“It reminded me of when I went to my great-grandma’s house. She was my favorite person and I liked going there. That sound reminded me of her,” she said.
The exercise was part of a unit on self-care in a new class called TK101. The class is open to all students in the middle school and aims to help students learn how to be the best they can be. Principal Kelli Wegner said the class is designed to teach students about using critical thinking skills, study habits, note taking skills and organization, but along with that learning and utilizing calming and relaxing strategies to cope with anxiety and stress during and outside of the school day.
The specific unit on self-care included tips from special guests on ways students might use for relaxation of their bodies and minds including sound therapy, yoga and philanthropy.
Catherine Schmidt from Yoga Zen Studio in Caledonia brought in several different sound makers she uses to provide sound therapy. “Listening sometimes gives your mind a chance to reset. It helps you break out of a cycle of worry and stress and train your brain to think about other things. Sounds remind us of things in our lives. Sometimes it is a person or a place. Sometimes it’s a feeling,” she said.
She said certain sounds can help people feel calmer, more relaxed, and more mindful of their own feelings and surroundings. She also said everyone will react differently to the sounds - some may find a sound soothing while others may not like it as much.
While students closed their eyes and laid their heads down on the desks, Schmidt played a variety of different relaxation instruments. She started with soft chimes, then chimes with a deeper pitch. She introduced a dried pod sound, rain drum, thunder tube, wind wand, cricket or chirper, and a sound bowl.
Even when sounds were played that students may not have liked as much, Schmidt said they could still help students. “Life gives us things we don’t like all the time. With sound therapy you can train your brain to focus on what you like and learn to tolerate the sounds you don’t like.”
Tobias said her least favorite of the sounds was the chirper or cricket sound. “It reminded me of being in fourth grade, and that wasn’t a good time for me.”
Other students said the drum sounded like rain and made them sleepy. The thunder tube sounded like a storm and some didn’t like that as much. The dried seed pod sound maker reminded many students of waves hitting shells on a beach.
Schmidt reminded students the sound could mean different things to everyone and the idea is to just listen, breath and relax while taking in each one.
Guest speaker Emily Dock offered another method for stress relief. She demonstrated simple yoga poses and techniques students could do in just a few minutes while sitting at their desks or standing in the classroom.
“Sit up tall in your chair. Breathe in and out through your nose. Maybe you want to close your eyes for just a minute while you do this and just let your mind and body relax,” she said while demonstrating the process.
She talked to the students about breathing exercises to help them relax and refocus after a stressful situation or day. “You can take just a minute or two and something as simple as this can help you feel calmer,” she said.
She said relaxing the body also helps the mind relax. Students might also feel tension in their backs or shoulders. Dock offered some simple yoga stretches to help relieve that stress. With each pose, she encouraged students not to push too much and to work at their own comfort level. “Everyone will be at a different place with these stretches and that’s ok. We’re doing purposeful movements.”
She said yoga is all about harmonizing the body with the mind. It is an ancient system of physical, mental and spiritual practices. “It’s about finding ways to make your mind and body relax and relieve stress. It’s also all about balancing both sides of your body so that both sides are equally strong. You create balance in your body with strength and mobility and you create balance in your mind and body.”
A guest speaker is also scheduled to talk to students about philanthropy and how it can improve a person’s life. Her presentation was delayed because of snow days, but she will be scheduled to speak to the class after the holidays.
Philanthropy is charitable acts or other good works that help others or society as a whole.
Research has shown that people who engage in acts of kindness or philanthropy, experience a surge in endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. Research also suggests that helping others also helps reduce stress and anxiety, improves sleep quality and boosts self-esteem.
Philanthropy is most often associated with giving money to an organization or group, but it can also be about lending your time, talents and knowledge for good. Students can find ways to volunteer at school and in their community. They may be able to help tutor other students simply brighten someone’s day by a simple act of kindness.