Junior Mental Toughness Development Toolkit

PRIMARY SCHOOL TOOLKIT EXERCISE CUE CARD PACK © AQR International 2016

The Junior Mental Toughness Development Toolkit The Mental Toughness Development Toolkit is an array of experiential exercises which can be run with individuals and/or small and large groups (whole classes). It also works well in conjunction with outdoor experiential exercises. This a flexible toolkit of exercises which can be adapted or applied in a variety of ways. There are two suggested options: Option 1 All of the tools can be downloaded as bundle and the activities can be delivered randomly as and when the teacher feels appropriate. The activities are easily integrated into a lesson or an activity. These will normally be run at the start of a lesson or activity, making a point which is of value in the remainder of the lesson (and indeed other lessons too). Many of the exercises can be run several times in slightly different ways enabling the content to focus on a specific outcome. Option 2 The curriculum map, gives a full academic year overview of how a mental toughness curriculum could be delivered for Y5 and Y6. The curriculum has been designed to meet the needs of the pupils as they travel through the academic year. Each week of the year has a specific focus on commitment, challenge, confidence or control with a relevant activity to be completed within that week. 1 © AQR International 2016

What is Mental Toughness – what can we assess and develop? Mental Toughness is a moderately plastic personality trait which determines in large part how individuals respond mentally to stress, pressure, opportunity and challenge. Research shows that Mental Toughness correlate closely with Performance; Well-being; Positive Behaviour and Aspirations. It has a significant impact on most key outcomes in the world of education. It applies to leaders, teachers as well as to pupils. As a concept, Mental Toughness embraces other well-known concepts and ideas such as resilience, grit, mindset, learned optimism and learned pessimism, as well as most definitions of character. Research shows that Mental Toughness has four elements often called the 4 Cs. These are commitment, confidence, challenge and control. Each has two sub-scales. This is shown in Table 1: Measuring Mental Toughness AQR, in partnership with Professor Peter Clough and his team of Psychologists at Manchester Metropolitan University has developed a version of the Mental Toughness measure which has specifically been designed to assess Mental Toughness in primary and junior school pupils. The MTI is a behaviour based inventory which is completed by a person (teacher or perhaps a teaching assistant) who knows the child or children well. It provides a basic score for a child on each of the 4 Cs of the mental toughness model: Control, Commitment, Challenge and Confidence. This allows for simple diagnosis of any potential development needs in these four areas and enables interventions to be introduced. Please email AQR if you’d like a trial. 2 © AQR International 2016

Table 1: What does the J-MTI Assess? MT Scale What this means … what does J-MTI assess CONTROL Life Control – I really believe I can do it Emotional Control – I can manage my emotions and the emotions of others COMMITMENT Goal Setting – I promise to do it – I like working to goals Achieving – I’ll do what it takes to keep my promises and achieve my goals CHALLENGE Risk Taking – I will push myself – I am driven to succeed Learning from Experience – even setbacks are opportunities for learning CONFIDENCE In Abilities – I believe I have the ability to do it – or can acquire the ability Interpersonal Confidence – I can influence others – I can stand my ground if needed. Can we develop Mental Toughness in individuals? Instinctively the answer is “we can”. Sports psychologists and sports coaches would argue that they have been doing this for many years with significant evidence of success. More practically, the answer still appears to be “yes we can”. One key question is “are we changing someone’s mental toughness or can we simply equip someone with tools and techniques that enable them to behave as a mentally tough person might behave?” The answer appears to be that, where the individual wants to change or develop it is possible to change one’s core mental toughness. We are not suggesting that anyone must develop their mental toughness. For those who see a benefit in their life or their work, there may be a good reason for developing mental toughness without necessarily become very mentally tough. There does seem to be some valuable advantages in life and work for those who are more mentally tough than most. The value of the model and the J-MTI measure is that it can help to identify which aspects of one’s mental toughness are preventing or hindering them from attaining, achieving well- being or leading a more positive life. Self-awareness is the key here. 3 © AQR International 2016

How does the toolkit work? There are two approaches to organising the exercises. One is to focus on the desired outcome – “I wish to improve my Mental Toughness in terms of the 4 Cs”. The others is to approach it from the perspective of ”enablers”. These fall into 6 broad headings:  Positive Thinking – Affirmations, Thought Stopping, Self Talk, etc.  Visualisation – Guided Imaging, etc.  Anxiety Control – Controlled Breathing, Relaxation, Distraction, etc.  Attentional Control – Dealing with Interruptions, Attention Span, etc.  Goal Setting – SMART Goals, “Eating the Elephant”, Balancing Goals, etc.  The MTQ48 test –Good feedback and reflection often provokes a positive response These all help to develop the capability to deal with stress, pressure and challenge and, where appropriate, to cope with these. The exercises in this toolkit are organised by the 4 Cs, pages 4 onwards show how these are related to the first 5 enablers. Many of these can impact on more than one of the 4 Cs. Using the Exercises The start point should be an accurate and realistic assessment of the individual’s mental toughness and their potential development needs ideally based on the use of the J-MTI measure. This enables the user to direct interventions appropriately. One useful indicator to examine is an individual’s challenge scores. Individuals who are mentally sensitive on this scale (typically scores of 1 – 3 perhaps 4) are less open to learning than individuals with higher levels of mental toughness. They may require more attention. Mental Toughness is developed as a result of experiential learning  Mental Toughness is learned – it is not easily taught. It is about developing a mindset. One can’t learn this just because you follow a process.  For the Individual– they may need to be supported to persevere until they “get it”. Practice is important.  For the Coach/Tutor – facilitation and coaching skills are important. Trialling and practising these skills is important. 4 © AQR International 2016

There is nevertheless an underlying process: Experience Through exercises and activities. Introduce the exercise to the individual and explain its purpose. Students carry out the exercise and assesses what difference it made to their thinking Reflection The absolute key to success. Get individuals to consider:  What occurred? – What difference was made? – Did they improve performance in some way – was this beneficial?  How did they feel? Was mood improved, did it boost confidence? Was it enjoyable? Did it make them want to do more? The key is to enable the individual to associate this feeling with their participation in the exercise.  What did they learn? Can doing things differently be effective? Does approaching things differently work? Does being positive produces surprising results? What could they now do that they didn’t think they could before? Where could they now apply this learning to other areas which are important – especially in school! Purposeful Practice Now the hard bit. Practice what you have learned until it becomes a habit. Then it becomes easier and the benefits will flow. What will you need? Some preparation time is needed before the activities are delivered. The cue cards clearly outline the task and the equipment needed for the delivery. 5 © AQR International 2016

