This Week at The Learning Centre (and a bit of last week…)
We’ll start this week with a little update we missed off last week.
All good work needs sharing, so let’s kick off with last week’s ‘Maths with Mr Blackman’s Group…’
Ellie and Ellie working together.
Great work this week Caitlin! Well done!
Kibria completed number bonds in Braille and with Numicon.
Haida checking his work.
And on to this week…
Firstly, a note from Dawn Allison on Mental Health…
“As part of ‘World Mental Health Day’ which falls on October 10th, Learning Centre staff and students have been engaging in a range of wellbeing activities. Public Health England are running a campaign entitled ‘Better Health, Every mind matters’. They have shared several resources and the Learning Centre have been focusing on ‘SELF CARE’.
Students have been discovering and trying out self-care actions to support their physical and mental wellbeing following the framework of the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing.’
They help people take care of their mental health and wellbeing.
Regularly practising the Five Ways is beneficial for everyone – whether you have a mental health problem or not
If you want to find out more, please click on the following link.
The Five Ways to Wellbeing are –
Connect:
Strengthening relationships with others and feeling close to and valued by others, including at work, is critical to boosting wellbeing.
Be Active:
Being physically active, including at work, improves physical health and can improve mood and wellbeing and decrease stress, depression and anxiety.
Keep Learning:
Being curious and seeking out new experiences at work and in life more generally positively stimulates the brain.
Give:
Carrying out acts of kindness, whether small or large, can increase happiness, life satisfaction and general sense of wellbeing.
Take Notice:
Paying more attention to the present moment, to thoughts and feelings and to the world around, boosts our wellbeing.
In a couple of weeks, we will be holding a wellbeing morning dedicated to activities based on the 5 ways to wellbeing and I look forward to sharing reports.
Here is just a little of what students have been up to this week…”
IBCOMMS 1
“It has been a very productive week. We have been busy in the kitchen making samosas…
We have also been relaxing in the sensory room…”
An update from Louise Preston…
“Well how wonderful to be back at the Learning Centre for Tuesday option groups. The shared spaces and ILS being used for Drama, Dance and Sherborne Developmental Movement Therapy is such a joy to see.
This term the Drama and Dance options are exploring the theme of Under the Sea, moving like – fish, crabs, jelly fish to name a few. Over the coming weeks they will use these ideas to create a movement piece. After half-term the students will take part in workshops delivered by facilitators from a National Youth Theatre incentive, see below for details…
Other students are taking part in Sherborne Developmental Movement Therapy in their Option sessions. Sherborne is a movement therapy that was developed by Veronica Sherborne (1922 – 1990). The main premise of the therapy is to support: –
· the development of the young people’s awareness of their own body and space
· share space with other individuals
· establish close contact through movement and touch
We use the ILS for this session, the students take part in 1-1 work with staff, small group and whole group activities. We are very fortunate to have the sensory facilities of the ILS; the whole experience is extremely beneficial to the students’ well-being.
This year we are taking part in the National Youth Theatre Inclusive practice collective programme.
The Collective will:
• Create 60 new paid job placements for Young Inclusion Facilitators aged 18-24
• Facilitate two academic terms of regular inclusive theatre activity for disabled young people in 15 SEND Schools and Colleges in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and London
• Work with cultural partners to connect the collective to existing programmes and future employment opportunities
• Stage a digital festival celebrating inclusive theatre practice in schools and colleges
• Offer progression routes for young disabled people into the National Youth Theatre membership and on to other cultural opportunities.
We were very excited to be asked to take part especially as one of the young facilitators is an ex Lumenus pupil, David Jones. He is joined by Connor Fallon Brodie Vale and Tilly Vale. This week we welcomed Brodie and Tilly to the School Site and David and Connor to the Learning Centre with all four coming to Oldham Theatre Workshop on Wednesday afternoon. The facilitators are spending the next 3 weeks shadowing staff to get to know the pupils they are planning workshops for. After half-term they will deliver the workshops, watch this space!”
COMS3KBY“
“This week in COMS3KBY, we have been looking at different types of jobs people do. We spoke about what we would like to be when we leave college and what skills we need. We specifically looked at a nurse this week and what a nurse does.
For World Mental Health week, we spoke about our feelings and what mental health means. We then went onto discuss what things we can do to keep a healthy mind”.
LC AKE
First, we went outside, stood quietly and listened to the sounds of nature – Take Notice.
Then we did some slow, deep breathing, some Tai Chi movements and some BrainGym – Be Active.
Ebase 1
“This week, in recognition of “World Mental Health Day”, Ebase 1 have been practising some simple yoga techniques as part of their exercise and relaxation session.
Usayd, Sarah, Zachariah and Kausar were very proactive during the session and tried very hard to copy the poses which increase strength, flexibility, and coordination.
Well Done Ebase 1 for your fantastic effort!”
Employability Group
Employability Group’s First Taste of Work Experience
“We started on the number 426 bus. We waited ages in the rain for it. We got on the tram at King Street and got off at Hollinwood.”
“I enjoyed it in the café. The drinks looked good. I learnt about fire safety and where the fire assembly point is.”
As you can see, it’s been quite a week!
Look after yourselves this weeknd, everyone.
Dawn
