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Submitted by: Sheryl McBride

I have found three ways to easily use aroma therapy in the classroom to inspire learning. Besides melting candles, bringing in live flowers, using potpourri and simmer scents are a great way enhance and inspire learning in the classroom.

1: On each teacher s birthday, I had the habit of bringing in a dozen roses in his or her favorite color to the classroom. This not only brightened the teacher s day, it also encouraged the students. Everyone seemed to work better and get along on those days. Sometimes the teachers would leave the flowers to enjoy in the classroom until the weekend, when they would take them home. Everyday the flowers were there good things happened in the classroom. Some times when moral was low at the school I would get a couple dozen roses and deliver each rose with a smile to random teachers throughout the school, men included. The smile on their faces was well worth the effort. Even the simple act of my aide bringing in fresh flowers from her garden boosted each student s activity and motivation in the lessons. When a student brought in flowers I would find a vase to display them and everyone would benefit from the aroma. The student that brought them worked extra hard that day with a great big smile on their face.

2: Especially during holiday times, but anytime during the year when we needed a boost I would bring in potpourri and put it in an out of the way place. The students would enter, acknowledge the great smell and work harder. I had to do some research to see which fragrances worked best. However, I was usually alright when using natural scents like cinnamon and pine. At holiday times a student would give potpourri as a gift. I would make a special effort to use their gift in the classroom for all to enjoy. There was a holiday feeling in the room which encouraged the students and teachers to work a little harder and happier.

3: When there is room, Simmer Scents is a great way to apply aroma therapy. The fruit is sliced and the spices added to water in a crock pot and left to simmer all day. Each year I would deliver a bag containing one orange, one apple, one lemon, a stick of cinnamon, 10 cloves and a bay leaf to each member of the staff. This included Administration and support staff. Since this was such a big project and we had so little time, I would include the students in the delivery of the bags. This helped me and the students get to match faces with names and to meet some fabulous people. When the administrators and support staff would come through the room I could introduce them to the students. Besides inspiring the students to learn the simmer scent adaptation brought good feelings to all the students and staff.

Adding aroma therapy in these three ways has enhanced learning success in my classrooms. It has also brought the staff together in a happy way. As you know a happy staff makes for happy students and achievement rules.

About the Author: Sheryl McBride, Certified Teacher of Special Education and Elementary Education. I specialize in working with special needs students.Owner of

listenandtutor.com

Your ideas are welcome at the site. Thank you for listening.

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