Use movement as a way to increase blood flow for effective thinking and problem solving. Build in yoga, dance, stretching, and physical exercise on a daily basis together. Movement can also be an effective way for youth to express certain emotions, especially when finding the right words can be difficult.
The Hawaiian word for story or tradition; use classical Hawaiian stories to teach literacy, science, and culture. In so doing, youth build their own stories with the stories of the community, culture, and past. This enables a better understanding of the lessons of the past that help guide our actions in the future. Have youth …
Give youth a small amount of money to manage. Teach them about investing, saving, the value of conservation, wise spending, and encourage them to give to charity. Use these activities to teach them about how the economy works and the importance of securing a vibrant economy. Also teach them how money issues create inequalities for …
At mealtimes, during commutes, or whenever there is time to talk with a teen, let them know how you are feeling and why. For example, you might say, “I’m getting a bit anxious about the holidays coming up. I am happy to spend time with family but also nervous about taking time away from my …
Rather than just telling children and youth how they should act, show them. Show them in your own daily actions and words with them. Intentionally model through practicing with them their tones, use of language (verbal and body) and responses to conflict. Very critical as young people look to adults as guides for their behaviors.
Have the children/students mix, then teacher calls “pair” and the youth pair up. Teacher then asks a question and gives the pairs thinking time. Pairs then share. Deepen careful listening skills by having each person share the interests, thoughts and ideas of their partner. Individuals in each pair take responsibility for listening, interpreting, and representing …
Establish a culture in your classroom or home where mistakes are welcomed and used as learning opportunities. Normalize mistakes by discussing them at mealtime or in circle time. Have everyone share a mistake they have made and what they learned from the mistake. Adults also need to be comfortable admitting and discussing their mistakes, especially …
Repeating the meaning of a person’s words in a warm and caring tone assures the speaker that you seek to understand instead of judging or giving advice. The listener can help the speaker to better understand him/herself and his/her emotions. Some mirroring phrases are “What I hear you saying is….”, “I can see (or hear) …
Teach youth how to belly breathe by having them lie down and put their hands on their bellies. See how deep they can breathe in and how slow they can breathe out. When youth find themselves angry, remind them to put their hands on their bellies and to breathe through the anger. Encourage them to …
Provide spaces for youth to practice the skills of mediation between them as well as facilitation of group discussions and problem solving. Hone their skills in active listening, open-ended questions, leading with solutions, etc. Role playing different scenarios is an effective way to learn to mediate and facilitate. (See also: Rotating Facilitators)