This week is Children’s Mental Health Week supporting children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. To coincide with this, students at Brooke Weston have been taking part in weekly Yoga lessons to help them relax and relieve any anxiety that they may have.
Some children can find it difficult to think positively about themselves and this year Children’s Mental Health Week is highlighting the importance of ‘Being Ourselves’ and celebrating the unique qualities and strengths in ourselves and others. When we have a positive view of ourselves, it can help us cope with life’s challenges and make better connections with others.
Students were selected to attend the four week course taught by local company Mindful Warriors, where they learnt not only the physical movements of Yoga but also how to de-stress and relax and breathe properly, especially helpful for the Year 11 students during their mock GCSE exams.
Maths teacher Ms Sarah Malson said, ‘We wanted our Year 11 students to learn Yoga to help them relax and become more focused during their mock exams. Yoga is also very good for emotional and mental wellbeing as well as a way of keeping fit which is something we wanted to focus on for Children’s Mental Health Week and so we offered the classes to students in other years as well. Many students have commented that the course has reduced their panic attacks and helped them manage their stress better.
‘Mindful Warriors have been fantastic to work with and have up-skilled two members of our staff so that we will be able to offer Yoga in the future to those students who would like to continue with it.’
Mindful Warriors teacher Mr Stevan Gill said, ‘The concept behind Mindful Warriors is to try to get young people into the Yogic philosophy of movement, breathing and mindfulness because nowadays we see too much anxiety, tension and low self esteem issues with children.
‘It is a non competitive sport which tends to encourage more students to participate and just enjoy it. Simple physical movements that help to strengthen the immune system leave students more focused with a greater level of concentration and a higher resistance to sickness.
‘Brooke Weston has been a fantastic school to work with. The students have been very responsive and I have personally seen some massive progress with some of them.’
One student said, ‘I really enjoyed the Yoga lessons and it has become an enjoyable experience in my weekly routine. After each session I felt refreshed and much more awake.’
One student said, ‘I found the Yoga really helped to relax and calm me down which was perfect during my mock exams.