The School of Education sponsored a program that introduces student teachers to take care of themselves through mindfulness, with additional information shared about nutrition, sleep and fitness for the first-year teacher.
Forty-five student teachers in the Teacher Education program gathered on May 2 to participate in a ‘Live Well, Teach Well’ wellness event funded through the Dean’s Office in the School of Education.
The two-hour event featured sessions in which participants learned about the various facets that make up a healthy and mindful lifestyle which include: increasing intake of magnesium, starting your day with lemon water, getting plenty of sleep each night, getting more exercise, drinking plenty of water and laughing.
To kick off the event, each participant was given an insulated lunch bag, complete with healthy snacks, stress balls, and fruit infusion water bottles to encourage healthy living in the future. Faculty members Resa Walch and Amanda Tapler discussed healthy eating habits and how to use food and nutrition as fuel in and out of the classroom. Shelli Altopp-Miller, school social worker with Alamance-Burlington School System, revealed calming mindfulness practices that aid educators and their students with stress management.
‘Live Well, Teach Well’ started several years ago as a way to send student teachers off with a strong message about self-care as they enter the profession.