The Vision Within: A Practical Introduction to Creative Visualization for use in the Primary Classroom

Description

Stress amongst primary-age children is a growing problem, and this in turn impacts on pupils’ ability to learn effectively. Meditation has a calming, beneficial effect and at the same time increases children’s creative thinking skills.

The Vision Within provides a practical introduction to creative visualization for primary school teachers. The tried-and-tested visualization sequences are ready to use, with little or no preparation. Optional follow-up activities link the visualizations to maths, drama, poetry and the arts.

Visualization can be used on many different levels to develop the individual child and enhance the curriculum. Visualization techniques and journeys of the mind allow children to expand and explore their creative minds and therefore extend imaginative and creative thinking processes.

Visualization affords the opportunities to teach children how to relax and reflect on their own thoughts rather than simply relying on external stimuli to relax. This, in turn, will undoubtedly provide a valuable long-term life skill of being able to individually relax when required, reflect and self-regulate, as children develop into adults in our ever increasingly stressful world.

The visualizations in this book will help children to develop a range of life skills, from problem solving, reasoning and evaluation to managing feelings, empathy and social skills – making them more creative and relaxed learners – and better able to cope with the stresses of modern day life.