Waking Up: Rest as a Tool for Learning
1 Part Video – Total Time: 12:55
By Fatimah Salahuddin
Rest and mindfulness practice can not only ignite learning in our students, but we become much better teachers when we’ve had several opportunities to “rest” or meditate throughout the school day. These lessons are centered around rest; structured naps that occur during school in content classes using the CalmApp. But most importantly, rest as a form of resistance and an act of love for our students and their wellness. Using Tricia Hersey, founder of the Nap Ministry’s framework, energy psychology as well as Ethnic Studies, students learn new tools and ways to regulate themselves and their nervous systems while learning the history of how colonialism and capitalism continue to disrupt marginalized communities’ dream worlds. As Hersey argues, “…this is about more than naps.”
Rest as Wellness — Napping as Medicine
In what ways does nap time reinforce learning and wellness? OR self worth and even self-love.
- To create a culture of wellness in my classroom
- To use naps as a way to ignite learning and boost engagement
I strongly believed that due to the pandemic and the constraints students and teachers had been forced to work under when we returned in person, that one of the biggest issues our students are facing in education is sleep deprivation and this is causing a lack of engagement. In addition, all our students, including teachers, were in survival mode and we all came to school feeling very apathetic, tired and exhausted.
- Using the research (TPAR) will be the driving framework
- An ethic of care that gives epistemic privilege to my students
- Student Observations
- Survey/Questionnaire
About Fatimah Salahuddin
Fatimah Salahuddin is a San Francisco native, Oakland educator, independent consultant, and research justice advocate with over 9 years of teaching experience. She currently teaches 10th grade English with an emphasis in Ethnic Studies and the 12th grade Graduate Research Seminar at Fremont High School in East Oakland. She also serves on Fremont’s professional development planning team supporting administration in the implementation of equity based grading practices. Most recently she was appointed on the Leadership Team of Agency by Design Oakland leading professional developments for educators across Oakland focused on equity and maker-centered learning. Fatimah received her Master of Arts degree in Education (emphasis in Teaching) in 2018 from Mills College as well as her undergraduate degree in Ethnic Studies in 2014.
