Would you like to discover how your child can improve their CONCENTRATION at school, develop greater RESPECT AND reduce BULLYING at school?
 What is the Massage In Schools Program?
The Massage in Schools Program is an innovative and inspiring International Peer Massage Program for children aged 4 to 12 years. As a internationally qualified instructor, Natalie is able to teach children aged between 4 to 12 years peer massage, whether this be in a childcare, kindergarten or school environment. The clothed massage is given by children to each other, massaging the back, head, neck, arms and hands.
15 minutes per day per class/group is all that is required. Natalie has a current Working With Children Check.
 The Massage In Schools Program vision is that every child attending school experience positive and nurturing touch every day... everywhere in the world (www.massageinschools.com). The same program is taught around the world by qualified instructors.
The MISP mission statement "to provide high quality and professional training to all teachers and caring adults willing to bring nurturing touch into schools."
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 Why Massage In Schools?
Nurturing touch is essential for a child's social and emotional wellbeing. This international program is based on research into the positive effects of massage; there are many observed benefits -for your school this will promote positive behaviour and reduce bullying. Studies show that massage in schools enhances concentration of the children and can improve learning outcomes. Where massage has been implemented in a classroom, children have shown an improvement in motor skills, increased confidence and self esteem. The children are interacting with one another and learning good manners, as well as showing more empathy towards each other.
Peer massage and kinaesthetic learning
The program also encourages visual and kinaesthetic learning. Studes have shown that children are primarily kinaesthetic learners, meaning they need to use their whole body in order to learn, through touching, feeling and experiencing. It makes sense then that the Massage in Schools program would be an effective activity to introduce into your school's curriculum as it incorporates both touch and movement. Most of all it is fun and easy to learn for the kids and an enjoyable way to start the school day!
If you are interested in introducing the Massage in Schools Program to your kindy, childcare 4yr+ program, out of school care or primary school, you can book Natalie to come to your school/childcare to implement the program. Please contact Natalie to register your interest. Upon request, Natalie can give presentations specifically designed for teachers and to parents about the Massage in Schools Program, incorporating a DVD demonstrating strokes that children perform as well as feedback from Principals and teachers who have participated in the program around the world. |
What are the benefits?
There have been many specific benefits observed by instructors around the world who have taught the Massage In Schools Program. The following is a brief list of some researched and observed benefits of the program:
Benefits for the child:
- relaxation and a reduction in stress levels
- an improvement in concentration
- experiencing the oppportunity to say 'yes' or 'no' to massage (positive touch)
- developing a greater respect for their peers
- higher self esteem
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Benefits for the teacher:
- create more harmony within the classroom
- an innovative way to introduce positive touch (as opposed to bad touch eg bullying) to the classroom
- an activity that is not target oriented (no pressure)
- a calmer class environment
- greater levels of accomplishment throughout the teaching day
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Benefits for the school:
- massage is a practical tool to reduce bullying
- less violence in the classrooms and on the playground
- greater respect for school materials, property and buildings
- children of different ages helping one another (buddy system)
- a sense of unity for the entire school
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Benefits for the parents:
- improved sleep for child
- massage being a tool to help the child do homework
- their child feeling calmer when they arrive home from school
- their child excited to leave for school on time (massage is a nice way to start the school day
- an activity in which the child and parent can share
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Cost
The cost to implement MISP into your school or kindy program is charged either as a school incursion (small charge per student) or funded by the school/centre.
The cost includes:
• instructor to implement program (usually 4 to 5 sessions per class, including a follow up)
• colourful cartoon drawings including stroke names for each classroom to keep
Please contact Natalie to discuss the cost of introducing MISP into your school.
Natalie presents FREE seminars to teachers and parents, explaining:
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The Massage In Schools Program
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Peer massage benefits
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How MISP works
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The science behind massage
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Stages in children's development
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Demonstration of a touch game or activity (eg Weather massage)
• General history/background of MISP
• How the program will be introduced
• Specific research and studies of massage in schools (peer massage)
• A DVD promoting MISP in the school environment (including feedback from teachers, students and Principals who have implemented the program). |
What does Massage In Schools involve?
 The Massage In Schools Program consists of 16 massage strokes that the children learn to give each other by the instructor, over their clothing. Some of the stroke names include:
Eyeglasses
Cat grip
Climbing down a rope
Butterfly
Baker
Saying 'thank you' at the end of the routine.
The stroke names evoke images using the children's imagination. Children find it easier to remember the stroke sequence by looking at the colourful cartoon drawings, each drawing depicting the stroke name.
Combining massage movements together with their use of imagination also helps the children remember the routine. The children MUST ALWAYS ask permission to massage their fellow peers. This is an important part of the massage routine; it teaches children to RESPECT each others response (children have the right to say 'no' to massage) as massage is a postive, healthy, appropriate form of touch ('good' touch as opposed to 'bad' touch. Asking permission to massage your child actually begins from infancy. When you learn infant massage with your baby by a certified infant massage instructor, parents learn a 'permission sequence', that includes both VERBAL and NON-VERBAL (physical) cues.
What areas of the body are massaged?
The children massage each others arms, back, neck, shoulders, forehead and scalp. Remembering that the massage is done over clothes; children massaging children (not by the teacher or instructor).
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| Want to discover more about the Massage in Schools Program? Invite Natalie to your school today for a free seminar on M.I.S.P! Seminars are presented to teachers as well as parents. |
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