this week, I’ve heard so many people talk about how it makes the whole week feel like a vacation, even if you just have the one day off. I’m kicking off the holiday by going to see Def Leppard and...Read More
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