Mental Training in School

Mental strength is not only an important asset to have for children and teenagers with exam nerves, but also for teachers, who want to live up to the expectations of the environment: children, parents, school management, authorities. All of them have high expectations. Additional challenges with extensive educational curricula, integration, talent programs, foreign languages, cultural gaps and multiclass teaching are only part of the pressure – combined with ones own high expectations to the quality of the lesson. All of this leads to exhaustion in teachers and we all know several cases of “burn-out” diagnoses within this profession.

In such situations, a specific mental training could offer help the way we provide it in our SCHILF-courses and individual coaching. Due to situational adapted behavior pattern and due to the development of mental strength, you can heal and regain your resilience and health.  Together, we develop an individual mental training program tailored to your personal needs. These are trained in combination with the most suitable relaxation exercises, in order to be applied easily under pressure.

You should take things, the way they come. But you should also ensure that things come the way you want them to. (Curt Goetz)

Those who suffer under exam nerves is unable to retrieve the learned knowledge. Our mental trainers develop mental trainings programms together with you, which can be successfully impleneted into your daily routine.

Exam Nerves

Armin P. (14. Jahre) was suffering from severe symptoms already days before the exam and could hardly sleep. Hence his exhaustion on the day of the exam. He also described a typical stress induced blackout.  Worst case scenario for Armin was an unexpected change of location or teachers. Within our first session, we were able to analyze the cause of his fear, which was based in school external situations. We were able to develop a distinguished mental trainings card for this specific situation, which was combined to an individual routine of relaxation. Although the mental program and the exams context was practiced diligently and Armin did feel much better just before the exam – he did have a hard setback. Why? Surprisingly, a different teacher was handing out the papers, which had been an unbearable element of surprise for Armin. Due to a much better preparation, we additionally focused on a specific visualization of surprisingly changing situations and their procedures. Thanks to a combination of mental training and visualization of situations, Armin was able to continuously improve his level of emotional control. Not only was he able to improve his results and grades, but also is much more comfortable in unexpectedly changing situations. 

Parents’ Meetings: nervous and insecure
Heidi F. (54) is teaching ever since as primary teacher. She is well known as a committed and experienced person by her whole environment. Heidi approached MENTAL DRIVE due to her wish to strengthen her mental strength regarding the parents’ meetings. In earlier days, Heidi was able to actually enjoy those meetings – but they have turned into a burden, although she became much more experienced in handling even difficult parents. Within our training we found out, that mainly her own extremely high expectation did cause all of her nervousness and insecurity. Everything had to be perfect, which is an extraordinary task with today’s parents. Especially, when parents wouldn’t step in their upbringing responsibilities. A first step was to clarify the responsibilities: Parents – teachers – school – authorities – students. Hereby we found out, that Heidi regularly took over responsibility for elements outside of her field of jurisdiction. Additionally, we developed a mental trainings program with Heidi so she learned to stay calm and patient within challenging situations. She learned to patiently listen to the parents but also respond with a strong and clear voice in an analytic and respectful way. Hereby, she had to already understand prior to the event, that she wants to be open to criticism and suggestions but is able to put negative communication aside. This way, Heidi was able to focus on the content without taking anything personal. Heidi was diligently practicing this MT program for about 2 months and was talking to authorities and the school management, which also strengthened her. She then was able to present herself with a stronger an different attitude.