The importance of wellbeing in the primary years.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WELLBEING IN THE PRIMARY YEARS

Wellbeing at Lauriston Prep-Year 6

WHY DO WE FOCUS ON WELLBEING?

As educators we understand that the wellbeing of our children and young people is a shared responsibility of students, educators, families and the broader community. Wellbeing is complex in that individuals are managing both internal and external factors which impact the way in which they respond to their environment and situations which arise.

The International Baccalaureate Organisation defines wellbeing as the state of feeling good and functioning well in your life. Wellbeing comprises four important elements that are all connected and influence each other: feeling good; functioning well; accomplishing; and flourishing.

This aligns with the work of Dr Martin Seligman from the University of Pennsylvania. He developed the PERMA theory of wellbeing to respond to the question of what human flourishing looks like and what enables it. He identifies five building blocks that enable flourishing - Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment.

When we feel good and function well in our lives then we are more likely to engage - use our skills and strengths for challenging tasks; feel connected to our family, friends and acquaintances; feel a sense of belonging and purpose; and pursue achievements.

The combination of academic achievement, the development of cognitive skills, as well as social wellbeing represented by positive interactions with the family, school and community, and emotional wellbeing which is the way children adapt and deal with daily challenges, represents a holistic sense of wellbeing, essential for success at school and later in life.

Wellbeing at Lauriston Junior School

From the time a child enters Kindergarten, Junior School or Senior School they participate in a formal wellbeing curriculum which is age appropriate, tailored to the ongoing development of their social and emotional learning, along with topics that are relevant to their ability to manage concerns related to use of technology, establishing and maintaining friendships, organising themselves to manage their academic, co-curricular and family activities.

In addition to the formal curriculum, our classroom teachers in the Junior School play an important role in providing support to our children and girls. They act as mentors and advisors regarding personal and academic development. They offer support when they observe that a child or girl is having some friendship challenges or is not engaging in class activities. The relationships formed between the teacher and the student are important in supporting a sense of belonging and knowing that one or more adults at school knows them and is interested in their welfare.

LAURISTON’S 8 DOMAINS

Self-awareness

Self-awareness involves being aware of different aspects of personality including beliefs, strengths, weaknesses, behaviours and feelings. As self-awareness develops, we learn to make changes to thoughts and interpretations in the mind, developing resilience, selfconfidence and a sense of optimism.

Positive direction

Lauriston teaches an understanding and management of self to achieve individual goals. We focus on what motivation is and how to practice motivational strategies and stay in the flow. We focus on understanding the importance of self-regulation and having a balance in life.

Healthy holistic habits

Everyday we must build habits to balance our physical, mental and emotional needs so they are engrained in daily life. At Lauriston, this includes a focus on the importance of a positive body image, being mindful and understanding the importance of nutrition and exercise.

Emotional awareness

Developing emotional awareness means becoming aware of emotions in such a way that we know why we are feeling bad or experiencing different feelings. We focus on being able to label a range of and differentiate between emotions. Understanding what triggers emotional responses, appreciating the role of humour and gratitude.

Positive relationships

Through building positive relationships with others, we are happier and fulfilled and feel supported and connected. We explore empathy, kindness, forgiveness and assertiveness as the building blocks for developing healthy relationships.

Role modelling

Young people need role models, and often take them from pop culture, family or teachers. Role model education is effective because it bridges the gap between the ideal and reality. We also focus on understanding different personality types and how these impact relationships, how values drive behaviours and how to manage conflict.

Mindsets

Mindsets are beliefs about our qualities such as personality, talent and intelligence. Some people believe these traits are set but at Lauriston we know these qualities can be developed through effort and dedication. Through a focus on the growth mindset we seek to develop grit and perseverance, the benefit of failing and the understanding of accomplishment.

Looking outward

Lauriston’s wellbeing program in the Junior School is underpinned by eight key elements that our bespoke research has found contribute to student wellbeing. Our 8 Domains are purposefully embedded throughout all learning experiences across the School to support the flourishing of all students. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Looking outward helps students to identify issues when working with others and to also consider other people and cultures in life. We create opportunities to be involved in the community to enables our girls to understand different perspectives, provide a sense of purpose and the opportunity to learn about their strengths and capacities to contribute to a greater cause.

CONNECTIONS AND BELONGING

Building the levels of resilience in children and young people provides them with the ability to reflect upon past adversities and understand they have the capabilities that will let them bounce back from adversity in the future.

