My book dedication: Mindfulness for NQTs: by Alison Laycock

This 5th book, ‘Mindfulness for NQTs: Strategies, techniques and practices for all who work with children and young people’ was self-published in September 2022. To be fair it came as a surprise although I had worked on Mindfulness for NQTs in blogs taking into account my teaching experience in the UK and abroad for years.

The dedication came easily enough as I was writing one day and I jotted it down on a piece of paper next to me and carried on with the day’s task. When you have been a teacher, you know all the hard work which goes into planning, delivering and assessing and then reviewing your lessons not to mention the interactions with students and other staff. I don’t believe anyone else understands that and to be honest, those who don’t teach your subject don’t understand what goes into your subject planning and delivering etc as every subject is different. Teachers deserve so much more money and recognition than they get whether that be from students, parents and/or the Government. They are most definitely superheroes and all school staff are.

‘This book is dedicated to all the teachers out there who are helping, encouraging, and supporting all students in reaching their full potential in education and in life.

Thank you for your service and all that you do!

Not all superheroes wear capes!’

If you are interested in checking this book out, it is very reasonably priced at £1.99 which will remain it’s price as I know that NQTs and teachers in general aren’t paid anywhere near enough! Here is the link for Amazon.

Mindfulness for NQTs: Strategies, techniques and practices for all who work with children and young people

Welcome to my latest book which I self-published on Amazon Kindle on 6th September 2022. It costs only £1.99 and contains an offer of a 25% discount off courses for those who buy the book. There is a link below.

The book contains strategies, techniques and practices for mindfulness and is aimed at NQTs and all who work with children and young people. As a former school teacher and teacher trainer, both in the UK and abroad, I wanted to share mindfulness techniques in a way that I have used them over the past 25+ years of my career in Education.

A lot of the content has come from blogs from this blog as in the previous 2 years, I have posted everyday throughout August with a technique etc for NQTs to try out ahead of starting their new role (as the new academic year starts in September in the UK). Perhaps, you have already read some of these blogs.

This book brings them all together in one place and I have also added some more content either in the monthly format or in the extras/alternatives section. There are also some parts adapted from 2 of my previous books: ‘Being the Best You Can Be’ and ‘Mindful Walks to be in the present moment’. If you are interested in those books too then it’s good to know that Being the Best You Can Be is only 99p and will always be that price as i wish to help as many people as possible access the information shared within it and Mindful Walks is currently priced at £1.99 during the launch of this book and will return to its usual price of £4.99 in January 2023.

There is also a lot of FREE material shared on my social media channels: Being the Best You Can Be on Facebook and You Tube channel, alisonlaycock23 on twitter and Being.best.mindfulness on instagram. I am also happy to answer any questions through email info@beingthebestyoucanbe.org.

If you do purchase the book and wish to use the discount on one of the mindfulness or other courses through my business then please visit http://www.beingthebestyoucanbe.org to check out all the business offers.

Mindfulness for NQTs: Review

by Alison Laycock

Well, we are through August and some of you will have already started the new school year and some just about to depending on where you are in the world. It has been wonderful meeting some of you in the workshops and I have very much enjoyed learning about Education in your countries and how the systems are similar and also differ. The techniques are relevant wherever you teach so I’m looking forward to hearing how they go so even if you haven’t attended a workshop, please let me know what you have tried from the blog posts we have discussed over the past month. These will still remain accessible on the blog and if you wish then please also join the Facebook group mentioned at the end of the post as I will be posting techniques in there from time to time.

So, let’s do a quick review of the posts so that you will have a link for all in one post to access easily. You will have noticed that some posts overlap and that’s perfectly natural as no idea stands alone within mindfulness and ideas, techniques and more often complement each other and help build up and complete the jigsaw.