Each exercise is supported with a cue card which provides full instructions for use and guidance for managing reflection and learning. 6 © AQR International 2016

INDEX OF MENTAL TOUGHNESS DEVELOPMENT EXERCISES AND MATERIALS Mental Toughness Development exercises and materials grouped by type and mental toughness component (4Cs). Most exercises can impact on more than one of the 4 components. The manner of delivery can influence on which of the 4Cs the exercise will have greatest impact. TYPE OF EXERCISE IMPACT POSITIVE THINKING Theme 1. Learn Ten Positive Words Positive thinking and engaging with others 2. Random Acts of Kindness Developing positive thoughts 3. Think Three Positives Reframing 4. Making Affirmations Making positive thoughts 5. Heroes & Heroines Positive aspects of role models 6. Making a Presentation All elements 7. Thermometer Exercise Dealing with irritants 8. About Me Collage Building a positive picture 9. Compliments Exercise Generating positive Feedback 10. Something you didn’t know about Presenting a positive about self me 11. What would I say to a friend? Dealing with a setback of failure 12. Airwaves understand the benefits of cooperation 13. I have learnt something new designed to connect with curriculum builds mental toughness across all of the 4Cs 14. Posing for success A Confidence Building Exercise – which shows the importance of body language 15. How good am I doing? A reflective exercise that helps build confidence. 16. 3 Successful things Poster Presenting a positive about self

INDEX OF MENTAL TOUGHNESS DEVELOPMENT EXERCISES AND MATERIALS VISUALISATION Theme 17. What does an exam feel like Applied visualisation 18. What will the world look like in …. Applied visualisation 19. Vision Boards Applied visualisation ANXIETY CONTROL 20. Progressive Muscular Relaxation Relaxation 21. Breathing & Calming Techniques Relaxation, panic control 22. De- Stresserizer 23. 5 X 30 Exercise Diary Discipline, Exercise & Wellbeing 24. Making a Fist Relaxation, panic control 25. Take Nine Breaths Relaxation, panic control ATTENTIONAL CONTROL Theme 26. Thunderclap Focus on a group task 27. US Basketball Exercise Concentration, Dealing with setback and goal setting 28. Number Grid Focus and Goal Setting 29. Pick A Card Focus 30. Bop-It Focus 31. Stork Stand Focus & Emptying the mind 32. Colour changing card trick A Concentration Exercise – This is also an excellent icebreaker 33. Juggling This exercise enhances a wide range of skills. GOAL SETTING Theme 34. What will I do tomorrow? Goal Setting & Positive Thinking 35. What is my goal? Goal Setting & Positive Thinking

INDEX OF MENTAL TOUGHNESS DEVELOPMENT EXERCISES AND MATERIALS 36. Eating the Elephant Setting Milestones 37. Target Practice Setting & achieving Goals 38. Sinking Ship Responding to a difficult challenge OVERALL MENTAL TOUGHNESS Theme 38. Dealing with Pre- Exam Nerves – Tips 39. Ten Quick Tips 40. Paper Towel Challenge

LEARN 10 POSITIVE WORDS Below are lists of 10 positive words for students in Years 5 & 6 to learn. Explain to students that they will be given 10 new words to learn which will have a positive impact on their mood and confidence. Students need to explore each word in detail. They need to:  Explore what the word means  When, typically do people use the word?  How do you feel when you think about the word?  What is the opposite of the word?  What is the opposite of the word? Year 5 Year 6 Successful Accomplishing Practice Transformed Learn Happiest Manageable Challenging Courageous Fearless Belief Kindness Independent Consistent Pursue Exciting Confident Hopeful Commitment Courageous © AQR International 2016

LEARN 10 POSITIVE W0RDS A Positive Thinking Exercise that builds Confidence and Control Running the exercise - A participative exercise which can be run as a short exercise or as a whole lesson. It’s a variation of the classic “learn 10 words” homework. 1. Explain that students will be given 10 new words to learn which all impact on mood – one’s sense of “can do” and one’s self confidence. 2. Explain that: Phase One  You are being given 10 new words to learn which are all special. You need to learn these individually.  Before the next lesson you should work in small groups (2 or 3 people) and take one of the words and explore it in detail.  Explore what the word means and when, typically, do people use it?  How do you feel when you think about the word?  What is the opposite of the word?  What does the opposite word mean and how does it make you feel when you think about it? Each small group will tell the class what they have found – they will have two minutes to do that. Everyone in the group must share something. Phase Two Ask each group to share what they have found and what they have learned. Teacher Review Ask the class what they have noticed about the words – do they recognise they are positive words and that the opposites are all negative? Then ask how the type of word makes them feel – positive ones should be motivating, negative words will be demotivating. Explain that “self-talk” is well established – the words we use in our heads influence what we do and our mood. What other negative words can they think of that are often used? What impact could they have on how they/people act and feel? What ideas do they have for removing the use of negative words or reducing them? © AQR International 2016

LEARN 10 POSITIVE W0RDS Background Self-talk is a well-established psychological technique widely used in coaching, business and in the sports world. Essentially, the type of language we use can influence significantly how we act and how we feel. Words like “but”, “if”, “could”, “might” can create or indicate a negative mindset. As Henry Ford once said “If you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t, you are probably right.” Improving the use of positive words and reducing the use of negative words (some are essential and can’t be totally eliminated) impacts on:  Our sense of Life Control  Commitment (going for it)  Challenge – taking on new and potentially scary things  Confidence – in our abilities and interpersonally Discussion Guides:  How did the pupils feel learning the ten words? – All words have been selected because they are positive  Did they understand how these differed from negative words?  Can they reflect on the language they use – in their heads and in talking to others?  What does it do to their motivation and what impression does it convey?  What can they do to improve?  Did they feel more positive after the exercise? Support Materials & Resources No special materials needed. A downloadable list of words (by year group/age) is available © AQR International 2016

