Next Step Adventure :: mindful, creative, fun approaches to help people and organizations reach the next level
Being a parent or teacher is more challenging than ever in these post-pandemic, digitally connected times. Not that it hasn’t always been a tough job!
We need to pull out all the stops on what we know about how young people grow and learn to meet the challenges that they are presenting. There is so much we can do to help them grow strong and resilient. teaching and youth development.
The Next Step team draws from experience and experiments in education and youth development:
The experiential model, and hands-on education
Research on resilience; protective factors and other youth development research
Learning styles research
Best research and practice on parenting throughout life
…a sense of belonging is one of the most essential needs of humans. We also need to feel power over our lives, belief in our own abilities and a sense of generosity. Seems to me Covid has challenged our ability to satisfy all of those needs.
When things feel turned around and upside down, turn to nature for solace and safety. Breathe the fresh air and find joy among the trees and rocks.
Explore the parks around central Iowa with Shelly Johnson and her family. You’re sure to have an amazing adventure!
Stretch your parenting skills for your stay-at-home kiddos with the Next Step kids’ Garden Curriculum! Easy-to-use activities, experiments, and gardening tips for first-time AND experienced gardeners as well.
Research is showing that even a few brief mindful moments a day can help relieve some of the pressure that kids AND ADULTS are feeling. Moving our bodies is also key to sharpening our minds.
Pay and value are twined together very tightly together in today’s world. We need to VALUE domestic work; I think that’s what I’m learning from my adventures in keeping my own house clean and taking care of June. It’s simple but not easy.
At the Creative Arts Festival, we had lots of materials for experimentation–dry pigment, spray bottles for water, hair dryers, materials for collage. We let each group play with the materials on large sheets of high quality water paper.
“Breathing exercises get them back on track,” she says. She decided to try teaching her students controlled breathing techniques and now uses a breathing exercise for a few minutes after recess each day.
School has started now, and I’m reflecting on our summer together–trying to decipher what made it so special. Although our calendar looked wide open, never once did I hear the words, “I’m bored.”
Teachers ask a lot of questions, but many of those questions target basic knowledge or recall. We can make our discussions more effective by beginning them with “What”, “How”, “Why”, “If…then”–open-ended questions that require more thought.
