Jedi Mind Tricks
Spotlight on Upper Grades Centers
Q&A with Priya B., Jedi Mind Tricks Center Lead and Parent of Talented Toucan Sohum and Future Villager Ronak
What exactly is the Jedi Mind Tricks Center? How was the curriculum developed?
The Jedi Mind Tricks Center, originally called the Brain Powers Center, is a brand new upper grade Center led by parents Priya B. and Dorothy A. The curriculum is based on the work of Marie Nathalie-Beaudoin in her book, Boosting All Children’s Social and Emotional Brain Power. Weaving together social-emotional skills and themes from Star Wars, we’ve tried to make this center a playful way to learn important life skills that we’ve termed “mind tricks.” We begin by explaining that the Jedi can’t control other people’s minds they way they show in the movies until they learn ways to understand and strengthen their own minds. We jokingly tell the kids, “mind control will be discussed in the sequel ‘Jedi Mind Tricks Center, Episode 2.’
Each week we teach the kids a new skill and practice using it with examples and in-class skits. Often the kids share examples from their own lives, exploring ways to resolve disappointments, disagreements, or general mishaps and mix-ups.
What are some of the Mind Tricks you work on?
Shrinking Power — the ability to shrink problems (solving problems)
Double Vision — the power to see what’s going on inside of someone else (empathy)
Choice Mind — the ability to weigh options and make better choices (non-reactivity and self-awareness)
Foresight — the ability to see the future (foreseeing the consequences of actions)
The kids have a great time acting out ways to handle tricky situations using their mind tricks!
What are you hoping students gain from the Center?
The Center helps kids to develop stronger coping skills and emotional regulation, but we don’t really tell them that. Our approach to teaching is playfulness. We bring out props like Jedi robes, lightsabers, brain hats, walkie-talkies, and more! In our last class we bring all the mind tricks together and then share some Jedi Jello.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
One of the highlights from this year was one student’s response to the question, “Why are we even learning about this?” His response, “Because they help us with the M&M’s.” Yes! It was a powerful moment of integration.
