Adults often associate their childhood with serenity, freedom and looseness. But unfortunately, some children are already stressed at primary school age. Even very young children often feel strong tension because they sense that high expectations are placed on them and come under pressure. Many children have to deal with stress in their early childhood, caused for example by the divorce of their parents or by the situation of single parenthood. Another point could be the occupation of both parents. On the one hand, the parents have less time for their child and on the other hand, the child is often home alone for hours which causes stress. In addition, the worries of adults which can be conveyed by parents or the media are easily transferred to children, which leads to the fact that even young children are often preoccupied with war, murder, etc. in their thoughts. Kolb further claims that there is a growing impression, that children in the modern world are exposed to a constant stream of mass media images and consumer temptations, a confusion of stimuli that they can hardly understand. A growing number of children show great inner and outer restlessness up to permanent fidgetiness, nervousness and even open aggression. On top, school itself is becoming a growing burden for some children.
Most parents are not even aware of how their behavior can affect their own child but even abdominal pain, bedwetting or headaches can be manifestations of stress in children. Other symptoms might be insomnia, nausea and vomiting, or emotional reactions such as anger, resentment, fear, or anxiety.
Consequently, there is an increasing demand to create space for calming compensatory phases between the exhausting learning sections within the framework of school lessons. Kolb says, that a regular alternation between activity and rest, between effort and recovery, is a vital principle of all organismic systems. Therefore, it is a good idea to perform relaxation exercises as early as possible to do something good for the body as well as the mind. In this respect, the question arises whether and how relaxation can be used in primary school.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Benefits
Physical & General Benefits
Academic Benefits
Implementation
Requirements & Suitability
(Spatial) Framework
Posture & Teacher position
The Senses
Feedback
Right timing
Procedure
The way to teach relaxation
Via the Mind/ Via the body
Conclusion
Bibliography
Objectives and Topics
This work explores the necessity and practical application of relaxation techniques within the primary school setting to mitigate stress in young children. The primary research question investigates whether and how relaxation exercises can be effectively integrated into daily teaching routines to improve learning conditions.
- The prevalence and causes of stress in primary school children
- Positive physical, general, and academic benefits of relaxation
- Essential requirements for implementing relaxation in classrooms
- Proven methodologies and procedures for teaching relaxation
Excerpt from the book
The way to teach relaxation
The teacher should always follow a certain pattern. First there is the basic relaxation phase to reduce restlessness and excitement through moderate forms of exercise. A movement game with not too high intensity would be a good example. This should be followed by the calming phase to set the mood and calm down by directing the perception outwards. Therefore the teacher could introduce a blind game or some silence exercises. The following centering phase is for attentive turning to one's own body by directing perception inwards through body awareness games and exercises. Afterwards there is the relaxation phase, to regulate relaxation through physical and mental procedures via the mind (imaginative and cognitive relaxation forms) or via the body (passive and active relaxation forms) (Kolb, 2007, p.366).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the growing problem of stress in primary school children and identifies the need for compensatory relaxation phases in the classroom.
Benefits: Details the positive impacts of relaxation, ranging from physical health improvements to better academic concentration and improved learning environments.
Implementation: Discusses the practical necessities for successful integration, including classroom atmosphere, spatial framework, teacher positioning, and the use of the senses.
Procedure: Provides a structured framework for teaching relaxation, contrasting approaches that utilize the mind versus those that utilize the body.
Conclusion: Summarizes the feasibility of relaxation in schools and emphasizes that balancing activity with recovery is a vital principle for child development.
Keywords
Relaxation, Primary School, Stress, Children, Mindfulness, Learning Environment, Physical Exercises, Mental Procedures, Concentration, Calm, Implementation, Education, Classroom Management, Autogenic Training, Fantasy Journeys
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this investigation?
The paper examines the integration of relaxation techniques as a pedagogical tool in primary schools to alleviate stress and improve the learning climate for pupils.
Which thematic areas are covered?
The themes include the physiological and psychological causes of stress in students, the multifaceted benefits of relaxation, and the practical implementation of various relaxation methods in the classroom.
What is the primary objective of the work?
The primary objective is to analyze the effectiveness of relaxation methods and to provide teachers with practical guidelines on how to implement these pauses effectively during school hours.
Which research methods are employed?
This is a qualitative work based on the analysis of specialized literature in the fields of sports pedagogy and psychological relaxation techniques.
What does the main body focus on?
The main body focuses on the specific requirements for implementation, providing procedural patterns for teaching, discussing the role of the teacher, and distinguishing between mental and physical relaxation techniques.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include relaxation, primary school, stress management, concentration, and pedagogical implementation.
Why should teachers be concerned with the spatial framework of relaxation?
The environment plays a significant role in the effectiveness of the exercise; minimizing external stimuli and ensuring a trusting atmosphere are crucial for children to feel safe enough to relax.
How should a teacher react when a child does not close their eyes during an exercise?
The teacher should not insist but rather kindly suggest looking at an object in front of them to avoid stress; the teacher acts as a role model by practicing these exercises themselves.
Is relaxation in primary school a one-size-fits-all approach?
No, the text emphasizes that teachers should offer various options—such as physical movement or fantasy stories—so that individual children can find the method that works best for them.
- Citation du texte
- Anonym (Auteur), 2021, Relaxation in primary school, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1391355
