Heartmath Stations

Moderation state
funded
Grant Applicant
Rachel Falk- School Counselor- Glenshire Elementary School- Tahoe Truckee Unified School District
School Site
Glenshire Elementary
Grant Category
Life Skills & Health
Grant Date
2018-04-30T12:00:00
Description

I would like to implement a Hearmath station in every classroom and resource room at Glenshire Elementary School.  Heartmath was brought to TTUSD five years ago as another way counselors can help students self-regulate their emotions and calm down.  Heartmath is based on 25 years of scientific research of looking at the psychophysiology of stress, emotions, and the interactions between the heart and the brain.  Heartmath, through the use of an em wave pro sensor clipped on to the earlobe, enables a student to see their heartbeat on a computer screen and see right away if they are calm, getting calm, or not calm at all and get to a place of being calm in just a few minutes.  Once, calm the student is able to get back to learning in a positive state of mind.

Specifically, I would like to request 30 laptops in order to have a dedicated system available for the students to use the Heartmath equipment and games in order to self-regulate their emotions and ability to make positive choices.

Benefits of Program

Currently at Glenshire, when students need to self-regulate their emotions, they are sent up to see me and use my Heartmath station or utilize the station in the hall outside of my office in order to calm down.  Teachers consistently say how much they love Heartmath, but wish the kids could do it in the classroom so they are not missing the lesson.  So last Fall I started speaking to my principal and PTO about having a Heartmath station in every room so kids are not missing learning time.  Both loved the idea but then the funding of this project was very high in cost.  So I called the Heartmath Institute and asked if they would help in this endeavor.  They invited me to apply for a scholarship.  I did just that and heard back last week that they will fund $4500.00 of the $6000.00 for the em wave pro sensors that go on the student's ear in order to monitor the heartbeat and see it on the computer screen.  The PTO said they would cover the remaining $1500.00.

Students love Heartmath for many reasons:  They feel comfortable utilizing technology; they see their own heartbeat and notice if they are calm rather than someone telling them to calm down; they have been taught to breathe in through their nose and out through their mouth since they entered GES and through the teachings of Second Step as a way to calm their bodies, so they are comfortable with this methodology; their teachers believe in it and actively utilize this resource at our school by encouraging kids to use it; their parents love it and have started purchasing home units and using it for the whole family.

Success of Program

Heartmath has been very successful at Glenshire Elementary School.  I have utilized it one on one with many tier two and three students on my caseload who have a very difficult time calming down due to homelife, learning issues, relationship skill deficits. . .  Every student I have worked with over the last five years love Heartmath.  After the initial sessions to learn the Heartmath process occur, there are many games that can be played.  But the games only work when your body is calm.  The students feel a large sense of satisfaction knowing they are empowered to calm themselves down and are the only ones who have the ability to do that.  Adults in their lives can tell them to take deep breaths and calm down but they have to actively make that choice and then they can see and feel the results.  I teach the students that the purpose of Heartmath is to calm your heart down in order to calm your brain and then you can make good choices.  The other piece of Heartmath is to achieve a sense of well being by thinking of a peaceful, calm and happy time in your life while breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.  This called heart emotion.  The ultimate goal is to gain coherence, which in layman terms is a calm body.  The administration uses our office station all day every day as a way for students to get calm before addressing issues that happened on the playground, in the cafeteria, or in class.  We all know that effective, problem-solving conversations cannot happen with people who are angry.  So kids will do Heartmath for 5-10 minutes, get calm, then have the ability to speak about what occurred and problem-solve what needs to happen next.

Implementation

Implementation would be school-wide.  Every class would be given a computer, software, and an em wave pro heart sensor to set up in a place in the classroom.  All teachers would be trained at a staff meeting by Kim Bradley, Wellness Center Director for TTUSD at a staff meeting.  I would then go into every classroom and train all of the students how to use heartmath in a class presentation.  I would also provide a laminated procedural list to go next to each station to remind students how to utilize the program.

Can you share this grant with your grade level or subject team?

Yes, please see above.

Sustainability
The program is sustainable on it's own. Over several years teachers may need new sensors, laptops, or training, which can all be provided by the school district or PTO. The initial roll-out is where the largest outlay of capital is needed.
Amount Funded
$3000.00
Individual Budget Items(s)
$2310 - HP Stream 11 Laptops- $210.00 each
Budget Notes

HP Stream 11 Laptops- $199.00 each

Nevada County tax- 7.5%

Shipping is free

times 30 Heartmath Stations=  $6418.00

Shipping
$0.00
Taxes
$448.00
Other funding sources

Heartmath Institute and Glenshire PTO- will provide 30 Em Wave Pro Heart Sensors- $299.00 each, discounted by volume and school discount to $6000.00

$4500.00 Heartmath Institute

$1500.00- Glenshire PTO

Heartmath Software provided by TTUSD District License, already paid for and in use

Notes

PLease go to Heartmath.com for an extensive overview of the Heartmath physiology and how it works.