Character skill interventions and programmes
Middle School students discussing the Sevenoaks School Diploma .
Implementing character and socialemotional programmes and interventions has great potential to impact a range of student wellbeing outcomes .
Teachers can be trained to support socialemotional skills both in the curriculum and in their interactions with students .
Schools can also implement character skill interventions to support student flourishing . For example , randomised-control trials have shown that gratitude interventions with students can lead to increased optimism , a greater sense of belonging , and higher life satisfaction .
Likewise , randomised-controlled studies on kindness interventions with students have shown increases in social and cognitive outcomes , such as peer acceptance , cognitive flexibility and delayed gratification .
Students who kept a daily gratitude journal over a two-week period showed increased optimism and life satisfaction .
Case study : Sevenoaks School Diploma
Sevenoaks School has a structured skills development programme , with students from Years 9 to 11 completing the Sevenoaks School Diploma . The Diploma recognises and seeks to develop aspects of character and behaviour for learning , such as critical thinking , collaboration , self-awareness , and social responsibility . It cultivates a reflective mindset , designed to foster consideration of relationships between the self and others , as well as the wider world .
“ Being able to regularly reflect on what I am achieving outside of the classroom has helped me feel fulfilled and achieve more inside the classroom . Being able to set goals in areas that I ’ m passionate about outside of lessons , from swimming and drama to helping others , gives me real purpose and helps me aim higher .’
Sevenoaks School student , Year 10
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