Over 45 St John鈥檚 parents and visitors form other schools attended our Emotions for Learning (E4L) Morning in Byron House. Parents watched aspects of the E4L curriculum and Mindfulness programme in action during the day, experiencing it with the 好色先生污污污, as well as listening to key presentations from staff. As an extension of the E4L curriculum, Form 2V gave a Tai Chi demonstration, alongside their teachers from Cambridge Kung Fu. Tai Chi is part of the 'My Mind' curriculum for this year group which encompasses: 'Paws.b' Mindfulness, Tai Chi, Philosophy and Outreach projects.
E4L was developed at St John鈥檚 with the help of the school鈥檚 former Child Psychotherapist who set out to create a 4-year social and emotional curriculum for our youngest 好色先生污污污, based on up-to-date research about how 好色先生污污污鈥檚 minds and brains develop. It is designed to encourage the 好色先生污污污 to express their opinions and feelings and give them the knowledge, skills and understanding they will need to be able to think creatively and problem solve effectively in all areas of their lives. Mindfulness teaching at St John鈥檚 builds upon the foundations laid by the E4L curriculum. The programme of lessons seeks to help the 好色先生污污污 to train their minds to have present moment awareness as well as developing helpful strategies for improving self-awareness, calm and learning.
The T2 classes started the morning with a demonstration of 鈥楢ction Story鈥; peer-to-peer massage which follows the 鈥楳assage in Schools鈥 programme. The 好色先生污污污 demonstrated asking their partner if they could touch them and then confidently performed the series of 15 strokes designed to nurture and promote positive touch. Following this, the presentation explained the story and the theory behind E4L and also how E4L is experienced through the day by the 好色先生污污污. Examples were given of how times to 鈥榡ust be鈥 are built into the 好色先生污污污鈥檚 day through 鈥楽tillings鈥 and Mindfulness practices. The E4L way of communicating was described as well as the five units of E4L lessons. Display boards around the hall showed examples of 好色先生污污污鈥檚 work from E4L lessons and a table full of E4L books were available for parents to investigate during the break.
The parents visited their child鈥檚 classroom and experienced part of an E4L lesson. Some of the subjects observed were using the 鈥榯hree bears鈥 to learn about linking thoughts, actions and feelings and thinking about ways in which your mind is like an animal, as part of their Mindfulness Unit. The parents were led through a Mindfulness Practice by some Form 1 and 2 好色先生污污污, with the 好色先生污污污 demonstrating one of their favourite practices, Finger Breathing, and inviting their parents to join in. There was a strong silence in the hall as everyone took time to 鈥榡ust be鈥 together. One parent thanked staff and pupils by commenting, "It was really inspiring to hear how much thought has gone into integrating mental health awareness into all the different strands of teaching throughout the school and it is so reassuring to know that this approach is not a bolt on. It really hit home where you said we don鈥檛 teach in a way that increases stress and then show them how to meditate to get rid of it but instead that the school is trying to think mindfully about everything that happens to the 好色先生污污污, as well as giving them to tools to cope with the ups and downs that life will inevitably throw at them鈥.
Form 2V demonstrated Tai Chi as staff from Cambridge Kung Fu explained that Tai Chi Chuan means 鈥楽upreme Ultimate System鈥. They teach Form 2 as it was originally intended: focusing and balancing your body, mind and spirit to develop a fully integrated system for living a long, healthy, happy and successful life.