We looked at how to bring positivity, gratitude, kindness and a supportive atmosphere and integration into the classroom as well as the whole school in Mindfulness for NQTs: Kindness, Mindfulness for NQTS: Acknowledge all the small successes, positives & improvements, Mindfulness for NQTs: Gratitude, Mindfulness for NQTs: Positive self-talk and Mindfulness for NQTs: Collect the positives.

At various points we looked at knowing yourself and how looking after yourself is important and once you have that knowledge and experience, why not pass it on to the students so that they can build up those resources too. These were purposely posted throughout the month to ensure there were timely reminders for all to practise self-care and more. This came through in Mindfulness for NQTs: Self-awareness, Mindfulness for NQTs: Self-Care, Mindfulness for NQTs: Self-soothing techniques and Mindfulness for NQTs: It’s OK to not be OK.

There were some techniques as the focus of the post in Mindfulness for NQTs: Breathe, Mindfulness for NQTs: S.T.O.P exercise, Mindfulness for NQTs: Name it to tame it, Mindfulness for NQTs: Check in and Scan through, Mindfulness for NQTs: Mantra, Mindfulness for NQTs: Visualise, Mindfulness for NQTs: Reset and Mindfulness for NQTs: Move.

Some posts covered how you can present yourself as a teacher and create a great classroom environment and atmosphere to support you and the students such as Mindfulness for NQTs: Classroom Environment, Mindfulness for NQTs: Pay attention to your words, Mindfulness for NQTs: Beginner’s Mind, Mindfulness for NQTs: Mindful/ Compassionate listening, Mindfulness for NQTs: Resilience, Mindfulness for NQTs: Go into nature and Mindfulness for NQTs: The best teachers are also students.

Other posts combine all of the above and also standalone Mindfulness for NQTs: Silence, Mindfulness for NQTs: See the individual, Mindfulness for NQTs: Be present, Mindfulness for NQTs: Humour, Mindfulness for NQTs: It’s OK not to know the answer and Mindfulness for NQTs: Let go.

I hope these have helped you in some way in your teaching and/or your personal life and I wish you all the best for this NQT year and more beyond. Remember to take time out for you whenever you can or need to.

Every day throughout August, these tips will be shared across social media so I’m including my links here. Throughout August, I’m offering meditation/ mindfulness sessions for NQTS/teachers and school staff on 4th, 11th, 18th and 20th August at 7-7.45pm via ZOOM. If interested, please email Alison at info@beingthebestyoucanbe.org

Follow me across social media if you aren’t already to have access to the tips every day:

Facebook: Being the Best You Can Be

Twitter: @alisonlaycock23

LinkedIn: Alison Laycock

You Tube channel: Being the Best You Can Be

I’m also offering 25% off all courses for NQTs who wish to develop their mindfulness and compassion skills and resources more. The courses on offer are the 8 week MBSR programme with sessions lasting 120 mins and there are also 6 week Mindfulness and Compassion courses which last 60 mins each session. If you prefer workshops rather than courses then these are also available and can be checked out and booked via http://www.beingthebestyoucanbe.org

Mindfulness for NQTs: Visualise

by Alison Laycock

Now we have reached the end of the posts towards Mindfulness for NQTs and tomorrow’s post will be a review with all the links together in one post. If you haven’t read them all so far then tomorrow’s post will provide you with one place to access them all.

The one I believe brings all the preceding ones together as you now have the opportunity to visualise what you want to happen and how you wish to be as a teacher and a person. How will you interact with yourself, your students, your colleagues and your family and friends? How will you look after yourself and ensure you can still have energy left at the end of the day? What and who will support you? How will you make your classroom a mindful environment for you and your students?

There is lots more you can visualise so I’ve only included a few of the options above to get you started and to give you an idea of what this can look like. Some people like to visualise through writing their thoughts down, some like to draw whilst others like to do it through meditation and some will prefer to talk it through with others. Whichever is your preferred way then great go for it as any will work as visualisation in any form will allow yourself time to focus on you and your performance.

