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Contact
About Me
Hello! My name is Alana Cummings and I am the Nine Mile Falls Elementary school counselor. This is my 10th year in the district (I was the high school counselor for 5 years before moving to the elementary!). The transition was an easy one because of the welcoming staff and students here at Nine Mile. I feel so fortunate to love my job. Working with your children is so rewarding and I am just happy to be with them and offer guidance during this time in their lives.
Here is a little bit about me:
I went to Riverside High School in Chattaroy, WA and have lived in the Spokane area my whole life. I attended and played basketball for SFCC and received my Bachelors and Masters degrees from Eastern Washington University. I am married and have two beautiful, sweet, and at times bossy and sassy (I mean, independent with leadership qualities) little girls. In my spare time, I enjoy dancing with my girls, doing yard work (I love raking and mowing the lawn), reading, water skiing and wake boarding, eating but not cooking, traveling and most of all, spending time at the lake with my family.
Here is a little bit about me:
I went to Riverside High School in Chattaroy, WA and have lived in the Spokane area my whole life. I attended and played basketball for SFCC and received my Bachelors and Masters degrees from Eastern Washington University. I am married and have two beautiful, sweet, and at times bossy and sassy (I mean, independent with leadership qualities) little girls. In my spare time, I enjoy dancing with my girls, doing yard work (I love raking and mowing the lawn), reading, water skiing and wake boarding, eating but not cooking, traveling and most of all, spending time at the lake with my family.
Services
Resources-16 topics
Adoption
Learn MoreAnger Management
Learn MoreAnxiety
Learn MoreBullying
Learn MoreConflict Management
Learn MoreDivorce
Learn MoreEmpathy
Learn MoreFeelings/Emotions
Friendship
Grief and Loss
Learn MoreGrowth Mindset
Learn MoreMoving/Relocation
Learn MorePersonal Safety
Learn MoreSelf-Esteem
Learn MoreSpecial Needs Resources
Learn MoreStress Management
Learn MoreClassroom Guidance Lesson Plans
Kindergarten
Learn More1st Grade
Learn More2nd Grade
Learn More3rd Grade
Learn More4th Grade
Learn More5th Grade
Learn MoreExtra Lesson Plans
Learn MoreConnection and Empathy Events
Dance Party Thursdays
Learn MoreHand Project
Learn MoreMix it up at Lunch Day
Learn MoreWeekly Kindness Winner
Learn MoreBuddy Bench
What is the buddy bench?
The buddy bench is a simple idea to eliminate loneliness and foster friendship on the playground. Let’s spread the message of inclusion and kindness!
"Sometimes it’s the really simple ideas that can make the biggest difference.”
A second grader in York, Pennsylvania came up with an idea last year after his father showed him a photo of a bench placed by a German school on their playground specifically so that lonely or shy children could be offered friendship.
Christian Buck wanted to put such a bench at his school, Roundtown Elementary, and the principal agreed. In the year since that one bench was put outside to foster relationship-building, others like it have popped up at schools across the country.
When I brought this story to our Kindness and Compassion Club a few years ago, they were excited and wanted to have this at Nine Mile. We gathered ideas, held fundraisers and promoted the bench within our school. A parent agreed to build the bench for us at no charge! Thank you Jason Cardon!!! The Buddy Bench was installed in March of 2016!!
LINKS:
Buddy Bench Strategies
The buddy bench is a simple idea to eliminate loneliness and foster friendship on the playground. Let’s spread the message of inclusion and kindness!
"Sometimes it’s the really simple ideas that can make the biggest difference.”
A second grader in York, Pennsylvania came up with an idea last year after his father showed him a photo of a bench placed by a German school on their playground specifically so that lonely or shy children could be offered friendship.
Christian Buck wanted to put such a bench at his school, Roundtown Elementary, and the principal agreed. In the year since that one bench was put outside to foster relationship-building, others like it have popped up at schools across the country.
