Here we find ourselves already in a new year. I wonder if, like me, many of you might be wondering how that has happened. January is a time of year traditionally associated with analyzing the past and making resolutions for the future.
In the classroom this might also involve looking forward to assessments and exams at the end of the school year. Maybe you’ve made New Year’s resolutions that have already fallen by the wayside.Ìý
The focus of this blog is learning how to stay in the present moment. So let's take a practical look at how to manage this time of year with your students and with ourselves as teachers (and humans), while also effectively planning ahead for the future.
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Mindfulness can be a broader concept than just focusing on the breath. We can also extend awareness to our daily habits and look at what is making us feel good and what is draining us. This helps us ensure our daily routine is actively supporting our mental health.Ìý
Here’s what you can do to help your students be more mindful of their daily habits.
This activity encourages children to be more understanding of what makes them feel happy or less happy on a daily basis. In this way, we gently teach them to be more aware of their emotions and how to take an active role in supporting their own mental health and self-care. Ultimately, we teach them that the choices we make day-to-day are as important as a resolution for the rest of the year.
As they learn more mindfulness activities in school, these might even start to appear on their everyday lists too. This will protect their minds against everyday stress and assessment pressure.
New Year’s resolutions seem to play a large role in society, and it is interesting to notice how guilty we feel if we don’t stick to them.Ìý
We traditionally make resolutions at the start of a new year, but this is completely arbitrary - and it hasn’t always been this way. In fact, the concept of setting an intention for the new year dates back to at least 4000BC. Back then, these resolutions were traditionally made in March, . But when Julius Caesar made the Roman calendar, he decided that each year would begin in January.Ìý
The Romans felt it was more appropriate because the Roman god Janus represented new beginnings, endings, gateways and transitions. It’s strange to think this ancient decision now affects how we run and organize our lives and our personal energy all over the world.Ìý
January is actually a time when nature is still in hibernation, with trees bare and seeds still under the ground (in the Northern Hemisphere, at least). This can make it feel difficult to commit to fresh starts and, for some, feel overwhelming to look ahead.
So instead of resolutions, try inviting your students to simply set an intention of what they’d like to feel or achieve over the course of the year. And rather than pushing for it or expecting it to happen straight away, invite them to treat it like a seed in a pot of soil which they are watering each day with one little step at a time.Ìý
This might be a little bit of revision for a test every day, for example, or tidying their room once a week so it feels nice to play and do homework in.Ìý
A lovely way to get your students to connect with nature’s calendar is to take them outside for a mindfulness walk. You could link it in with a class plan to introduce nature or town vocabulary, or organize it during lunch or break time for multiple classes together.
*If outside simply isn’t an option for your school, you can try a mindful walk through the corridors.
This can be a really pleasant way to encourage students (and yourself) to notice what is going on around them in nature and to step outside of the timetable set for them as part of the school system. It helps their focus and perspective, reducing stress and reminding them how far they have progressed.
I often have mindfulness students asking me how they can stay present while also effectively planning ahead. Hopefully, these three simple ideas demonstrate how we can actively use our focus on the present moment to improve and pace our future planning for exams and deadlines.Ìý
By trusting in the process of calmly planting little seeds of intention and taking little steps to grow them, we can achieve just as much, if not more, than thinking six months into the future and panicking that we haven’t yet achieved what we want to have done by then. Good luck.
Learning English with music can enhance learning and create a more engaging and dynamic classroom environment. In a previous post, we discussed if music can help you learn a language; this post looks at how music can be incorporated into the classroom.
Using music in your classroom can help improve student motivation, focus, and retention of information. Here are some ways you can use music to enhance your classroom teaching:
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Have you considered studying abroad? Moving to Canada to study? With more than 100 world-class universities across the country, there’s good reason to. From coast to coast to coast, it offers many international students a safe and supportive learning environment and the opportunity to work after graduation.
Want to learn more? In this guide, we cover ten things you should know about studying in Canada:
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Workplaces are becoming more and more diverse, with employees hailing from various cultures and speaking different languages. This diversity bringsÌývaluable enrichmentÌýbut can also bring communication and collaboration challenges.
