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The current crisis of COVID-19 has brought to light the intense demands on teachers’ time and the emotional load they carry.
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (PRWEB) May 19, 2020
Newport Beach, CA-based education technology company JabuMind LLC announced the official release of their mobile meditation app specifically designed for teachers and educators. Based on the scientifically proven Integrative Restoration (iRest®) method, JabuMind brings meditations and mindfulness courses directly to teachers’ fingertips via a mobile device for effective self-care tools accessible throughout their day. The iRest® method is used for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and is listed by the US Army Surgeon General as a Tier 1 approach for addressing Pain Management. It is proven to reduce stress levels, improve quality of sleep, and is effective to help individuals overcome anxiety and depression. The app is specifically designed around a teacher’s day and includes a tracker for sleep and emotions, empowering users to see their own mind-body connection daily. Due to the extreme pressures of remote learning and COVID-19, JabuMind is offering the basic version of the app free of charge for download in the App Store and on Google Play through August 2020.
The app was developed by Co-Founder Jill A. Manly, a Certified iRest® Teacher. Manly is an award-winning author of children’s books and an educator. She has taught and been involved in Social and Emotional (SEL) curriculum and development around the world. Manly’s first-hand experience of the emotional load of teachers is also as a mother of four adult and teenage children, with varying degrees of special learning needs, who collectively have been taught by 180+ teachers over the years. She was inspired to give back to teachers to help with their social and emotional development via accessible self-care tools and the restorative iRest® method for mindfulness.
Carolyn Grabiel, M.A. and Ann Rankowitz, MSW, LCSW, CPC round out the JabuMind Leadership Team. Grabiel has a background in clinical psychology and business. She has served leadership roles on parent/faculty boards, and taught high-school track & cross country. Rankowitz is a licensed clinical social worker and certified professional life coach. She has held high-level positions in non-profits and has worked with education administration to place social workers throughout districts. Together their wealth of knowledge of the education space and their passion to support teachers’ own social and emotional growth led them to start JabuMind.
“The current crisis of COVID-19 has brought to light the intense demands on teachers’ time and the emotional load they carry. We began this project before the crisis because we believe teachers deserve more support in their own social-emotional needs. Teachers have always been first responders who have been under-appreciated and over-worked. The nature of their profession, along with the complex trauma many children in their classrooms experience, puts them at risk of secondary trauma, which puts them under a tremendous amount of stress. We are here to support teachers with accessible tools so they can focus on their own self-care and, in turn, support their students and school communities,” said Jill Manly, Co-Founder.
Studies have shown that teaching is considered one of the most stressful professions. Teachers who support the well-being and learning of students are more likely to experience chronic stress, including burnout and compassion fatigue. As the nation and world have focused on developing SEL curriculum for students, recent studies have shown the teachers have been left behind. The JabuMind app addresses teachers’ needs, along with supporting professional development, with enhanced accessibility.
Erin Swanson is a former elementary school teacher with a Master's in Education from Stanford University and is the Co-Founder of RAISE Programs, a social emotional program for children and their families. Erin says, "Teachers today are overworked, short on time, and emotionally and physically depleted. JabuMind's meditations are short enough for every teacher to fit into a busy schedule, are deeply soothing, and are targeted at teachers' unique challenges. When I used the meditations, I immediately felt relaxed and cared for. I firmly believe that mindfulness is the most transformative practice for teachers and have seen the benefits in my own teaching. Teachers set the tone for the energy of the whole classroom. When a teacher becomes calm, grounded, and centered, the students will as well. JabuMind is an excellent tool that all teachers need to rediscover the joy of teaching and preserve their health and energy."
With the JabuMind App Teachers Will Learn:
- Techniques and tools to practice mindfulness meditation and integrate mindfulness into their daily life
- Methods for meeting and navigating intense emotions
- Ways to improve communication and interactions with students, peers and others
- How to cultivate positive states of mind like gratitude, kindness, joy, and compassion, along with ways in which to reduce stress levels, feelings of overwhelm, frustration, anxiety, and depression.
- Ways to improve restful sleep and relaxation
To download the app, visit the JabuMind website for direct links to the App Store and Google Play. The basic version is free for individual users through August 2020.