When I brought this story to our Kindness and Compassion Club a few years ago, they were excited and wanted to have this at Nine Mile. We gathered ideas, held fundraisers and promoted the bench within our school. A parent agreed to build the bench for us at no charge! Thank you Jason Cardon!!! The Buddy Bench was installed in March of 2016!!
LINKS:
Buddy Bench Strategies
Growth Mindset
Growth Mindset Videos:
You can learn anything: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC82Il2cjqA
Growth Mindset Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElVUqv0v1EE
Growth Mindset:Tortoise and the Hare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_oqghnxBmY
Resources
1. Teaching Ideas for Growth Mindset: https://www.youcubed.org/category/teaching-ideas/growing-mindset/
2. Resources for teaching a growth mindset: https://www.edutopia.org/article/growth-mindset-resources
3. Teaching with a Growth Mindset: https://www.mindsetkit.org/topics/teaching-growth-mindset
4. Free Stanford Growth Mindset for Math learners online course: https://lagunita.stanford.edu/courses/Education/EDUC115-S/Spring2014/about
About this course:
How to Learn Math is a free self-paced class for learners of all levels of mathematics. It combines really important information on the brain and learning with new evidence on the best ways to approach and learn math effectively. Many people have had negative experiences with math, and end up disliking math or failing. This class will give learners of math the information they need to become powerful math learners, it will correct any misconceptions they have about what math is, and it will teach them about their own potential to succeed and the strategies needed to approach math effectively. If you have had past negative experiences with math this will help change your relationship to one that is positive and powerful.
The course will feature Jo and a team of undergraduates, as well as videos of math in action - in dance, juggling, snowflakes, soccer and many other applications. It is designed with a pedagogy of active engagement. The course will open in mid June and stay open indefinitely.
5. AWESOME video diary of a growth mindset speaker putting his training to the test!
"On Jan. 30th I’m giving a talk in front of hundreds of teachers in Iowa. As my intro I’m going to do a dance for them. The only problem is… I can’t dance. I’m taking a month to see how good I can get at dancing* using the Train Ugly approach to learning. I have no idea what will happen, but you get front row seats!
This page will be used as a virtual journal. I’ll post all the videos, notes, and experiments that I use on this mission. Here we go!"
http://trainugly.com/dance/
6. The best resources on helping our students develop a Growth Mindset:http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2012/10/13/the-best-resources-on-helping-our-students-develop-a-growth-mindset/
7. Carol Dweck: A study on praise and mindsets:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWv1VdDeoRY
Growth Mindset
Class Dojo Mindset, Ep 1: Is your brain like a muscle?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zrtHt3bBmQ
Class Dojo Mindset, Ep 2: The Magic of Mistakes: https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/growth-mindset-2
Class Dojo Mindset, Ep3. The incredible power of yet: https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/growth-mindset-3
Class Dojo Mindset, Ep 4. The mysterious world of Neurons: https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/growth-mindset-4
Class Dojo Mindset, Ep 5. Mojo puts it all together: https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/growth-mindset-5
Perseverance
Class Dojo Perseverance Ep 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOaFwwLyTRo&t=3s
Class Dojo Perseverance Ep 2. https://ideas.classdojo.com/i/perseverance-the-dip-2
Class Dojo Perseverance Ep 3. https://ideas.classdojo.com/i/perseverance-the-dip-3
Empathy
Class Dojo Empathy Ep 1. https://ideas.classdojo.com/i/empathy-the-maze-1
Class Dojo Empathy Ep 2. https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/empathy-the-maze-2
Class Dojo Empathy Ep 3. https://ideas.classdojo.com/i/empathy-the-maze-3
You can learn anything: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC82Il2cjqA
Growth Mindset Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElVUqv0v1EE
Growth Mindset:Tortoise and the Hare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_oqghnxBmY
Resources
1. Teaching Ideas for Growth Mindset: https://www.youcubed.org/category/teaching-ideas/growing-mindset/
2. Resources for teaching a growth mindset: https://www.edutopia.org/article/growth-mindset-resources
3. Teaching with a Growth Mindset: https://www.mindsetkit.org/topics/teaching-growth-mindset
4. Free Stanford Growth Mindset for Math learners online course: https://lagunita.stanford.edu/courses/Education/EDUC115-S/Spring2014/about
About this course:
How to Learn Math is a free self-paced class for learners of all levels of mathematics. It combines really important information on the brain and learning with new evidence on the best ways to approach and learn math effectively. Many people have had negative experiences with math, and end up disliking math or failing. This class will give learners of math the information they need to become powerful math learners, it will correct any misconceptions they have about what math is, and it will teach them about their own potential to succeed and the strategies needed to approach math effectively. If you have had past negative experiences with math this will help change your relationship to one that is positive and powerful.
