Kindness. It costs nothing but means everything.

AnnaSpeedman — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 17:10:00 +0000

Kindness. It costs nothing but means everything.

Hi there – and welcome back to #WelfareWednesday. Is it that time of the week already?

I hope you’re all having a good week so far! We certainly are at Studio. This week’s theme is kindness, as I have seen so much kindness around school. It’s heart warming to see our students taking care of our community.

Not loud, ostentatious gestures but very simple things that help someone else or make their day just that little bit brighter. I’ve seen students holding the doors open for each other, telling each other that their shoes laces are undone and moving up a space at the lunch table so that someone from another group can sit down.

Why be kind?

Kindness releases feel-good hormones. Have you ever noticed that when you do something nice for someone else, it makes you feel better too?

Research shows that doing nice things for others boosts your serotonin, the neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of satisfaction and well-being.

Like exercise, altruism also releases endorphins, a phenomenon known as a “helper’s high.” So being kind really is a win-win situation for you and the person you have been kind to.

A thank-you note for me!

One of our students from Jordan left her bag in the Common Room this week, so I brought it over to Reception and kept it safe for her to pick up the next day.

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She then left me this touching note and bar of chocolate on my desk, which I found on Monday morning. It was very small kind gesture but it meant so much to the student. Thank you again for the chocolate! And what a testament to her English learning!

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Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.
Henry James

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I like this quote very much.

Kindness strengthens your heart physically and emotionally. Maybe that’s why they say that nice, caring people have really big hearts?

Lots of love,

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Amy

The post Kindness. It costs nothing but means everything. appeared first on Studio Cambridge.

Is singing good for you?

AnnaSpeedman — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 16:44:32 +0000

Is singing good for you?

Welcome to #WelfareWednesday, where I’m going to be talking about the things we do at Studio Cambridge to ensure our students are their happiest! You may have caught some of my previous posts on our social media – I’m Amy, Head of Welfare, and I’m in charge of promoting the social and friendly atmosphere amongst our students here at Studio.

What have we been getting up to?

There’s been a fantastic buzz around school and singing really does seem to have been a highlight of the week, so that’s what we’re thinking about today. Our students from Brazil enjoyed a Team Quiz last night at school, followed by some excellent karaoke in Café Studio. The atmosphere was outstanding as everyone was having so much fun, meeting new people and learning new English song lyrics.

Reception has also seen Gabriel from the IST Group singing a beautiful song during break time, followed by Gemma from the Sales Team singing her version of “You’ve got a friend” (originally sung by James Taylor). Both voices were stunning and resonated wonderfully through the offices and classroom around Reception. Students and staff eagerly popped out to listen.

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Singing is very good for you because it raises endorphins, puts a smile on your face and encourages good posture!
Gemma

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We’re also holding a Latino Disco on Thursday this week which is sure to be another great opportunity for students to sing and dance together!

Benefits of Singing:

There are numerous benefits to singing. For example, it helps release endorphins, the feel-good chemicals in the brain. Research from the University of Frankfurt suggests that singing also boosts the immune system. Further, it is also known that people who sing in groups might feel a lift from their social connection and may feel happier. The Alzheimer’s Society recognises this and has even established their own ‘Singing for the Brain’ service!

We hope you have a fantastic rest of the week and remember to keep singing – it might even reinforce your English vocabulary. Have a look at Gemma and Gabriel singing in reception in the video below.

Lots of love,

Amy x

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Kindness. It costs nothing but means everything.