That's why corporate language training is crucial. It bridges cultural divides, promotes understanding, and creates a harmonious work environment.ÌýCultural divides in the workplace can arise from various factors, including language barriers. When diverse employees can't communicate effectively, misunderstandings and decreased productivity can occur.
Corporate language training plays a vital role in addressing this issue. It helps employees understand and appreciate different cultures, fostering unity and respect. Language training acts as a catalyst for positive workplace dynamics, driving businesses towards global goals.
Corporate language training greatly enhances communication, benefiting employees' expression of ideas and fostering understanding among team members.
Breaking down linguistic barriers promotes mutual respect, unity, and effective collaboration. It also prevents misunderstandings that may lead to conflicts, improving the overall workplace environment and fostering innovative ideas through successful teamwork.
Corporate language training plays a key role in fostering an inclusive and diverse atmosphere. Learning a new language provides insights into different cultures, promoting a deeper appreciation for diversity and reducing biases. This creates a more inclusive work environment where employees from diverse backgrounds feel understood and valued, fostering a sense of belonging and unity.
Language training also equips employees to engage with global customers and clients, reflecting the company's commitment to diversity. Corporate language training is instrumental in cultivating inclusion and diversity, enhancing corporate culture.
Corporate language training strengthens global business relations. As businesses expand worldwide, employees will interact face-to-face with diverse linguistic backgrounds. Knowledge of another language shows respect for other cultures, which is crucial for trust in business relationships.
The ability to connect across cultures is a game-changer for businesses, helping them build strong international relations. Investing in corporate language training not only benefits employees but also secures a company's global future.
A common language fosters seamless communication, enabling effective collaboration. It cultivates a coherent team dynamic where ideas flow and tasks are executed efficiently. This linguistic unity significantly boosts team performance. Reduced misunderstandings lead to increased productivity. Read our post on performance management for language learning in the workplace.Ìý
As the employees learn and gain confidence in their language skills, they engage, contribute, and excel, driving the team and the business forward.
If done correctly, corporate language training improves employee engagement and retention. Investing in employees' personal and professional development fosters a sense of value and belonging. Learning to speak a new language is challenging yet rewarding, promoting personal growth and cognitive skills.
Language training also brings employees together, fostering teamwork and unity. This increased engagement leads to higher job satisfaction, loyalty, and reduced turnover. Corporate language training is a strategic investment in employee engagement and retention, a key feature bridging linguistic divides in the modern corporate arena.
A competitive edge is crucial for business growth in today's global economy. Corporate language training contributes significantly to this edge, especially in global markets. Proficiency in multiple languages enables businesses to easily enter new markets, communicate effectively and build trust. Employees with language training represent their companies internationally, exhibiting cultural sensitivity.
Companies showcasing expertise, language proficiency, expertise and cultural understanding stand out, reflecting a global-minded ethos. Corporate language training enhances a corporation or company's presence, reputation, and success in the global market.
To implement effective corporate language training, organizations should assess how employees learn languages and current language proficiencies and identify gaps. A skills audit can assist in identifying areas requiring training, taking into account the languages spoken within the company and the skill levels necessary for business strategies.
Moreover, it allows for assessing employees' proficiency in various languages, encompassing written, spoken, and cultural understanding. This proactive approach ensures tailored and valuable language training for the organization and its employees, promoting skill development at all levels.
Understanding cultural nuances is crucial in corporate language training courses. It's not just about learning to speak the language but also grasping the cultural contexts. This includes knowing the etiquettes, conventions, and unspoken rules governing social interactions across cultures. Being mindful of these subtleties prevents misunderstandings, fosters better relationships, and facilitates smoother communication.
Effective corporate language training should include cultural education to equip employees with the cultural insights and skills to confidently navigate these complexities.
Aligning language training with business objectives is a strategic move that ensures relevant, effective, and valuable training.
In an international business context, objectives may include expanding into new markets, improving multilingual customer service, enhancing internal communication among a diverse workforce, or forming alliances with foreign partners.
By defining these objectives, corporations can tailor language learning programs to specific needs, maximizing ROI. For example, if a company aims to enter a new market with a dominant language, the training could focus on equipping employees with linguistic and cultural skills to communicate effectively with potential clients or partners. This alignment ensures successful training implementation and achievement of broader business goals.
