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.