The course will feature Jo and a team of undergraduates, as well as videos of math in action - in dance, juggling, snowflakes, soccer and many other applications. It is designed with a pedagogy of active engagement. The course will open in mid June and stay open indefinitely.
5. AWESOME video diary of a growth mindset speaker putting his training to the test!
"On Jan. 30th I’m giving a talk in front of hundreds of teachers in Iowa. As my intro I’m going to do a dance for them. The only problem is… I can’t dance. I’m taking a month to see how good I can get at dancing* using the Train Ugly approach to learning. I have no idea what will happen, but you get front row seats!
This page will be used as a virtual journal. I’ll post all the videos, notes, and experiments that I use on this mission. Here we go!"
http://trainugly.com/dance/
6. The best resources on helping our students develop a Growth Mindset:http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2012/10/13/the-best-resources-on-helping-our-students-develop-a-growth-mindset/
7. Carol Dweck: A study on praise and mindsets:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWv1VdDeoRY
Growth Mindset
Class Dojo Mindset, Ep 1: Is your brain like a muscle?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zrtHt3bBmQ
Class Dojo Mindset, Ep 2: The Magic of Mistakes: https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/growth-mindset-2
Class Dojo Mindset, Ep3. The incredible power of yet: https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/growth-mindset-3
Class Dojo Mindset, Ep 4. The mysterious world of Neurons: https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/growth-mindset-4
Class Dojo Mindset, Ep 5. Mojo puts it all together: https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/growth-mindset-5
Perseverance
Class Dojo Perseverance Ep 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOaFwwLyTRo&t=3s
Class Dojo Perseverance Ep 2. https://ideas.classdojo.com/i/perseverance-the-dip-2
Class Dojo Perseverance Ep 3. https://ideas.classdojo.com/i/perseverance-the-dip-3
Empathy
Class Dojo Empathy Ep 1. https://ideas.classdojo.com/i/empathy-the-maze-1
Class Dojo Empathy Ep 2. https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/empathy-the-maze-2
Class Dojo Empathy Ep 3. https://ideas.classdojo.com/i/empathy-the-maze-3
Mindfulness in Schools
Mindfulness in Education Website:https://www.mindfulschools.org/
Class DOJO Mindfulness exercises:
Emotions are powerful: they can either overwhelm you, or become your best friend. Take your child/students on a journey to understand how they can manage their powerful emotions through mindfulness. This set of activities was created in partnership with Yale University's Center for Emotional Intelligence.
