​Currently open for School Bookings for ACT and Surrounds.

 

Written to help children validate their feelings and legitimise their autonomy in overcoming obstacles, Poppy's Monster is an empowering book for children to discover that they have the ability to take control over their own fear and to realise that everyone feels scared sometimes. 

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When someone experiences clinical levels of anxiety this usually means that it is negatively impacting their daily life and they are having a bit more of a difficult time than usual. However, it is important to think about fear and anxiety as being normal responses that everyone experiences. The fact that we all often feel afraid in different situations is normal and appropriate. It’s our bodies way of protecting us from danger and is probably why we weren’t all eaten by sabre tooth tigers back in caveman days. From breaking down the fight or flight response, to identifying anxiety, to helping students think about and create their own fear monsters, or even leading improvised theatre games  - I have a range of hands on and interactive actives that help explore this topic in a really useful and in depth way. From preschoolers through to year 6, I can create a tailored workshop, with a theatre background and graduate diploma in Psychology I'd love to put to use!

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Overview 

• Story time and craft activities such as making fear monsters  - for younger learners

• The Science of Wellbeing: exploring the concept of fear and anxiety in an age appropriate way - looking at describing anxiety, the physiology of fight or flight and how to identify things that might help and protective factors - adapted for all year levels

• Theatre activities such as creating characters, meeting your own fear monster, improvising the story from a different point of view - for middle grade and up

• Literacy activities such as deconstructing narrative fiction, discussing setting, plot, characterisation, language and meaning - for yr 5/6  and up

• How-to: picture book writing sessions, playwriting sessions, character building sessions​ - for yr 5 and 6 and up

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Workshop Examples:

Understanding anxiety and the secret of imagination (SEL)

Story-time of Poppy’s Monster and activities to address:

        - describing anxiety

        - understanding anxiety (and how it wants to protect us)

        - the physiology of fear and fight or flight

        - strategies and tools to overcome feeling worried

        - a strengths based look at support and healthy ways to feel better

Duration: 40 minutes- 2hrs depending on age and how in depth you’d like to explore the topic

Suitable for: Kindy - yr 2, yr 3-4, yr 5-6

Participants: 10-35

Materials Needed: Butchers Paper and pens, whiteboard, coloured pencils and paper

 

Every word matters; the art of writing picture books 

For students who love to write, this in-depth workshop explores the mechanics of writing, such as form, language, rhythm, and exploring the key to writing compelling characters, exciting plots and economy of words in picture books. 

Duration: 2hrs

Suitable for: yr 3-4, yr 5-6, yr 7-8, yr 9-10

Participants: Maximum 25

Materials Needed: Students will require their own Chromebook/device or pen and paper

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Call me on 0402 848 943 or shoot me an email at shellyrhiggs@gmail.com to chat further and what might be useful for your classroom or school. ​​​​​