Stressed classroom? Then relax

I have talked already about the importance of relaxing when you feel stress. A stressed teacher can just make it worst.

But what about your students?

I have found many times, that my students are really tired, and like bored, so I have to think in how to give energy. But I have found too, that other times, students are so energized, that I can't stop them. Both states are not good to have a calm and nice place to study and work.

If your students are a bit stressed or so much energized, then try to make them relax. Give a time in your class to relax.

It is just 5 or 10 minutes, but it will help a lot.

Play relaxing music, and tell them a story (the one I tried is this):

Relax your body, close your eyes and imagine that you are in a far place, alone. It is really a nice place, so relaxing, you can see a lake, and a big forest. You go there, and you watch the place, you see the sky and the clouds when they are passing by. Take your time to think about you, about your life, about your family. Breathe deep, stretch your body, relax. Then you will continue walking until you find a cottage, and in there your find and old man. He invites you to sit, he gives you gift, it is a little box. You keep it. You say thanks, and then you continue. Relax. Then when you are alone, you open the box, and inside you find a nice gift, that just you know what it is. It is something you need so much and you feel happy because you have it. Then you keep it with you forever. Then little by little you come back to the classroom....

Most of the students gets asleep. Let them. The idea is to relax. When they are back in the classroom. Talk about the gift, and share which were the gifts they saw in the boxes.

Try it, and you will see how nice is a relaxing moment in the classroom.