SEPTEMBER 2021

Hello! Thanks for spending some time with us today. 

POM COMMUNITY NEWS

It's a new school year....

Here in our local school district we've had our share of confusion, worried parents and anxious students since school started two days ago. Last week's early closing due to flood warnings added some spice to the mix! But we hear from teachers near and far that the joy of being back in person with their students is real. Do you feel that too?

When times have been most challenging during the pandemic, what's kept us going is our certainty that teaching children skills to manage their big emotions and to look out for the well-being of others has never been more important. We're so inspired by the number of schools who are taking up or expanding their use of the Peace of Mind Curriculum this year, here in the Washington DC area and across the country. While we can't know what challenges are still ahead, we do know that we can equip our students to cope with skill and compassion. Their future depends on it.

With gratitude, The Peace of Mind Team

Learn more about Peace of Mind

New Peace of Mind Research Study

How is Peace of Mind being implemented in varied school settings?

We'd like to know more! We are thrilled that the experienced research team of Dr. Deb Schussler of Penn State University, Dr. Sharon Lambert of George Washington University and Dr. Laura Gould of a Mindful Choice will be launching a study this Fall to increase our understanding of how Peace of Mind is implemented in a wide range of school settings. We are so grateful to the Washington DC area school leaders and educators who have volunteered to be part of the study. We look forward to learning from the results and to sharing them with you!

Learn more about Peace of Mind evaluation and related research

UPCOMING EVENTS

Question and Answer Zoom Sessions

September 27, 28 and 29th from 4 pm to 5 pm EST

Do you have questions about teaching the Peace of Mind Curriculum? Would you like to know more about the Peace of Mind Program? Join us for a Q&A session with Peace of Mind Curriculum authors and educators. Bring your questions, wonderings and suggestions - we'd love to hear them!

We are offering three free zoom sessions on Monday Sept 27, Tuesday Sept 28, and Wednesday Sept 29, all from 4 pm - 4:45 pm EST.

Register here!

Virtual Community Circles start September 21

“I feel more confident and competent, and more able to meet the needs of my kids.”

“After a full day of virtual school, it was hard to show up for one more zoom meeting, but it was so worth it and I felt so much better in my heart, mind and soul. I’m feeling very grateful.”

We still have 3 openings in our 2021-2022 Virtual Community Circles! Registration closes September 14th.

If you are a teacher, counselor, social worker and or anyone else teaching, or preparing to teach, The Peace of Mind Curriculum, please consider joining a Virtual Community Circle! We created them for you. Each Circle includes a skillfully facilitated session of mindfulness for self-care, community building and practical support for teaching Peace of Mind. Past participants, including educators from around the globe, have found them helpful personally and professionally.

During school year 2021-2022, we will have two sessions: monthly gatherings on Tuesdays from 4:45 to 6 pm EST from September through December and then again from February to May. Sign up for one or both sessions. The cost for each 4-month session is $40. Scholarships are available upon request.

Register here before September 14th!

Community of Practice Fall 2021

October 20th from 4 PM to 5:15 PM EST – on zoom

All Peace of Mind Educators, current and prospective, are welcome to join us for this community gathering next month. We’ll start with a community mindfulness practice - we all need a little self-care about now. Our conversation will focus on the trauma-sensitive mindfulness approaches taken in the Peace of Mind curriculum and we'll share experiences and suggestions around engaging students in Peace of Mind lessons. We really do hope you can join us, no matter where you are in the world!

Register here!

MONTHLY MINDFULNESS PRACTICE

Mindfulness Practice for September

Have you ever felt that you could really use a mindful moment but you just didn't feel like breathing? This happens to all of us, including our students. Next time, try "Find the Rainbow." This practice can be a handy bridge back to the other practices you know help.

Find the Rainbow.
Find more Peace of Mind Mindfulness Practice Videos here.

NEW PEACE OF MIND RESOURCES

Revised and Expanded Peace of Mind Core Curriculum for Grades 1 & 2

Available now in the Peace of Mind Shop and on Amazon! 32-weekly, 30-45 minute lessons integrate Mindfulness, SEL, and Conflict Resolution skills that students can apply in the classroom and to life. In this second edition, you will find:

more trauma-informed practices throughout;
more hands-on activities, movement and pair-sharing;
new lessons built around the five Peace of Mind story books;
new stories to act out written just for the Peace of Mind curriculum;
fewer required storybooks and materials;
more lessons on understanding and practicing gratitude, a powerful tool in managing fear and anxiety and building resilience.

Order and f ind out more here.

Revised and Expanded "Getting Started With Peace of Mind" Online Course

This self-paced, online course helps educators get ready to teach the Peace of Mind Curriculum in PreK-5. A great review for those currently teaching Peace of Mind, too! 3-hour Certificate of Completion available.

Find out more here.

Coming Soon: New Core Curriculum for Grade 3!

Look for more details in our October Newsletter.

TAKE ACTION

"Seven Ways to Fight Bias in Your Everyday Life" by Dolly Chugh

In this great article from the Greater Good Science Center newsletter, author and social psychologist Dr. Dolly Chugh offers actionable, inspiring advice for how to stand up against bias and to work for a better world every day. Worth a read!

Pass it on!

Please help other educators find Peace of Mind! If you are finding our curriculum, storybooks and resources helpful, please tell another educator or school mental health professional about Peace of Mind, and leave us a review on Amazon. We appreciate your help in spreading the word! Thank you!

In peace,
Cheryl, Linda and The Peace of Mind team

Peace of Mind Inc. is 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Washington D.C. Our mission is to support he implementation of effective mindfulness-based social emotional learning, conflict resolution and social justice in our schools. We do this by developing and sharing the Peace of Mind Curriculum and Storybook Series and through educator support, training and community. EIN: 47 1449614
Donate
Make Peace of Mind your Amazon Smile charity * Sign up for Change Donations