Visualisation can be done once and for some that will work for so long, whilst others may prefer to do it every morning or even throughout the day if you require different approaches for different students.

Have fun with it and play with your techniques if you wish to as you don’t need to visualise in the same way all the time.

Follow me across social media if you aren’t already to have access to the tips every day:

Facebook: Being the Best You Can Be

Twitter: @alisonlaycock23

LinkedIn: Alison Laycock

You Tube channel: Being the Best You Can Be

Mindfulness for NQTs: Mantra

Finding and using a positive, energising or soothing mantra can help you make the transition of a morning into your teaching role and then back in the evening to your personal life. For some it is words which have the greatest impact and for others it could be deciding on their teacher ‘uniform’ which immediately puts them in the role allowing them to be professional whatever is going on.

What will it be for you? Maybe you have it already from your PGCE year?

As a MFL teacher, I always spoke the main language I was teaching around the school so outside of class as I passed students I would greet them with ‘Bonjour’ to encourage them to also practice the language outside of the French lessons. I was called ‘Madame” which was different to ‘Miss’ or ‘Mrs’ like other female staff so that for me was the role I put on when I dressed for work.

In fact, the mantra I would use with students has since become the name of my business as I would say to them ‘you can only be the best YOU can be’ so from that came ‘Being the Best You Can Be’.

Follow me across social media if you aren’t already to have access to the tips every day:

Facebook: Being the Best You Can Be

Twitter: @alisonlaycock23

LinkedIn: Alison Laycock

You Tube channel: Being the Best You Can Be

Mindfulness for NQTs: The best teachers are also students

by Alison Laycock

The best teachers are also students is a very true statement to make both in the sense of teachers who remain willing to learn and remain open to new ideas and also in the sense that our students are the best teachers about themselves. I mean it in both these senses.

During my career, I met many teachers who had simply stopped learning in the belief that they had enough experience that they no longer needed to try new ideas or techniques. I never understood this as each year the students change so how could you possibly know all you need to know. There were also many more teachers who continued to learn and experience throughout their teaching and also outside of the classroom. This meant they were able to relate to the students better as they kept up-to-date with technology, watched tv programmes aimed at the younger generation and also were happy to hear and learn about all aspects of culture.

As you have recently gone through your PGCE year and maybe also your degree, then you have so much knowledge to share of new guidelines and techniques to add to any school and department. Your teaching methods may therefore draw attention ad that is an amazing thing to share with your colleagues if there is something they have commented on.

Students are also our best teachers as they know themselves better than anyone so listen to them. Hear what they are saying about how they learn, how they are feeling and what motivates them. Notice who can take more challenge and those who require more support, who likes to be the class clown and be inquisitive about why, those who prefer to work alone than in a group and those who do all the work and behave but never seek your attention through making a fuss.

Remember to keep learning and looking for new techniques and ways to help yourself and students. It isn’t just the NQT year where that helps.

Follow me across social media if you aren’t already to have access to the tips every day:

Facebook: Being the Best You Can Be

Twitter: @alisonlaycock23

LinkedIn: Alison Laycock

You Tube channel: Being the Best You Can Be

Mindfulness for NQTs: Move

Move your body as much as you can as it is so easy to get stuck in a position where we hold ourselves whilst teaching and then also when we are marking and planning. So, move your body as much as you can. Movement will always help as exercise can lift the mood and just ease any tensions you have and are holding in your body and mind.

You can choose a mindful practice to do as mindfulness isn’t just practiced through sitting down and remaining in one position. A Mindful walk is another option as that is great for noticing your environment and also your body. Or why not choose a selection of movements which suit you and your body so that you can continue to do them wherever you are.

Move to bring yourself out of your head and into your body. You will be so pleased you do.

