Be Body Positive Middle School Programs
“My favorite thing about teaching The Body Positive is that the results are immediate. There are a lot of aha moments in the group and I love when the students come up to me later and say, ‘I heard this, or somebody said that and I told them, no, that’s not how it is.’ They’re getting access to info they’ve never had access to before.”
— Kirsten Matsumoto, Middle School Educator
We all know that middle school is a difficult time to have a body. The changes that humans experience during this period in their lives, physically and otherwise, are notorious for being dramatic, challenging to navigate, and downright painful. As their social lives begin to take center stage, concerns about their bodies can create suffering that can last for years.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Imagine how things would be different if middle school students were taught to think critically about the messages they receive that cause disrupted embodiment and shame.
What if they could learn to have self-compassion and self-respect, which they could then extend towards others? With The Body Positive, students develop the confidence to stand strong in their individuality. They spend time in a truly unique environment where they are able to connect with and support one another, rather than competing and comparing.
40% of middle school students feel fat and/or wish to lose weight and 31% of them engage in dieting behavior.1
There are two ways to bring The Body Positive to middle school students. Click on the links below to learn more about these programs.
- Teach our NEW Be Body Positive Classroom Curriculum to your students. Learn more.
- Create discussion groups for your students with the Be Body Positive Group Curriculum. Learn more.
“We had a young lady that revealed that she was being bullied for her body size. Immediately, the group came together and wanted to help her and said, ‘Hey that’s not right what they are doing to you and here’s some tips, things that you can say. We hear you.’ Even with me wanting to go forward with the lesson, the girls wanted to rally around their friend and help with the issue, and I was so touched by that. But not surprised. Because when you’re talking about topics like this with girls and they allow themselves to become open, things like that happen.”
— Cristal Banagan, Non-profit administrator