Episode 1: MOJO meets the Beast:
This episode introduces students to the idea that sometimes our emotions can be overwhelmingly powerful. After the video, there are discussion questions and a fun game called "Name that Emotion" to help students identify strong emotions. This activity is part of helping students realize that these powerful emotions are a normal part of life. In later activities, we'll look at some tactics for dealing with these powerful emotions in our lives.
https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/the-beast
Episode 2: Draw Your Beast:
In this activity, your child/students will think about a time when their "beast" appeared and what it felt like. They'll then get a chance to draw their "beast"!
https://ideas.classdojo.com/i/draw-the-beast
Episode 3: Mindful Breathing with MOJO:
Focusing on your breathing can help calm down the Beast! Your class will follow along with Mojo and take away a powerful tool to help them calm down powerful emotions that might flare up. Afterwards, there are discussion questions asking students to reflect on how mindful breathing might help them in the future.
https://ideas.classdojo.com/i/mindfulness-breathing
Books
1. When things go wrong, or when you have scary thoughts or strong feelings, you may need help to sort it all out, no matter how old you are. Learning and practicing mindfulness can make it easier to deal with the issues you face every day by showing you how to tap into your own inner strength in times of stress. So, why not use mindfulness and start being your own superhero today?
http://www.amazon.com/Master-Mindfulness-Superhero-Times-Stress/dp/1626254648/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464712380&sr=1-3&keywords=kids+stress
2. What does being present look like? Noticing when someone in your class needs help and taking the time to help them. Sound like? The rain outside your window. Smell like? Briny seaweed at the beach. Taste like? A bite of orange. Feel like? Allowing the rhythm of your breath, in and out … to make you feel peaceful.
http://www.amazon.com/What-Does-Mean-Be-Present/dp/0984080686/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464712578&sr=1-6&keywords=kids+mindfulness
3. Children pay close attention to their parents' moods. When parents feel upset, their kids may become anxious, and when parents wind down, children also get the chance to relax. When you feel overwhelmed and stressed, it can be hard to help your child feel balanced. The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook for Kids, written by two child therapists, offers more than fifty activities you can do together as a family to help you and your child replace stressful and anxious feelings with feelings of optimism, confidence, and joy.
You'll learn proven relaxation techniques, including deep breathing, guided imagery, mindfulness, and yoga, and then receive guidance for teaching them to your child. Your child will also discover how taking time to do art and creative projects can create a sense of fulfillment and calm. By completing just one ten-minute activity from this workbook each day, you'll make relaxation a family habit that will stay with both you and your child for a lifetime.
http://www.amazon.com/Relaxation-Stress-Reduction-Workbook-Kids/dp/1572245824/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464712762&sr=1-3&keywords=kids+mindful
Lesson Plans:
Mindfulness Lesson Plan #1
Mindfulness Lesson #2
Mindfulness Lesson #3
Mindfulness Lesson #4
Mindfulness Lesson #5
Mindfulness Lesson #6
Mindfulness Lesson #7
Research:
http://www.mindfulschools.org/about-mindfulness/research/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mlk6xD_xAQ
Class DOJO Mindfulness exercises:
Emotions are powerful: they can either overwhelm you, or become your best friend. Take your child/students on a journey to understand how they can manage their powerful emotions through mindfulness. This set of activities was created in partnership with Yale University's Center for Emotional Intelligence.
Episode 1: MOJO meets the Beast:
This episode introduces students to the idea that sometimes our emotions can be overwhelmingly powerful. After the video, there are discussion questions and a fun game called "Name that Emotion" to help students identify strong emotions. This activity is part of helping students realize that these powerful emotions are a normal part of life. In later activities, we'll look at some tactics for dealing with these powerful emotions in our lives.
https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/the-beast
Episode 2: Draw Your Beast:
In this activity, your child/students will think about a time when their "beast" appeared and what it felt like. They'll then get a chance to draw their "beast"!
https://ideas.classdojo.com/i/draw-the-beast
Episode 3: Mindful Breathing with MOJO:
Focusing on your breathing can help calm down the Beast! Your class will follow along with Mojo and take away a powerful tool to help them calm down powerful emotions that might flare up. Afterwards, there are discussion questions asking students to reflect on how mindful breathing might help them in the future.