Random Acts of Kindness A Positive Thinking Exercise Running the exercise - Paper and pencil. A highly participative exercise which can be run comfortably as a lesson or part of a lesson. 1. Students will need a sheet of paper. They can work individually or in small groups. Groups can be self-selecting or put together by the teacher. It’s an exercise which can be repeated at different times. 2. Explain that students will do an exercise where they will, individually or in small groups, identify and carry out a “Random Act of Kindness”. A RAK. Not only will the recipient benefit but the evidence shows that, in the process of giving, the individual or group will also experience a positive uplift through achieving something creating a more positive mindset. 3. Explain that: You can do this exercise on your own or in a small group. You need to identify a Random Act of Kindness that you will carry out for the benefit of someone else. A RAK or Random Act of Kindness is something nice that you do for someone else that you would not normally do, that the other person or persons would not expect but it would please the other person(s). There is no limit. It can be something quite small. Examples might include:  Buying a cup of coffee for someone (in parts of Italy people buy 2 cups of coffee, drink one and leave the other to be given to someone who needs it).  Tidying up the classroom.  Helping someone to tidy a garden.  Read a book to someone.  Donate food to a food store.  Bring nice biscuits for the teacher (that’s a joke!!) It’s best if the activity can be carried out quickly – within the next week/fortnight. Write down what your RAK is. Find someone else who will be your monitor, do it and go back to your monitor and describe what happened. Teacher Review Review after the agree time period. Ask class to describe what happened and how they felt having carried out the RAK. Repeat this a few times and then let students do this randomly in their own time. It can be important to vary the RAKS – so they don’t become routine and boring. © AQR International 2016

Random Acts of Kindness Background This is an exercise rooted in Positive Psychology. The neuroscience and social science research is clear: kindness changes the brain by the experience of kindness. Children and adolescents do not learn kindness by only thinking about it and talking about it. Kindness is best learned by feeling it so that they can reproduce it. Kindness is an emotion that students feel. It gives people a strong sense they're doing something that matters and heightens their sense of Control. The spin off benefits are that the RAKs have to be organised and delivered – enhancing Commitment and, because the RAK is usually directed towards a person, it helps in developing interpersonal relationships (Confidence). Discussion Guides:  How did the recipient of your RAK respond?  How did you feel having carried out your RAK?  Did it make you feel that you had achieved something useful? And that you can achieve more?  What difference does this make for them? Has it improved confidence?  Where and how can this feedback help in their school work and life outside school? Support Materials & Resources This can be done on plain paper or post it notes. Students write down their RAK and by when they will do it. This can then be displayed where it can be seen by others. © AQR International 2016

Think Three Positives Exercise A Positive Thinking Exercise Running the exercise - Paper and pencil version- a short (10 minute) exercise which could be run at the end of each school day for a period of time (3 – 4 weeks) to enable a habit to develop. 1. Students will need paper or a diary where they can record in writing. Pre-printed A3 sheets designed for this are available in pads of 50 from AQR. These can be used for students doing this on their own when the initial programme is finished 2. Explain that students will do an exercise which will help them to focus on their achievements and successes …. Creating a more positive mindset. 3. Explain that: You are to think about what you have done today. Write down three things that you think or feel you have done well. They have to be something you have done. It mustn’t be something that has happened to you – like you watched your team win. It doesn’t have to be something big. Did anyone say thank you or well done to you today? Did you learn something that you didn’t know yesterday? Did you do something nice for or with someone – even if they didn’t notice? Did you hand your coursework in on time today! You have 5 minutes Teacher Review When students complete their 3 things, let them go but ask them to think about those things later on. Ask them how they feel about themselves. Have they recorded things they would otherwise have taken for granted? At the end of each week ask students to look at their week – how do they feel? At the end of the cycle ask again. This exercise can be usefully adjusted to focus on an issue: What three things have you learned today? What three problems have you solved today? What three things made you feel good today? etc. 4. Once students are in the habit of doing this regularly, ask them to continue doing it at home. The pre-printed sheets are particularly useful for this. Review this monthly asking students to bring their sheets or diaries to class. © AQR International 2016

Think Three Positives Exercise Background This is an exercise in Cognitive Behavioural Modification. Most of us, when we encounter problems we dwell on them. In turn this means that they can acquire significance out of proportion to their true value and can dominate our mood and our mindset. The reality is that we all get most of what we do right, but don’t see it as special. When we get things wrong, it feels like we get it all wrong. By focusing on the positives we can change our mood which impacts on our Mindset. The goal here is to show young people how to focus on their positives, their achievements big and small, rather than on the problems and difficulties they have encountered – and even if their achievements are small to build on these. Discussion Guides: Why do students think their score has changed (hopefully up)? Do people feel more positive and more in control? What difference does this make for them? E.g. when doing things that might be difficult to understand or do? Why do they think thinking positively helps performance, wellbeing and behaviour? Support Materials & Resources Pre-printed A3 sheets specially designed for this with double sided grids are available in pads of 50 from AQR. NOTE – Teacher review: An option is to ask students to self-assess mood on a scale of 1 – 10 before and after, say, a 4 week cycle. See below for a rating scale. For most there will be a change in positivity. Ask each student to consider why that has occurred. Teacher Review – Assessing Mood Students rate their mood/day on a scale of 1 – 10. Do this manually guiding assessment as follows: 1-3 - I definitely don’t feel in control of my life and my work. 4-7 - I feel in control some of the time but not all of the time. 8-10 - I pretty much feel I am getting things done because I know I can. Estimate a rough average for the class. Share this. Class discussion: Ask class – what are the factors that lead you to this kind of assessment of the day? This may bring up issues which can usefully be used for other MT development exercises. © AQR International 2016

THINK THREE POSITIVES EVERY DAY – DEVELOPING POSITIVE THINKING My Name is …………………………………… This short exercise helps to think about and appreciate what you have achieved each day. Too often we think about the things that have gone wrong and we let that dominate our thoughts. At the end of each day – either at school or at home – think about three things that you have done well. They don’t always have to be “big” things. They can be anything that you feel pleased about. This can include things that you have learned that you didn’t know before. Include comments made by you teachers, parents, friends, etc. We all do lots of things well that we sometime stake for granted. Write them into each box on the sheet below. Once you have got used to doing this your mood should begin to change and you should see the world more positively – it’s full of opportunity as well as problems and setbacks. Developing a positive mindset enables us to feel more in control, improve our confidence and see learning new things in a positive light. Before you start assess how positive you feel about school and life on a scale of 1 – 10 with 10 being very positive: My score is: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday How you I feel this week? Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 You can see that you have achieved a great deal over this period. Re- assess how positive you now feel about school and life on a scale of 1 – 10 with 10 being very positive: My score is: You can continye to do this at home in the evenings. It only takes a few minutes but helps you to think about your day and what progress you are making ©AQR International 2016 – 7 day version

