Spanish Activity for Encouraging Self-Care During Finals Season (download and use this week!)

We are in full-swing finals at my school, and my students are stressed. While I don’t provide a final per se, students are required to have a final assessment to meet the standards.

While I feel that I have prepared students sufficiently for their end-of-the year assessments, many of them have been stressed out with other courses such as math, science, AP chem, etc. In an effort to ease the stress, we discussed the importance of mental health through this activity I prepared for them below.

Target Level: We discussed this activity with my upper-level students. However, you can edit to make accessible for lower level students (especially the second page).

The goal was to encourage students to do something for themselves to take off the edge. In my own life, I try to find pockets of time during stressful seasons, to do something I have complete control over, and to relax. I shared some of my strategies too. Also, I played smooth Jazz to create a relaxing mood.

La pausa mental Activity

How did I do this activity in class?

I started with a question (in the target language): How do you feel about your finals? I allowed them to talk, share, complain, and vent. Side note: students have shared how they appreciate questions like this. There are very few classes where they have an opportunity to share how they feel.

2. Next I followed up with: What can you for yourself this upcoming weekend? I knew many students were going to spend the weekend cramming, so this was to really help them to take stock, not just go through the emotions, and reflect on how they can preserve their mental health as well during this time. Our lives are so oriented toward productivity that we rarely have time to think and reflect.

3. I allowed them time to think, talk and process in their small groups. This act of sharing generated some good ideas on self-care.

4. Now, they were really to put their ideas down on paper! This was something they could take with them as a reminder or keepsake.

5. I had them regroup and discuss as writing is such a great catalyst for refining our thoughts.

6. We then shared out in class allowing the whole class to hear ideas and maybe even create an inventory of things they could do as well.

My Personal Reflection

This time felt like it was a mini therapy session. Even if my students don’t do any of the things they promised to do, I firmly believe that the idea of “Doing something for yourself” resonated with them.