https://ideas.classdojo.com/i/mindfulness-breathing
Books
1. When things go wrong, or when you have scary thoughts or strong feelings, you may need help to sort it all out, no matter how old you are. Learning and practicing mindfulness can make it easier to deal with the issues you face every day by showing you how to tap into your own inner strength in times of stress. So, why not use mindfulness and start being your own superhero today?
http://www.amazon.com/Master-Mindfulness-Superhero-Times-Stress/dp/1626254648/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464712380&sr=1-3&keywords=kids+stress
2. What does being present look like? Noticing when someone in your class needs help and taking the time to help them. Sound like? The rain outside your window. Smell like? Briny seaweed at the beach. Taste like? A bite of orange. Feel like? Allowing the rhythm of your breath, in and out … to make you feel peaceful.
http://www.amazon.com/What-Does-Mean-Be-Present/dp/0984080686/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464712578&sr=1-6&keywords=kids+mindfulness
3. Children pay close attention to their parents' moods. When parents feel upset, their kids may become anxious, and when parents wind down, children also get the chance to relax. When you feel overwhelmed and stressed, it can be hard to help your child feel balanced. The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook for Kids, written by two child therapists, offers more than fifty activities you can do together as a family to help you and your child replace stressful and anxious feelings with feelings of optimism, confidence, and joy.
You'll learn proven relaxation techniques, including deep breathing, guided imagery, mindfulness, and yoga, and then receive guidance for teaching them to your child. Your child will also discover how taking time to do art and creative projects can create a sense of fulfillment and calm. By completing just one ten-minute activity from this workbook each day, you'll make relaxation a family habit that will stay with both you and your child for a lifetime.
http://www.amazon.com/Relaxation-Stress-Reduction-Workbook-Kids/dp/1572245824/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464712762&sr=1-3&keywords=kids+mindful
Lesson Plans:
Mindfulness Lesson Plan #1
- Explain how I have a new topic that has changed my life and the life of my family. Explain how our thoughts can bring on emotions and feelings that won't go away. Then introduce mindfulness as a way to be present in the moment and how we can use it to calm our minds and our bodies.
- Go Zen Video https://www.gozen.com/go/gotothenow/lesson-1/
- Read the book "I Am Peace" and have discussion
- Do "Find your anchor" exercise then complete mindful breathing exercise with glitter jar
- Just breathe video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVA2N6tX2cg&list=PLPvZRhr5Kt5s_iy4gGHEwmqNQ7r-678HR&index=3&pbjreload=10
- A morning with and without mindful breathing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9inN62g9OU&list=PLPvZRhr5Kt5s_iy4gGHEwmqNQ7r-678HR&index=12&t=3s&pbjreload=10
Mindfulness Lesson #2
- Recap mindfulness and previous lesson with kids sitting on carpet in a circle. Revisit"Mindful Minute" and how we are going to begin each lesson with one. Use glitter jar.
- Talk to kids about mindful bodies See this lesson plan for help: (https://www.mindfulschools.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/starter-lesson.pdf) and have them breathe for one minute, just noticing how their bodies feel.
- Read the book "Silence" and then talk about mindful listening.
- Show mindful listening video: https://www.gozen.com/go/gotothenow/lesson-5/
- Have students go back to their desks and complete the paper "What can I hear around me?" Play your own sounds as the close their eyes (stapler, scissors, coughing etc)
- Mindful-Listening coloring page.pdf
- Mindful Minute Breathing Exercise: The Power of One Breath
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfVjIec3f6c - Mindful Minute Video Ringing of bell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZME0JKiweL4
Mindfulness Lesson #3
- Recap mindful bodies and ask students what they noticed over the past week. Peaceful warriors is the name we came up with for the students. Then play "Mindful Breathing" video: https://www.gozen.com/go/gotothenow/lesson-2/
- Begin with a mindful minute exercise (recap "find your anchor")
- Discuss Mind/Body connection, how our thoughts and emotions can affect our body physically and do "lemon exercise" below
- Do "dance exercise" Turn on fun dance music and let the students get silly and dance around the room for about 30 seconds. Then challenge them to stop, find their anchor, and practice mindfulness standing up, in the middle of the classroom.