Making Affirmations A Positive Thinking Exercise An exercise which shows you how to develop positive thinking which impacts on all components of mental toughness but especially on Challenge. Running the exercise – students need a sheet of paper. This runs in two phases: Explain that: Phase One Draw a line down the centre of the sheet of paper. You have one minute to write, on one side of the line, five weaknesses that you think you have. Now you have one minute to write down five strengths on the other side of the line. Teacher Review Which was easier to do? Why was that? We find it easier to think about our weakness than our strengths. And that can hold us back. We are what we think! You have amazing power over yourself because everything you know, do or feel is based on what’s going on in your head. If we think negative thoughts or critical or demeaning thoughts these affect what we do. These are called self-limiting beliefs and they can build up. A way of dealing with this is to develop “affirmations”. Positive statements that we adopt and keep in the mind to feel more positive. Like a personal slogan! Phase Two - Affirmations On the back of your sheet of paper, I want you to develop and write short statements that you can hold in your head and that you can use every time you have to do something challenging or difficult or risky. You can do this on your own or in pairs but the affirmations must belong to you. You must be really comfortable with them. You have 15 minutes to develop two or three. To make a good one they need to be:  In the present tense  Be positively phrased (not “I won’t do this anymore”)  Make you feel good when you think or say it (it’s called an emotional reward) Teacher review: Are all the students happy with their affirmations? Will they commit to using them? Ask them to run the phrases though their heads and check if they feel more positive. Lots of athletes use affirmations to deal with setbacks. © AQR International 2016

Making Affirmations Background This is an exercise widely used in sport to help athletes to either deal with setback or to prepare themselves for a challenge or a new situation which might take them out of their comfort zone. Support Materials & Resources None – other than sheet of paper. Students should record their affirmations somewhere – a diary, on a phone etc. Sample Affirmations:  I am a calm, methodical and efficient worker.  I can make a difference.  I can achieve difficult tasks.  I work well under pressure.  I enjoy solving problems.  I love that feeling of having achieved so much in a day.  I enjoy being calm when others around me are not.  I am going to learn from what I do – even if challenging.  I will rise to the occasion.  I am going to learn how to enjoy doing new things. © AQR International 2016

Heroes and Heroines A Challenge Building Exercise – Looking at people who have overcome fears, concerns and disadvantages to achieve something – potential role models. Running the exercise – The exercise runs in two parts – a brief and a discussion. Phase One- the Brief You are to identify someone who you admire and who has made a success of their life despite adversity. They have had to overcome some disadvantage. They don’t have to be famous, they could be someone you know or your friends or family know. What is it about them that you admire? – What have they done, their attitude etc.? Next time we want each of you to share your thoughts with the class. You will have one – two minutes to do that. Phase Two – Sharing your story Each of you should tell us about your hero or heroine. Teacher Review: What is the common thread behind all of the stories? Why have obstacles, fears and disadvantages not stopped these people? What kind of things have they done to make sure they achieve? To what extent was their mindset – their attitude important? What lessons can we learn for ourselves from these? What can each person commit to doing that helps them to deal with the challenges and issues they face in school and in their lives? Background & Discussion Guidelines This is an exercise in reflection. There are many good role models around but we might not take enough time to reflect deeply on what they do and what they achieve so that we can transfer learning. In many instances, the emerging lesson is simple – sticking to things, not letting others get to you, having a goal that inspires you, believing in yourself. An important lesson here is that disadvantage and setback is challenging, but there is nothing to fear from fear or failure if we learn from our mistakes and from others who have conquered similar. Support Materials & Resources No special materials. Students can post their development action on a board/ wall (post it notes?) Could ask class to design a poster which captures learning? © AQR International 2016

Presentation Exercise Whole Lesson Exercises This is an experiential exercise which can be run over three (possibly two) lessons. It operates in up to three distinct phases. Lesson One – Making a presentation 1. Organise students into groups of five (or six). 2. Advise them that:  They need to prepare, individually, a short four minute presentation on a topic which they will then present to the other members of their group. All address the same topic. They mustn’t confer. They will present in sequence (draw lots).  After each short presentation they will each have to address one question to the presenter – to improve their understanding of what they have heard. This can be set as a piece of homework in advance of the delivery of presentations. It can be a useful and interesting piece of homework where students are asked to write up their idea in a short essay. Students deliver the presentations to each other. It is possible to handle four – six presentations and questions and answers in a 40 – 60 minute lesson. Teacher Review – Group and/or Individual Discussion  What do they think went well and what could they have done better?  What pleased them about their own presentation?  How did they feel before their presentation, what did they feel afterwards?  What did they learn – including from watching what others did?  What would they do differently if asked to do it again? Lesson Two – Choosing the Best Idea Keep students in their groups.  Each group is to work together to decide which was the best idea or whether there was a good idea which emerged from the presentations. So that all contribute, provide a hat. Only the person with the hat can speak and they can only make one point. They then pass the hat to the next person. An option is to say that no-one can champion their own idea.  All must then work on the idea to turn it into something they can present to the rest of the class. Everyone must participate in presenting this idea. It is useful to split a lesson into two. The first half used to develop the best idea. The second half is used to prepare for a presentation. Students might wish to find additional time to prepare the presentation away from the lesson. © AQR International 2016

Presentation Exercise Teacher Review – Group discussion  How did they feel about letting go of their idea?  Did they feel that they could influence others?  Did they feel they contributed to the group’s idea?  What did they learn? They can be told that this is what happens in work and everywhere. It’s not always about pushing your idea – it’s about contributing to make a great idea Lesson Three – Presenting the group idea Students present their group idea to the rest of the class. Allow six minutes. Everyone in the group must be involved. On completion of all ideas, each group identifies one thing they liked about each of the other presentations and shares that with the class. One option is for the class to vote on the best idea. . Teacher Review – Group/ Class Discussion  Did everyone enjoy doing this?  How did you make sure you did a good job?  Do students feel more positive and confident?  How would they feel about doing another presentation?  What difference does this experience make for them?  What did they learn about team working? Did they achieve more than expected? Did they work well with each other?  Why do they think this might help performance, wellbeing and behaviour? © AQR International 2016

