From Team HAP to Celebrate: myHappymind

Oakwood Lower School students have just completed the first unit of myHappymind, Meet Your Brain, and it has been exciting to see the impact it has already had on students in such a short time.

Throughout this first unit, students have been learning about Team HAP, the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, and how these parts of the brain work together to help students think, learn, and manage emotions. It has been wonderful to hear from teachers, students, and parents about what they are learning and, even more exciting, to see students putting that learning into practice.

In Kindergarten, students have their own special stuffy flowers to use during Happy Breathing. They touch a petal for each breath they take, and the flowers stay under their desks so they can use them whenever needed. Students might use their flower during a difficult activity, when feeling sad, or even when missing their parents. One Kindergarten student put this learning into action during a writing activity and said, "Mrs. Eaton, I think this is a good time for my happy breathing because my Team H-A-P is not working well." Hearing students recognize what they need and know what they can do to help themselves has been truly inspiring.

The myHappymind lessons have also given students fun and creative ways to explore what they are learning. Students have created Play-Doh brains, brain headbands, and glitter jars while learning more about how their brains work. 5th grade students have had some fascinating and thoughtful conversations about dopamine and what happens in the brain when experiencing things they enjoy or find rewarding. Watching students become passionate experts on Team HAP and then take what they have learned home to share with their families has been a joy. Parents have even told teachers that they have had to look up some of the vocabulary their children are bringing home, as hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and dopamine are, in fact, all very real words!

Students have also been using Happy Breathing, especially before taking ERB tests. It has been wonderful to hear students use this new language to talk about what is happening in their own brains and recognize when they need a strategy.

Families are seeing the impact at home, too. One parent shared that their family has loved using the Happy Mind app to reinforce what their child is learning at school. They especially enjoy the breathing exercises and have even made Happy Breathing part of their bedtime routine. The parent also noted that their child is already using calming breaths when upset. Hearing how these tools are making their way beyond the classroom and into students' everyday lives has been incredibly rewarding.

The next myHappymind unit is Celebrate, where students will build on what they have learned by recognizing and celebrating the wonderful character traits that make each of them unique and special. Oakwood is excited to continue this journey!

myHappymind photo album