An important component of being a resilient person is having connections with family, friends and school which provides children and young people with a sense of belonging and enables them to build trusting relationships. It is important for children and young people to have multiple circles of connection and in practical terms, this means that they build connections at School through the various activities they participate in, their own year group and also with groups they associate with outside of school, such as sporting clubs, musical groups, ballet or performing arts. Our young people should be encouraged to have a broad circle of friends and acquaintances who provide them with opportunities to foster their personal interests, offer different perspectives and opinions and enable them to gain support when there might be a conflict with another group.

Empathy is one important component when making connections with people. When a child or young person can feel what a situation may be like from the perspective of another person, they will learn to be less judgmental and more understanding. Demonstrating empathy is part of character building. Through our wellbeing programs, and underscored by our ethos of ‘Care, Share and Respect’, we encourage junior students to show kindness and understanding towards their peers.

The role of teacher relationships in creating wellbeing

The relationships that students develop with their teachers has a positive influence on how young people feel about school. When students perceive their teachers as creating a caring and well-structured learning environment, they feel valued and respected as individuals.

An OECD report on social and emotional skills highlights that students’ sense of fitting in at school and student-teacher relationships are consistently and positively related to social and emotional skills. Students who feel like they belong at school are more likely to get along well and work well with their classmates and friends.

The value of friendships

Children and young people learn many skills as they make and maintain friendships, including talking about what each need from the friendship, being flexible, sharing honest feelings and giving each other both time and space within the friendship. Children learn to care about the feelings of another person when they are friends. While it is important to stand by a friend when they are facing challenges or there may be a period of conflict within their relationship, there is also a reciprocity within the friendship, rather than one individual who gives more than the other. Both young people need to be committed to being a friend to each other.

RELATIONSHIPS AT LAURISTON

At Lauriston we have used the Seven Cs of resilience developed by American pediatrics specialist, Dr Ken Ginsberg to enhance our personal development curriculum from the junior to the senior years. The Seven Cs are interrelated components. For example, children and young people who contribute to their community will gain confidence and feel more competent. Children and young people who have a sense of control believe in their ability to solve problems and this enhances confidence and competence in looking for solutions.

Relationships are fundamental to the 7 Cs and along with connectedness which is why Relationships and Engagement in Life are among our core values. We offer many opportunities for our girls to learn about and practice establishing and maintaining friendships with their peers.

• Our personal development program from the primary years gives attention to how to make and maintain friends and how to negotiate obstacles or barriers within friendships.

• Through our co-curricular program we encourage girls to have a wide set of social connections where they have the opportunity to make friends with peers who share their interests.

• Our House system enhances the ability of our students to make connections with their friends and school. House sports, drama and music provide examples of activities where our girls were not only connected with their peers, but they also built their levels of confidence and competence through their participation.

Connection: Close ties to family, friends, school and community creates a solid sense of security that produces strong values and a strong sense of belonging to the wider world.

Confidence Those who experience their own competence and know they are safe and protected develop a deep-seated security that promotes the confidence to face and cope with challenges.

Competence Achieved through developing a set of skills to handle situations effectively through actual experience, competence allows children and young people to trust their judgements, make responsible choices, and face difficult situations.

Character: A fundamental sense of right and wrong ensures children and young people are prepared to make wise choices and contribute to the world.

7 Cs of Resilience

Contribution: By understanding the importance of personal contribution children and young people gain a sense of purpose that can motivate them.

Coping: Those who learn to cope effectively with stress are better prepared to overcome life’s challenges.

Control: By realising that they can control the outcomes of their decisions and actions, children and young people are more likely to know that they can do what it takes to bounce back.

AN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Children

As the OECD 2021 Building Capacity for Inclusive Teaching project points out, our school environments have become increasingly diverse places where students from various backgrounds share their learning and personal experiences. An inclusive education that offers a quality education for all must therefore respect diversity and the different needs and abilities, characteristics and learning expectations of students and their families. We need to support the learning and wellbeing outcomes of all students by valuing their unique identities and needs.

Inclusive teaching practices give particular attention to pedagogy or the use of different approaches to teaching, the curriculum and the nature of assessment. Teachers are aware of the different needs of students within their classes and hence will differentiate or make adjustments in their teaching. The objective of teachers is to find ways that will engage all students in the classroom and to assess students in ways that will enable them to show their understanding.

As educators, we can demonstrate inclusiveness through pedagogy or approaches to teaching, curriculum and assessment which engages students in learning that is meaningful, relevant, culturally appropriate and accessible. There is also another important element of inclusiveness which gives attention to enabling all students to feel a sense of belonging to the school rather than feeling marginalised and isolated.