Presentation Exercise Background and Objectives for the Sessions To show young people how to present information orally with a degree of interpersonal confidence. The exercise also shows them how to learn how to ask questions and to influence others. It will impact on:  Interpersonal Confidence.  Challenge (doing something which might scare some).  Commitment (setting goals and working to achieve them). It is an experiential exercise which requires structured reflection to enable them to extract learning and build confidence and a sense of control (both in terms of “can do” as well as emotional control). An important and valuable by–product is learning how to work together in teams. Discussion Guides: The exercise demands that they do something that a lot of people don’t like doing, presentations, as well as doing something moderately complex to demanding deadlines and dealing with others orally.  What was their initial approach to the exercise? How do they now feel?  What did they least look forward to doing? How did they cope or deal with it?  What did they learn from others?  What is the one thing with which they will come away from this exercise? Support Materials & Resources Students are provided with Instruction Sheets for each phase of the exercise. A sample instruction sheet is shown overleaf. Students should record in writing what they have learned from the exercise. This can be in a diary or on the Think 3 Positives Sheets* available from AQR. Instruction Sheets can set the theme of the presentation. It can be varied but ideally should always focus on some aspect of the school. Examples include:  A benefactor has offered £5000 to the school to improve some aspect of it. What is your idea?  At times the school and the grounds are untidy. What would you suggest to improve that?  What could you and your classmates do to? © AQR International 2016

Presentation Exercise STUDENTS BRIEF HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE SCHOOL? This is an exercise where you will need to make two presentations - once on your own and once in a group. You teacher will tell you when you should do this exercise You are to imagine that a benefactor has offered the school £5000 to be used for any purpose which would help the school to be even better. It can be spent on any good idea but it can only be spent on one idea. It can be spent on staff, pupils, parents, materials, events, activities etc. – anything. The school has decided to ask pupils to come up with ideas that they think will benefit the school. If the benefactors like the idea, they will agree to give £5000 each year so that the idea can be repeated in future years. The situation is competitive – only the best idea will go forward. The ideas will be assessed in terms of how it benefits the school in some way. In the first lesson, you are being asked to think of an idea on your own. Do not discuss your ideas with others at this stage. Then, allocated to a group, you will share your idea with others in the group by making a short (maximum 4 minute) presentation to others in your group. When you have heard each presentation you will be expected to ask one question from each presenter. This should be to help you understand the idea. It should not be critical of the idea. In the second lesson you will work together in your group to pick the best idea or to create a new idea from the ideas which have been suggested and present to the class. © AQR International 2016

The Pressure Pot A Positive Thinking Exercise Running the exercise – this exercise requires the thermometer worksheet and takes around 15 – 20 minutes to complete. Hand out the thermometer worksheet to each student. Explain to them that they will be using this thermometer to identify what ‘stresses them out’ and what makes them calm. The aim of the exercise will be to identify ways that students can begin to control their emotions and cope with stress more effectively. Explain to the students that: 1. Need to think of two things in each of the categories. The categories are - furious - angry - frustrated - calm 2. They should spend a little time thinking about each of the categories before filling them in. What they might think as something that makes them furious in the first instance may only be a frustration. 3. Offer some light prompts around school life, exams, home, sports. Try to be balanced and get them to think of calm influences as much as stressful ones. 4. When they have filled in the categories, get the students to spend a couple of minutes thinking of ways that they could try to respond to those situations in a different way. 5. Get the students to write down next to some/all of the answers ways that they may be able to control the situation better. Reflecting on this aspect may be a good catalyst for them in understanding some exaggerated importance in the grand scheme of things. Teacher Review Ask the students to think of a time recently when they have felt furious. How did they feel? What did they do to calm down? Ask them how they think it impacted on other people around them. Get them to think about how they can manage their emotions a little more and identify the triggers that may get them up to furious levels. © AQR International 2016

The Pressure Pot NOTE – Teacher review: Using this exercise will focus the student on what really causes them stress. By identifying the issue they can begin to break it down and find out ways of controlling the stressful situation/action. The exercise will also draw attention to the aspects of their life in which they are comfortable with (the calm). Background Exercises such as this are very helpful in visualising problems and stressors. By having the indicator of the thermometer it can show how an individual interprets a situation. What may be stressful for one person may be calming for another (an example of this would be swimming). Exercises such as this focus on the individual’s perceptions of what they can and cannot cope with. Support Materials & Resources The Thermometer worksheet Pens © AQR International 2016

Thermometer Worksheet Write two things or situations that make you feel each of the emotions listed below. Furious 1. ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Angry 1. ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Frustrated 1. ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Calm 1. ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ © AQR International 2016

About Me Collage A Confidence and Self-Esteem exercise Running the exercise – paper and pens will be needed along with catalogues/newspapers/magazines. Scissors and glue will also be needed. 1. Give each student a piece of paper. 2. Ask each student to write his/her name in the middle of the piece of paper. 3. Give the students 15 minutes to go through magazines and catalogues to cut out what best represents them – this can be food, music, sports etc. 4. Ask the students to glue the pictures they have cut out around their name on the piece of paper. Give them 5 minutes to complete this. 5. Once the students have completed gluing in the pictures ask them to explain (in pairs or to the class) what they have added and why it represents them. 6. Explain that: You need to have a good look through the magazines and cut out anything that you feel represents you. It can be anything at all but focus on things you like or want to achieve. Ask them to get as many as possible to fill the paper around their name. The total time for this exercise is 20 minutes plus 10-15 minutes for reflective responses. Teacher Review Ask the group who would like to go first at explaining their collage to the class/their partner. Usually there will be a silence but one or two will put their hand up. Once this happens the others will follow and the confidence of the others will rise. It doesn’t have to be a long explanation, just enough to cover the reasons why they picked some of the pictures. NOTE – Teacher review: This exercise can be done a couple of times over the academic year and can provide some good reflection time for the students to view how they have grown and matured. Often collages will change over time and this will show how they are growing by the different types of pictures and colours and themes. © AQR International 2016