Follow me across social media if you aren’t already to have access to the tips every day:

Facebook: Being the Best You Can Be

Twitter: @alisonlaycock23

LinkedIn: Alison Laycock

You Tube channel: Being the Best You Can Be

Mindfulness for NQTs: Self-Care

by Alison Laycock

This topic of self-care has come within other posts so far and will still come up within other topics, however it does deserve its own post. Self-care is such an important aspect of our lives and especially as teachers, we need to make sure we are looking after ourselves as well as doing so much within our professional lives.

What do you do at the moment which gives you some me-time? How do you take care of yourself during the day, evenings, weekends and holidays? Have there been times in your training year when your self-care came last on your list of priorities? What was the result? How do you want to maintain your self-care routine this year?

Once you’ve answered those questions, hopefully you have an idea of your patterns when you do take care of yourself and what happens when you let go of that routine. It’s important that you look at your own self-care routine, wishes and how you fulfil them so that the focus is you and you are the one who understands yourself the most. So rather than me listing out what you could have as part of your routine, it is best for you to work that out yourself.

Once you look after yourself, you will be better placed to look after others and to also model this to students and encourage them to sort out their self-care too.

Follow me across social media if you aren’t already to have access to the tips every day:

Facebook: Being the Best You Can Be

Twitter: @alisonlaycock23

LinkedIn: Alison Laycock

You Tube channel: Being the Best You Can Be

Photo by Chevanon Photography on Pexels.com

Mindfulness for NQTs: Pay attention to your words

by Alison Laycock

Whether this is in terms of talking to yourself (we all do that) or talking to others about yourself or others, then pay attention to your words. It is far too easy to be caught out by being negative or dismissive of yourself and others without actually wanting to. In teaching, this is especially easy to do and if you spend a lot of time in the staff room, then this will absolutely be happening.

Don’t get caught out. Stand strong and pay attention to those words. When talking about yourself, use your self-awareness and other strategies we have discussed so far and simply be realistic about your lessons and your day. If you drop into being negative then this can linger and also don’t put yourself down to yourself or to others.

This is important with students too. Pay attention to the words you use with them as even if we say something quickly without actually meaning it, those words can land and soak into the student and they can hurt. Surely, we want to build students up as much as we can to believe themselves to be worthy, enough and talented in whatever way they wish to see that.

Follow me across social media if you aren’t already to have access to the tips every day:

Facebook: Being the Best You Can Be

Twitter: @alisonlaycock23

LinkedIn: Alison Laycock

You Tube channel: Being the Best You Can Be

Mindfulness for NQTs: Beginner’s Mind

by Alison Laycock

You may feel like a beginner and in many ways you are and I encourage you to maintain those feelings and thoughts and all that goes with it. I remember near the start of my teaching career, watching older and more experienced teachers arriving to work, getting out of the car and walking into school with nothing. That’s right, nothing. There I was struggling with piles of books I’d managed to decide I would be marking on the same evening from many classes, resources for the lessons, my bag, laptop and more.

I have to admit there was a moment of jealousy of those teachers who got to walk in with nothing. However, I did also come to realise that some of those teachers had become jaded and were teaching the same lessons each year whenever it came around in the curriculum without changing any part of the lesson or checking on their resources to see if they were still relevant. They weren’t teaching the individuals in front of them but simply teaching the content.

The beauty of a beginner’s mind in all areas of our lives is to see the opportunities in front of and around us. We get to experience everything about the experience which we may not get again unless we maintain a beginners mind in how we approach our lessons and students. Each student will teach us something new and we simply have to remain open to it and to them as well as ourselves.

Once we lose our beginner’s mind, we can become complacent which stops us learning or being open to seeing things differently and there are always many ways to teach something rather than just your own. So, keep those beginners’ minds and bring them to experiences whenever you can.

Follow me across social media if you aren’t already to have access to the tips every day:

Facebook: Being the Best You Can Be

Twitter: @alisonlaycock23

LinkedIn: Alison Laycock

You Tube channel: Being the Best You Can Be