Hello!

I'm Mrs Berry Green and I would like to tell you about the Massage in Schools Programme (MISP).

I trained as an Infant massage instructor in 1996 and have taught groups of parents/carers and their babies since then, and still do.  I also work in South Wonston Primary School as a Teaching Assistant.  The Massage in Schools Programme was born out of the work of the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM) and I trained as a MISP instructor in May 2018, bringing it here to South Wonston in September 2018.

I teach every class in the school a series of simple, over clothes movements which the children give to each other.  They are on the head, shoulders, back and arms.  The children ask permission to massage, and thank each other at the end, therefore learning and showing respect.  The children have a right to say “no” to a massage.

The idea is that the massage is done 10-15 minutes daily or at least three times a week to reap the benefits, of which there are many; reduction in stress levels, improved concentration, developing greater respect for their peers, stronger sense of self and higher self esteem.  It has also been observed that the entire school benefits from massage in many ways, e.g. a sense of unity in the entire school, less violence in the classroom and playground, a practical tool for use against bullying and continuity as the child progresses from year to year.

The effects of massage are immediate...yet they last a lifetime.

Mrs Berry-Green