Here are some simple but effective ways to boost the mood of
your class.
Create a personal mantra
Create a mantra that you believe in and repeat often. For
example, when you're brushing your teeth in the morning and at
night - book ends for the day. It's much more effective to say I'm
good, I'm worthy and I'm kind. It's so much more powerful than
saying I'm crap, I'm useless, I'm worthless. It sounds really
obvious but if we say it again and again and again, eventually it
does hold.
Shooting goals
Encourage students to write down three goals that they are going
to strive to achieve before the end of term. These goals don't have
to be school-related - they can be anything that students would
like to achieve in their personal life. Identify key checkpoints
during the term where as a class you will check in on how people
are going.
Joke telling
We've all heard the saying laughter is the best medicine! Well
why not bring some laughs into the classroom. Ask each student to
share a joke with the rest of the class. You might pre-warn the
class that you are going to be sharing jokes in the next lesson -
or you might just do it spontaneously!
Music for inspiration
Music can provide great inspiration and a mood boost when your
feeling a bit flat. So again, when the class is a bit flat use
music to re-engage and reinvigorate. Create a "playlist" of music
that students find inspiring and invigorating and ask students to
be DJ for a day - providing the playlist for the lesson!
Song lyrics can also provide inspiration and a mood boost. Ask
students to share their favourite song lyrics with the class. You
could even publish favourite lyrics and display them in the
classroom as a reference point during lessons!
Mood boosting books
Just as music can inspire so can a great book. Ask students to
share with the class an inspiring book that they have read
recently. Challenge students to read a book that someone else in
the class has found inspiring.
Exercising your mood
Physical activity plays a key role in managing our moods.
Physical activity has been shown to be more effective in managing
some types of depression than medication. So why not get active
with your class and get those endorphins flowing. Check out the Exercise your
mood page for some lesson ideas.
Download the Boost your
mood handout that you can use with the class for these
activities.