Recess for High School Students Video Lecture | Understanding Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): Better Life - Personal Skills

>>Bill: Eighty-five minute
classes are a long time
for most kids, so having
that little break in there
in the afternoon has really
helped our kids re-energize,
and teachers as well.
>>MHS Unplugged is
recess, but we wanted
to give it a theme name so that
the idea of unplugging yourself
from the curriculum,
unplugging yourself from stress,
unplugging yourself
from electronics just
becomes the main focus
of the fifteen minutes per day
that we offer MHS Unplugged.
Students and faculty come up
with activities that they would
like to offer during that time.
>>William: Recess is kind of
interesting for a high school.
It's a nice way to relax in
between your classes and kind
of get out some of
your tiredness.
There's art stuff, you know,
you can play board games.
>>Bill: We really make a point
to say, "You have permission
and you need to stop
what you're doing
and do something
totally different,
something that's
mindful, challenging,
something that creates
community,
something that creates
generosity."
Sometimes by doing an
activity with that kid
that is having a tough
time in your class,
there's a connection that's
made, it's very powerful.
>>Tom: Nice, that was nice.
Jon, you throw something out.
>>Student: F, C,
C sharp, F sharp.
>>Jon: It's a good
time to just mellow out
and just clear your head
from the schoolwork
that you're doing.
Other times, I'll go to
the gym and play basketball
or I'll go outside and play
lacrosse, or I'll meditate.
>>Teacher: All right,
you all ready?
>>Student: Yes, shh, just have to be quiet.
>>Meditation Recording: Lie
in the posture of savasana.
Take three full deep breaths
and with the exhalation,
feel a sense of letting go.
The whole face is becoming soft.
Feel the shoulders
sinking into the floor.
>>Student: Thank you.
>>Teacher: Of course, thank you.
>>Bill: There's this
community happening
and relationships are
fostered because folks
who normally don't see each
other all day get together
for fifteen minutes.