Diversity & Wellness Work at Taipei European High School
As a wellness practitioner, I was privileged to provide teaching seminars at Taipei European School on the importance of breathing and movement practices in managing stress and increasing mental clarity. Through Hatha Yoga, I taught over 600 students various poses and techniques to improve flexibility and increase oxygen and blood flow in the body. These teachings focused on how breathing and movement practices can help prepare the mind for learning and improve overall mental and physical wellness. Additionally, students were guided through a short meditation session to help them learn ways to prepare and silence the mind.
I also conducted a professional development workshop for staff and faculty, using critical race theory to facilitate discussion on diversity, inclusion, conflict, and reconciliation. This workshop provided activities and discussion topics that enabled staff and faculty to understand better how to improve conflict issues within themselves and their institutional learning environments. By extracting appropriate data and information from critical race theory, we were able to address gaps within the school community and identify ways to improve these gaps.
In addition to these workshops, I led a leadership workshop for Taipei European Middle School, framing discussions around the importance of leadership, the qualities of a good leader, and what type of leader the students aspired to become. These discussions provided an excellent opportunity for staff, teachers, and administration to observe their students in a different learning experience and better understand how students think about leadership.
Overall, my work with Taipei European School provided valuable opportunities to promote mental and physical wellness, improve staff and faculty communication and collaboration, and engage students in important discussions about leadership and personal growth. By utilizing critical race theory and mindfulness practices, we created a safe and inclusive learning environment that promotes growth and development for all school community members. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Taipei European School and look forward to continuing to support the development of the school community.