About Me Collage Background This is a very easy visual exercise which is used to promote the positive outlook of an individual without having to resort to words. By focusing on the positive pictures and colours in the collage we can change our mood which impacts on our mindset. The goal here is to show young people how to focus on their positives and how by looking at their collages they can get a sense of positivity and even challenge to achieve. Teacher notes This exercise can be used successfully at any stage of the student’s school life. It can be used to support career aspirations or exam success by using pictures of what they want to achieve in the future. The key will be to encourage the student to look at the positive aspects of this exercise. Support Materials & Resources Paper Pens Glue and Scissors Magazines/catalogues/newspapers © AQR International 2016

Compliments Exercise A Confidence, Concentration and Self-Esteem exercise Running the exercise – you will need bean bags or balls (juggling balls are good) and some room to stand up in a circle. 1. Ask the students to stand in a circle, all facing inwards. It will be dependent on the size of the room available and the number of students to determine the circle size. 2. Ask each student to get ready to catch a beanbag/ball and as they catch listen to what the person is throwing it says to them. 3. Tell them that when they receive the beanbag/ball they need to look for someone to throw the beanbag/ball to and as they do so that they say a positive word about them. 4. Begin by throwing a beanbag/ball to a student and saying a positive word to describe them. 5. The student then should be encouraged to throw the beanbag/ball to another person and say something positive about them as they do so. 6. This can then go around the group as many times as you wish, trying not to miss anyone out. Explain that: By focusing on what is being said you are increasing your concentration levels while taking on board the positive words that others are saying about you. The total time for this exercise is 10 minutes Teacher Review Ask the group how they felt hearing the words about them said by others. Did they think the words were a true representation of them? Did they think that of themselves? Get the students to pick the word that made them feel best about themselves NOTE – Teacher review: Using positive words will show some of the students that their peers think more highly of them that they might think so. It will be important to ensure that students do not digress from the positivity of the exercise. © AQR International 2016

Compliments Exercise Background This is a very easy active exercise which is used to promote the positive outlook of an individual without having to assess themselves. It can be used as an energiser or as a contributor around wellbeing. The concentration aspect of the game can also be used for sports teams in the school to get them to focus and listen to team members. By focusing on the positive words being said by others and concentrating on the catching and throwing of the beanbag/ball it heightens the awareness of the words being used to describe the individual and the words to be chosen to describe the person they will be throwing to. The goal here is to show young people how others perceive them even if they do not think so themselves. It also gives an opportunity for students to reflect on the positive aspects of their peers. Teacher notes As a starting point (depending on numbers of students participating) one bag can be used, however if the students are prepared you can add a second or third beanbag into the exercise – this will increase concentration levels and humour. Support Materials & Resources Beanbags or balls Some space to create a circle © AQR International 2016

“Something You Didn’t Know about me” An Interpersonal Confidence Building Exercise Running the exercise – an exercise which typically takes about a 40 session lesson to complete for a class. 1. Students do this individually. 2. Students will be asked to identify something about themselves – “an amazing or interesting fact” – which no-one or only a few know about. At a subsequent session they are to share it with the class. 3. In the first short brief explain that: You will work individually. I want you to identify something about yourself that no-one or only a very few know about you and next time we are together you will share all your “amazing secrets” with each other. It can be something you do or have done in the past; someone you’ve met or is, maybe, related to you. It can be something you are going to do. In the next session you will have one minute tell us all your “fact”, why it is interesting and useful and what impact it has had on your or family or friends. How did it make you feel? 4. In the follow up session, ask the students to: Present their “fact” or “information” and what impact it has on them. They need only take one minute each. At the end we’ll look at what we’ve learned and what we’ve learned from each other. Teacher Review This is a simple task which means that students need to identify something interesting about themselves or their immediate connections (family, friends, etc.) Suggested questions: How did they feel about presenting their information? Nervous but OK? How hard was it to do this? Has it helped to understand the subject better? How interesting was it to hear everyone else’s information An option is to get the class to vote for the most “interesting fact” and perhaps the most “surprising fact”. © AQR International 2016

“Something You Didn’t Know about me” Background This is an exercise which builds mental toughness across all of the 4Cs – control, commitment, challenge and confidence. Discussion Guides: Why do students feel good when they have completed this task? How does that feeling compare to when they fail to achieve a task? What difference does this make for them? Does it make them more or less positive about speaking and sharing their ideas? What has this done for their confidence to present to others? Are they more likely to tell others what they think and know? What has this done for their confidence in their abilities? Support Materials & Resources There are no materials needed. It can be useful to capture the ideas on a flipchart or recordable white board and keep them posted in full view for a short while. © AQR International 2016

“What would I say to a friend?” A Confidence Building Exercise developing Positive Thinking using visualisation Running the exercise – an exercise which typically takes about a 40 minute lesson to complete for a class including class discussion 1. Students can do this individually or in small groups 2. Students are asked to look at a couple of case studies which describe setbacks which are typical of their situation. They are to imagine that the setback has occurred for someone they know well and who has turned to them for help. 3. In the first short brief explain that: You will work individually. I want you to look at a couple of situations described on the handout and imagine you are the friend to whom the person has turned for help. These describe some setbacks which have upset them. You have 10 minutes to do that. Then I want you all to share what you think you could do to cheer your friend up. How can you find the positives in their situation? 4. Then Present your ideas for helping your friend and what impact it has on them. They need only take one minute each and many may come up with the same suggestions. 5. Finally At the end we’ll look at what we’ve learned and what we’ve learned from each other. Teacher Review This is a simple task which enables students to look at a negative situation from a different perspective other than their own. Suggested questions: How difficult was it to think of positive aspects of each situation? Do you think that most setbacks and problems can be turned into positives? How did they feel about helping someone else with their problems? Do they think they could do something like this for themselves when they have problems and setbacks? How did they feel about presenting their information? Nervous but OK? How hard was it to do this? Has it helped to understand the subject better? An option is get the class to vote for the most “interesting fact” and perhaps the most “surprising fact” © AQR International 2016