• Our year level cohorts are made up of students who are a microcosm of the diverse society in which we live. Their cultural diversity is observable, but perhaps less observable is the diversity of learning and wellbeing needs, the different ways in which our students define and describe their family unit or the way in which individual students identify themselves. Each student is accepted and valued as an individual and each will make a contribution to our School.

• Our Assemblies are student focused and we hear their voices, celebrate their achievements and listen to what they have to say about a broad range of topics.

• Our various co-curricular opportunities and clubs are broad and varied because our girls have a wide range of interests and talents.

• Our Community Service activities create opportunities for our students to go out into the broader community and listen to the stories of people from diverse backgrounds. There is a focus on developing empathy and understanding for those individuals whose lives are often impacted by the community in which they live.

• Activities such as House events and Year Level activities are designed to promote inclusiveness. We expect that every student participates in these events and makes their personal contribution. We observe our students acknowledging and encouraging their peers because they are brave enough to participate and try.

and young people of today view their world as a place filled with diversity and understand that they will need to navigate through that world when they leave school.

As a school community we each have a responsibility to respect the diverse needs of children and young people. We strive to make inclusive practices part of our daily life at Lauriston.

STUDENT VOICE

While there are a number of different definitions for the term, student voice is essentially about enabling our children and young people to be active participants in their own learning and wellbeing, to feel connected at school and to use their social and emotional skills to be respectful, resilient and safe.

“As a school we have a responsibility to encourage children and young people to participate in decision-making on things which shape their educational experiences.”

When our school can provide opportunities for children to participate and is responsive to their contributions, we strengthen their confidence and engagement in school life. Through acknowledging the ability of children and young people to make informed decisions we can develop their confidence and support them as they develop more control over their lives.

Schools can foster positive relationships among peers and adults, build student awareness and knowledge to recognize unsafe situations and raise concerns and provide students with opportunities for meaningful and purposeful participation.

Some further breadth to the purpose of student voice can be given by considering the following:

• Allowing students and teacher to design solutions together

• Increasing engagement in learning

• Building connections and belonging

• Creating a positive environment and culture

• Developing personal and social capabilities

SUPPORTING THE STUDENT VOICE IN THE LAURISTON JUNIOR SCHOOL

Prep to Year 2

• Our students are given many different opportunities within the classroom, amongst their peers and at school assemblies and activities to develop their communication skills. They learn to offer their opinions and views in a respectful way and to listen to those of their peers and teachers. They learn how to speak confidently in front of groups of children and adults.

• Our students develop their social and emotional capabilities through their daily interactions with teachers and peers, and through the learning activities they are involved in. The students learn to listen to others, to share and negotiate, to empathize with others and to develop resilience when they face challenges in their learning and social interactions.

• Through their learning activities, our students engage with their teacher and peers. They can assist their teachers in the development of learning tasks and are actively involved in their learning, taking on different roles and responsibilities within the classroom. Activities are scaffolded to offer opportunities for the children to be challenged in their learning and to understand the satisfaction of achieving an outcome.

• The children and their teachers build connections through their learning and co-curricular activities. There is a strong sense of belonging, understanding that each individual plays a role in looking after each other and being inclusive.

• The Year 2 students learn about the responsibilities of leadership and their opinions and suggestions are actively sought through the Student Representative Council. Staff members listen to their contributions and take action, thus ensuring that the suggestions of the students are valued.

• A positive and safe learning environment is established by each teacher, with clear guidelines that ensure safety and inclusive practices.

Year 3 to Year 6

• Our Junior School ethos of ‘Care, Share and Respect’ is enacted by students and teachers ensuring a safe and inclusive learning environment.

• Our students are provided with learning opportunities in the classroom that encourage curiosity and allow them to continue the development of knowledge expansion, research skills, writing and numeracy skills, critical thinking and creative thinking.

• Curriculum is developed which engages students in their learning, fosters a growth mindset and enables them to consolidate and extend their learning.

• The co-curricular activities are expanded to increase the development of personal and social capabilities.

• Connections with peers are further enhanced through classroom learning, co-curricular activities, camps and excursions.

• The Student Representative Council provides meaningful opportunities for students to offer suggestions and participate in decision making.

• The personal development program promotes student contributions and development of social and emotional skills.

• Leadership opportunities promote student involvement and inclusion, with purposeful action for students in contributing to a safe school environment and contributing to the wider community through service learning.

We would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this land, the Wurundjeri and the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, whose sovereignty was never ceded, and pay our respects to their elders past, present and future, for they hold the memories, traditions, culture and hopes of Indigenous Australia.

We would like to acknowledge that our community is diverse; and Lauriston values an inclusive and accepting environment for all ages, genders, abilities, races, religions, sexualities and cultures.