How movement, mindfulness, and moments can improve virtual learning

RICHMOND, Va. -- Another school day, another day of staring at a computer screen all day.

"There have been ups and downs when it comes to focus with Zoom. I think that after being at this for so many months, a lot of kids are just over it," Dr. Rebecca Branstetter said.

Branstetter is the founder of the Thriving School Psychologist Collective, an online community dedicated to improving mental health and supporting public schools.

She said coronavirus has led to a pandemic of social and emotional needs because of a lack of school counselors or access to support.

Her advice to parents and students is to follow the three M's.

"The first is 'Movement'. One thing we forget about kids is they really need to move their bodies”, Dr. Branstetter said, “so I recommend big movement breaks."

The second M is Mindfulness.

"Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment and not judging it," she said.

If a parent knows how their child is feeling, they can find ways to help them cope.

That to the last M, which is encouraging parents and teachers to think about Moments.

"What you need to do is find genuine moments of connection between the child and the teacher. And this can be very brief it can be a short little breakout room where they ask, 'How was your weekend?' Or it can be a quick check-in, a one on one with a child after school, 'How's it going?'" she said.

Building awareness about the three M's -- Movement, Mindfulness, and Moments -- is Building Better Minds.