“What would I say to a friend?” Background This is an exercise which builds Mental Toughness across all of the 4Cs – Control, Commitment, Challenge and Confidence – especially around confidence. It is based on a technique called “reframing” where a negative situation is examined in more detail than usual to identify where there are elements which may be positive or which can be reframed to be positive. It employs visualisation to enable the “coach” to see the situation from another’s perspective. In turn they can learn to do that for themselves. When something goes wrong for them, what would they say to a friend? It can usefully be run with Random Acts of Kindness reinforcing the positive thinking message. Discussion Guides: Why do students feel good when they have completed this task? Are all failures and setbacks 100% failures? – almost all have something positive even if it’s about learning from the experience. Every cloud has a silver lining. What difference does speaking in the class make for them? Does it make them more or less positive about speaking and sharing their ideas? What has this done for their confidence to engage with others? What has this done for their interpersonal confidence? What could someone learn from the situation? Do they recognise the progress they have made? They are improving/doing better – that can continue. What could they have done differently that could have helped? Support Materials & Resources Scenarios which can be printed and handed out. Sample scenarios are provided with this exercise. You can develop your own too. Options for variations:  Students work in pairs, taking a situation each, and actually simulate a feedback discussion. Followed by review.  Students identify typical scenarios which can be set to the class. © AQR International 2016

Dealing with setbacks – what would I say to a friend? Two of your classmates are in the situation described below. They need your help and need encouragement. Consider what you would say to each of them to make them feel better. Situation 1 Your best friend has only just missed out on getting a good result for their last assignment. In the last term he/she hadn’t done very well with assignments and test but he/she had decided to really up their performance. They had really worked hard and got a better assessment than was recently the case. Everyone was really impressed with his/her progress. What would you say to your friend to make them feel more positive? Situation 2 One of your classmates has been training for a 10 kilometre run for six months now. They have been training 4 times a week in all weather conditions running up to 40 kilometres a week. The week before the run, they fall and twist their ankle whilst training. Not only can they not compete, they will need to rest their leg and will be hobbling for several weeks. He/she is, of course, extremely upset and disappointed. What would you say to your friend to make them feel more positive? © AQR International 2016

Airwaves A confidence, challenge and self-esteem exercise Running the exercise – a blown up balloon will be needed and some space for students to get into a standing circle. 1. Ask students to stand in a circle and hold hands with the people next to them on either side. 2. Explain to the students that the aim of the exercise is to keep the balloon in the air for as many hits as they can. 3. The main rule of the exercise is that the students can hit the balloon with any part of their body APART from their feet. 4. The students cannot break the connection of hands. If they do so, they need to begin again. 5. Explain that: By working together and moving as a collective they will become more successful in keeping the balloon in the air. This will require them to work in cooperation with their peers and communicate effectively. The total time for this exercise is 10 minutes. Teacher Review This exercise can be used with any age group. It can be made more interesting/difficult for students by adding more balloons into the circle. If the group have not taken part in this exercise before you can show them ways of keeping the balloon in the air and get them to practice a little by themselves before creating a circle. NOTE – Teacher review: This exercise can be done with small groups or larger groups (depending on space available). You could have smaller groups competing against each other to get the highest score. Once students are used to the exercise it could be interesting to ask them to do it without talking to each other. Get them to think about whether it will be easier or harder to keep the balloon in the air in silence. © AQR International 2016

Airwaves Background The aim of the exercise is for the students to understand the benefits of cooperation and understanding. By linking hands they will have to work with each other to be successful. Adding elements such as additional balloons will initially cause confusion in the group – this will offer itself well to managing their interpersonal confidence and control. Focusing on communication is another benefit of this exercise. Students will be able to develop their skills in listening and talking with peers more confidently. Support Materials & Resources Balloons A space large enough for a circle of students © AQR International 2016

“I Have Learned Something New” Exercise A Confidence Building Exercise Running the exercise – an exercise which typically takes a 40 or 60 minute lesson to complete. It is designed to connect with curriculum and can be easily integrated into lessons. 1. Students can either do this singly or be organised into small groups of 2- 4. 2. Students will be asked to look back at a recent or current series of lessons on a subject and will be tasked to identify one useful or relevant fact about the subject which hasn’t been given to them in lessons. It can apply to any subject. 3. In the first short brief (at the end of a lesson) explain that: You will work individually (or in small groups). We have been looking at (subject or topic). What I want you to do is to go away and look at that subject and find a piece of information or a fact about the subject that we haven’t necessarily covered in the lessons. It can be something about the subject or it can be something which is connected to the subject (like an application in some other area- maths, physics and chemistry will lend itself easily to that). In the next lesson you will have 1 – 2 minutes tell us all what you have learned, why it is interesting and useful and why it helps to understand the subject even more. 4. In the follow up lesson, ask the students to Present their new “fact” or “information” and why it helped them to understand the subject better. They need only take 1-2 minutes each. At the end we’ll look at what we’ve learned and what we’ve learned from each other. Teacher Review This is a simple task which means that students have to try to grasp the subject and go off to read something about it. It is important to acknowledge each student’s contribution – particularly for the work they have put into it. Ask them: How did they go around looking for the “new fact”? How did they feel when they discover it? Did it feel good and enjoyable? How did they feel about presenting their information? Nervous but OK? How hard was it to do this? Has it helped to understand the subject better? How useful was it to hear everyone’s ideas. © AQR International 2016

“I Have Learned Something New” Exercise Background This is an exercise which in addition to being connected with the main curriculum, builds mental toughness across all of the 4Cs – control, commitment, challenge and confidence Discussion Guides: Why do students feel good when they have completed this task – which is essentially about learning? How does that feeling compare to when they fail to achieve a task? What difference does this make for them? Does it make them more or less positive about learning – maybe in other subjects too? How important was planning and organising? What could they have done better or differently? What have they learned about doing other things that sometimes feel hard to do? What has this done for their confidence to present to others? What has this done for their confidence in their abilities? Do they feel they can grasp the subject better and now know how to learn better? Support Materials & Resources There are no materials needed. It can be useful to capture all the ideas on a flipchart or recordable white board and keep them posted in full view for a short while. It can also be useful to copy everything and distribute it to everyone if they haven’t recorded this as the session goes along. NOTE – Teacher Review You can re-run this exercise regularly towards the end of a series of lessons to help to consolidate learning. The approach is straightforward.  As students become more practised and more confident, they may begin to do some of this on their own initiative.  It may be needed to guide students to sources of information – web-sites, books, etc.  The exercise also provides opportunity for Dweck’s notion of providing positive feedback to students for completing tasks which involve working hard. © AQR International 2016

