Let kids learn how fun Hebrew day school can be at RHA
Issue link: https://rhacademy.uberflip.com/i/1044128
9 " At RHA, we have a three-pronged approach to dealing with anxiety." Anxiety used to be more common in older kids. Now both anxiety and depression are showing up in children at much younger ages. What can we at RHA do to protect our students' mental health and emotional well-being? As it turns out, quite a lot. At RHA, we have a three-pronged approach to addressing anxiety. First and foremost, we listen. We pay deep attention to our students. We take into account their feelings and emotional concerns. Second, we actively identify issues. Not all problematic behaviors are connected to anxiety. Sometimes, they are typical for a child's age and while they need to be dealt with, they pass in time. "But if anxiety is the primary issue," says RHA Head of School, Claire Sumerlus,"then we work with the parents and the appropriate health professionals to determine what further intervention might be necessary." And finally, and perhaps most important, we try to stop anxiety before it begins. One prevention approach is TRIBES, a program we have used at RHA for many years. We know that children learn better when they feel safe, valued and heard – when their differences are not only tolerated, but celebrated. TRIBES enhances our kids' emotional well being. Through honest discussion, students learn about listening to one another, about mutual respect and about working collaboratively toward a common goal. "At the root of anxiety," says Ruth Rohn, teacher, counsellor and educational consultant at RHA, "are thoughts that are negative and intrusive. 'What if I fail this test?' 'What if I don't make the basketball team?' 'What if my friends don't include me in their lunch plans?' TRIBES gives our children not only a platform to express their fears, but also the tools to take a breath and regroup, and to try to change those thoughts when they happen." We also practice mindfulness in our daily physical activity program. Each morning, children are invited to be still, to ground themselves, and to get ready for their day ahead. Within seconds, hundreds of kids are sitting in collective meditation. "This calms the central nervous system," says Rohn. "It is an exercise in regulation, both emotional and physiological." Research shows that practising mindfulness not only helps in the moment, but also has long-term benefits. Mindfulness promotes overall well-being, improves working memory and fosters resilience. It even reduces the severity of certain illnesses and increases healthy behaviors like physical activity. Back in Mr. Stern's class, the transition from recess to class has become calm. The kids are ready to learn – until the next time they need to take a breath and focus.