- Observing a train of thoughts video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0SWMICwtm0
- Sesame Street Belly Breathe video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mZbzDOpylA&t=20s
Mindfulness Lesson #4
- In circle on carpet: Mindful minute exercise/find your anchor
- Ask students to stand up really quick from the circle. Then ask them how exactly they got up. Did they sue their hands? Which leg pushed up first? etc, etc. Then, have them sit down and stand up again, this time being mindful of their bodies. Ask how that was different. Introduce Mindful movement
- Students go back to their desks and watch "Mindful movement" video from GoZen: https://www.gozen.com/go/gotothenow/lesson-4/
- Practice Mindful movement with the following 2 exercises:
- #1 Pass the cup
- #2 Slow motion
- If time permits....or, can be a separate lesson: Body Scan Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIC-Io441v4
- Mindful Movements DOJO: https://ideas.classdojo.com/f/mindfulness-movements
- Mindful listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ9zpRAPIuI
Mindfulness Lesson #5
- Mindful Minute, then recap mindful listening with this video and listening activity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0Kp_J9kvNM Recap mindful movement: Have students stand up and mirror your movements. Then get a couple of student volunteers and have the class mirror their movements.
- "Mindful eating" video from GoZen: https://www.gozen.com/go/gotothenow/lesson-3/
- Practice mindful eating. See card below: I brought chocolate chips for the class.
- Funny video of kids eating foods for 1st time video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BknaBIGUZU
- Still, Quiet Place video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIJn5XhqPN8
Mindfulness Lesson #6
- Why mindfulness? Talk about swimming pool: See below
- During meditation, your awareness settles to finer and finer levels of thought until you slip into the spaces between the thoughts, you dip into the silence, the infinite possibilities, you bump into the Self. When you jump into a swimming pool, you come out wet, you bring some of the water with you. Just so, when you slip into the spaces between your thoughts, you bring the silence and infinite possibilities back into your life. You begin to restore the memory of who you really are.By making this journey back and forth on a regular basis, you begin to reintegrate these qualities into your everyday life. You reestablish the silence that underlies all the noise and activity so that even in the midst of chaos and confusion, even in the midst of dynamic activity, you can still remain calm, you can still think clearly and creatively.
- Play Still, Quiet Place video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIJn5XhqPN8
- Have them draw their still, quiet place. When done, do the mindfulness exercise below (guide them around their still, quiet place) with this relaxing music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZYbU82GVz4
Still, quiet place mindfulness exercise:- Draw a picture of your Still Quiet Place.
- When you finish, close your eyes and imagine you are there.
- Breathe in… and out.
- Look to the left, what do you see?
- Breathe in… and out.
- Look to the right, what do you see?
- Walk around and explore your Still Quiet Place.
- Observe every detail.
- What does it smell like?
- What sounds do you hear?
- Touch something. What does it feel like?
- Breathe in… and out.
- Now return from your Still Quiet Place.
- Slowly open your eyes.
- Breathe in… and out.
- If time permits:
Show gratitude video:https://www.gozen.com/go/gotothenow/lesson-8/ - Practice Gratitude Mindfulness
- Pretend you’re in the Gratitude Zone like Nik. Choose ONE person, place or thingyou are grateful for.
- Really visualize this person, place or thing.
- List specific reasons why you are grateful for this person, place or thing.
- How does this person, place or thing make you feel?
- Now imagine your life without this person, place or thing.
- Are you sadder? Lonelier? Less fulfilled?
- Now exit the GZ and show gratitude for this person, place or thing!
Mindfulness Lesson #7
- Final lesson recap
- Hand out certificates
Research:
http://www.mindfulschools.org/about-mindfulness/research/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mlk6xD_xAQ
