How to level Alteration and restoration?

So I've never really used magic in Skyrim and I decided to try to use a couple schools.

I have absorb health, healing hands, healing ward, and the one shield spell but the only one that seems to give me experience is absorb health.

Even when my companions are hurt and I use hh on them, it doesn't seem to give me anything. Should I just pick up the self heal instead?

My characters magic schools are lagging behind and I really wanna level resto for those crazy sunbursts.