Posing for Success A Confidence Building Exercise – which shows the importance of body language Running the exercise – an exercise which typically takes about 5 – 10 minutes. It is useful in its own right and as an “ice breaker” to energise a group at the start of a piece of work like a lesson or an exercise. It is useful to look at a short 5 minute video as preparation for this exercise. It can be shown to participants before or, preferably after an initial attempt. See: http://www.academybridge.org/videogallery/power-posing-for-success/ 1. Students do this individually 2. Students will be asked to adopt a pose and then describe how it impacts on mood and feelings. 3. In the first brief explain that: You will work individually. I am going to show you how to boost your confidence in two minutes. The trick is to open up your body and take up more space. In other words, “make yourself big!” To do so, stand with your legs spread with your hands rising high above your head and stretch yourself out making yourself as big as you can. Hold this pose for a minute or preferably two. Then think about how you now feel? 4. Note: Individuals can easily do this themselves whenever needed. Teacher Review This is a simple task which can have a big impact. It is useful to do it before an activity – like doing a short presentation to others. Does the individual sense a change in their mood – and confidence? How useful is that – what are the benefits? When could it be useful to do this short exercise – work, study, play, etc? How easy was it to do? Now do it every day – its only 1 – 2 minutes. © AQR International 2016

Posing for Success Background This is an exercise which builds the confidence element of mental toughness. Harvard Business School professor, Amy Cuddy, suggests a simple exercise, which will quickly and positively reconfigure your brain by reducing your cortisol (stress hormone) and increasing your testosterone levels by up to 20%. Discussion Guides: Can students feel the change in mood? Do any find it difficult? Practice will improve it. Some will instinctively do the opposite and make themselves small – and may find it more difficult too. If they then have to do something, like a task or participate in something, what difference does it make to completing the task? How does that feeling compare to when they fail to achieve a task? What has this done for their interpersonal confidence? Are they more likely to tell others what they think and know? What has this done for their confidence in their abilities? Support Materials & Resources There are no materials needed. It can be useful to capture the ideas on a flipchart or white board and keep them posted in full view for a short while. © AQR International 2016

How I’m doing? A Reflective Exercise Running the exercise – you will need the ‘how am I doing worksheet’. 1. Give each pupil a printed worksheet. 2. Ask each pupil to think about a goal they’ve set for themselves this year. 3. In the first box they list down all the things that have gone well. 4. In the second box they identify all the things that haven’t gone to plan. 5. Finally, in the voice box, pupils should identify what action they need to keep them/or put them back on track. Teacher Review When delivering this exercise it’s sometimes helpful to share an example form your own experience. Is useful for pupils to see that sometimes things don’t go to plan and we have to make changes to our goal or the process. © AQR International 2016

How I’m doing? Background This is simple exercise to allow pupils time to reflect on the progress they are making in school or towards a specific goal that they might have set themselves. Reflection is an important aspect of developing commitment. Many people have goals but don’t stick with them or don’t give them the required effort. By reflecting on the process you can make adjustments to the goal. It also helps to avoid giving-up in the future. Discussion Guides: Ask pupils if they would like to share their goal and how things have gone? Who’s successfully achieved their goal? What stopped pupils from reaching their goal? Where these obstacles in their control? What can we do if we feel like we are not going to reach our goal? Support Materials & Resources How am I doing worksheet Pens © AQR International 2016

Name: ________________________ Date: __________ My Goal…. _________________ Goal Setting Sh What went well? What hasn’t gone well? © AQR International 2016

3 Successful Things Poster An Exercise in building confidence. Running the exercise – Teacher Review © AQR International 2016

3 Successful Things Poster Background Discussion Guides: Support Materials & Resources © AQR International 2016

“What does an exam feel like” Exercise A Visualisation Exercise Running the exercise – A simple exercise which challenges students to visualise what the pressure of sitting an exam might feel like … and to use the inside of their heads to develop coping strategies. 1. Explain that students will do an exercise which will help them to visualise how they will feel at the start of an important examination or test. The exercise is completed individually 2. Explain that: Phase One You are to imagine sitting at the start of an exam ready to open an exam paper. You might find it helpful to close your eyes. Make a real effort to imagine you are really there. It’s a tough exam but you have done your prep. You are told to turn your paper over and start. Now: Imagine what you will do for the next 3 or 4 minutes. The person next to you groans. It’s a tough paper. Imagine how you are feeling? When told to stop, write down on a sheet of paper very briefly what you imagined and how you felt. Phase Two Now I want you close your eyes and re-imagine the same scenario. This time I want you stop at each tricky point and imagine what you could do to deal with the tricky point. What to do if you didn’t understand the question; what to do if you feel panic; what to do if your pen doesn’t work, etc. When told to stop, write down very briefly what you have now imagined Phase Three The class shares experiences and what they would do. Teacher Review Suggested questions: How did the first bit feel? Did you feel panic or the pressure? How hard was it to do this? How difficult was it to imagine something when you weren’t actually there? Do you imagine being in an exam like this? What do you think it does for your positive state of mind? How difficult was it to think about ways of dealing with the pressure in your head? How would that help in the real situation? © AQR International 2016

“What does an exam feel like” Exercise Background This exercise demonstrates visualisation- the ability to use the inside of one’s head to imagine and feel a situation that is not actually there. However psychologists tell us that the experience can be as real as if it really happened. We can also manipulate what’s in our heads – making it better, more positive, less threatening, etc.) Students should be able to connect anxiety control exercises and good preparation as ways of dealing with and avoiding the panic moments. The exercise also picks up on interpersonal confidence in that they have to tell the rest of the class about their visualisations and may also share their feelings about the visualised situation. The goal here is to show young people how to use the inside of their heads to focus on opportunities and where, threats exist, to learn (inside their heads) how to deal with them. Discussion Guides: When everyone has shared their ideas ask the class to discuss what tools and techniques would help in this situation. Making a good start to an exam or test is important. This shows that they can manipulate ideas in their head – making them positive and dealing with negatives thoughts. This is a very good exercise to run after running the “What will the world look like in …?” exercise. Why do students feel good when they make a good start – even with a simple task? How does that feeling compare to when they struggle? Support Materials & Resources No special materials required. © AQR International 2016