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Nurture is important for wellbeing
Nurture is important for wellbeing
Staff wellbeing is important
Children and young people's wellbeing is important
Notice strengths and creativity
Enable choice and control
Celebrate success
Praise effort and persistence
Staff wellbeing is important
Staff wellbeing is important
Staff have been through different experiences and are also reconnecting with one another and the school community. If we nurture our staff, this will create the platform for all relationships and wellbeing. Allow time for staff to talk, share and reconnect. Consider their wellbeing - find out about their concerns and needs. What ideas do they have for moving forward? The Educational Psychology Service has a range of training and development materials. Get in touch if you are looking for support in taking staff wellbeing forward.
See this wakelet from Education Scotland for further resources.
This link takes you to the Anna Freud guide for school staff about looking after ourselves.
Children and young people's wellbeing is important
Children and young people's wellbeing is important
Dr. Karen Treisman's site offers support and resources to support the wellbeing of children, young people, adults, families and organisations.
Dr Emma Hepburn's free e-book How to stay calm in a global pandemic is full of information on how COVID-19 can impact on our mental health, with related strategies and engaging graphics . This resource is particularly suited to secondary aged pupils.
Notice strengths and creativity
Notice strengths and creativity
Ask children, young people and their families about what they have done and how they have managed during lockdown. This should be done sensitively, considering where you do it and who else is around. You should be mindful of the different experiences that will have occurred. It is important to accept and value all feelings and emotions – it is ok not to be ok. Whilst listening and identifying all emotions and feelings, you can look for strengths and creativity. Help them see the qualities they have demonstrated and skills they have developed. Find ways to recognise and record these. You can refer to these skills and qualities in relation to their learning experiences. Over time, the Building Resilience programme can be used to further develop protective skills, promoting emotional wellbeing and resilience.
Provide ways for children and young people to have choice and control over what they do.
Provide ways for children and young people to have choice and control over what they do.
Allow them to personalise their learning, making it meaningful for them. Promote special interests within the curriculum. This will support children and young people, making them feel understood, valued and successful.
Look for success and achievement.
Look for success and achievement.
This can be recorded through photos, records and sharing with others. Remember not all children and young people will want the same type of recognition. Think about what will work for individuals, some will value a concrete collection/ display of their work, whilst others may appreciate a note in their jotter or a ‘thumbs up’ at a discrete moment.
Carol Dweck explains how to apply the principles of Growth Mindset.
Carol Dweck explains how to apply the principles of Growth Mindset.
We should look for effort and persistence, name it and value it in our discussions with learners. If a child or young person is displaying self-negating behaviours, do not dismiss this out of hand. Let them know when you see observable change and progress. Help them see mistakes as an integral and valuable part of the learning process.
References and further information:
References and further information:
A resource for supporting children and adults to Keep Calm, Stay Wise, Be Kind https://www.actionforhappiness.org/
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