Resiliency, Health and Wellness
Featuring: Dr. Aukahi Austin Seabury
This 8-part series is one component of the Aupuni Palapala series for teachers. The series focuses on supporting the resilience, health, and wellness of teachers by providing content and strategies that teachers can apply to themselves as well as use with their students. Topics were chosen for their relevance to teaching within a COVID-19 climate along with their generalizability beyond this time. In collaboration with the E Moʻolelo Kākou Initiative, each second Tuesday of the month will also include a discussion from Dr. Aukahi Seabury Austin that will take us through guided wellness practices and practical tools for our kumu and students.
Up Next:
May 11, 2021 Part 8:
We have left the topics for our final two presentations open to allow for participant input. Topics could include further work on a topic already covered or a new topic.
Part 7: Activating Creativity: Resilience and Energy Regeneration
March 9, 2021 In studies of resilience, creativity is one factor that helps people bounce back and persist in times of struggle. We will identify and cultivate opportunities for creativity both in the work as well as outside of it. We will strategize how to incorporate creativity both as a routine part of your work as well as something you introduce when feeling stuck or uninspired.
Part 6: Activating Creativity: Resilience and Energy Regeneration
February 9, 2021 In studies of resilience, creativity is one factor that helps people bounce back and persist in times of struggle. We will identify and cultivate opportunities for creativity both in the work as well as outside of it. We will strategize how to incorporate creativity both as a routine part of your work as well as something you introduce when feeling stuck or uninspired.
Part 5: Balancing the Professional and the Personal
January 12, 2021 To start off the new semester, we will examine how teachers balance between their professional and personal lives. We will work to identify signs of burnout and make adjustments to bring balance back. Takeaways will include a self-assessment of your current balance, specific strategies for managing parenting, family/friends, and household demands while being a teacher, and treating yourself and others with grace.
Part 4: Stress Management and Self-Regulation
December 8, 2020 As we near the end of the semester, we will focus on stress management and self-regulation activities that may have taken a back seat at some point. We will discuss the importance of sleep in performance and practice self-regulation strategies such as mindfulness, meditation and breathing techniques that can be used by teachers on their own and with students.
Recorded Session | Session Slides
Quotes from Participants
“Malama ourselves help malama our community/school/keiki. Breathing exercises help with managing stress in the classroom, try taking 15 seconds to breathe in and out before convening.” - Kalani Pagan
Part 3: A Responsive Classroom.
November 10, 2020 Teaching and Inspiration in the Face of Systemic Bias and Cultural and Historical Trauma. We will explore how teachers can provide stronger learning spaces for students given the context of systemic and personal biases. We will engage with the cultural and historical trauma experienced in Hawai‘i, and the role public education has played. Our emphasis will be on positive change steps that can be taken to grow in awareness and action for ourselves and our students.
Recorded Session | Slides
Part 2: Aloha ‘Āina: A Daily Practice and Instructional Strategy
October 13, 2020 We will examine the concept of Aloha ‘Āina as part of a Hawaiian worldview. We will learn examples of self-regulation practices such as how to let go of stress or frustration after a tense interaction or meeting and help teachers to tailor their own. We will build instructional strategies informed by this concept that can resonate with hard-to-reach students.
Recorded Session | Session Slides
Quotes from Participants
“A disconnection to 'aina is a source of imbalance. Therefore, finding opportunities for students to be connected to 'aina like listening to nature or feeling the wind would help with problem students.The triangle of Hawaiian Health Kanaka, 'aina, and akua is a poignant opportunity to teach Hawaiian values and cultural anthropology.” - James Bright
“The traditional Hawaiian worldview via the triangle symbol helped me to understand the importance of strengthening my own well being via akua, kanaka, and 'āina.” -Hope Espinda
Part 1: Setting Intention in a Changing Education Landscape.
September 8, 2020 We will start the year with strategies for opening learning spaces that promote health and emotional safety both for you and your students. Learn tools that enhance connection while reducing stress and burnout for online and in-person instruction. Takeaways will include how to prepare and protect yourself from daily stressors, steps to improve inclusion and awareness of biases, and rehearsal of techniques for instruction in an online environment.
Recorded Session | Session Slides
Quotes from Participants
“ Always trying to make my classroom be a puʻuhonua for the keiki and now even more so, that they are not physically in school but at home 24/7. For some, going to school is their safe place. This brings into a new perspective with DL. There is so much to consider regarding the haumānaʻs SEL that can be hard to gauge when you are not physically with them. I hug my haumāna everyday. I miss that. “ - Kēhau Llanos
“After this workshop I was able to reflect by making healthier life choices prepares me to be prepared at work and at home. Taking time for myself and meditating for a little while helps me sleep better and wake up more prepared for my work load.” - Kalani Pagan
