WHY STUDENT WELLBEING IS AT THE HEART OF POSITIVE LEARNING OUTCOMES
BY : SUSANNA GRACE JOHNSON
Learning is embedded in emotional states . There is a wealth of research that states as much . Learners tend to reason and make decisions on the basis of positive personal values and an understanding of their emotions when they are confident , responsible , reflective , innovative and engaged .
It ’ s clear that schools should therefore continuously seek to enhance the overall wellbeing of their students while taking a holistic approach to learning . This is even more relevant today , as we are only beginning to understand the full impact of the pandemic on mental health . Wellbeing is neither permanent nor innate . It is a state of mind and body that is acquired gradually . It can also be lost over time .
When we look at young people across the globe today , we can see that they have many more stressors that affect them – factors that contribute to one of three negative stress categories , occupy brain bandwidth and lower wellbeing . These include :
• A perfect storm of change – everything is changing : the brain , body , chemistry , friends , social pressures , curriculum , fears , protection from adults . Change is stressful , especially if it ’ s a change that hasn ’ t been asked for or cannot be controlled .
• Lack of control – young people can control very little about their day . They may have developed ‘ learned helplessness ’, becoming so used to this lack of control that they fail to notice those areas where they can take control . In addition , they may not ask for help because they think no help is possible .
• Exams – stakes are high , with frequent demands to achieve the best , with often unattainable goals .
• The internet and social media – these provide enormous benefits but come at a cost . This cost applies equally to adults , but teenagers may be more vulnerable because of extra pressures to do the same as friends and peers , and due to less well-developed neural control centres .
One of the best ways to encourage young people is to promote curiosity in learners . For children and adults alike , curiosity has been linked with psychological , emotional , social and even health benefits . These include :
• Survival – the urge to explore and seek novelty helps us remain vigilant and gain knowledge about our continuously changing environment .
• Happiness – research has shown curiosity to be associated with higher levels of positive emotions , lower levels of anxiety , more satisfaction with life and greater psychological wellbeing .
• Achievement – studies reveal that curiosity leads to more enjoyment and participation in school , and higher academic achievement , as well as greater learning , engagement and performance at work .
• Empathy – when we are curious about others and talk to those outside our usual social circle , we become better able to understand people with lives , experiences and worldviews different to our own .
• Relationships – studies have found that people were rated as warmer and more appealing if they showed real curiosity when interacting with others . This implies that demonstrating curiosity towards someone is a great way to increase strong , meaningful relationships in any context .
It has been learnt over time that stressful situations trigger the release of the stress hormone cortisol , which interferes with neural growth . This can affect the learner in a massive way . In fact , prolonged stress impairs the ability to learn and maintain good physical health .
That is why wellbeing should be a vital part of a school curriculum and why it ’ s so beneficial . Wellbeing impacts in the following ways :
• It has profound direct effects on learning and performance .
• It affects relationships with peers , family and teachers .
• A young person has a lot within his or her control once he or she has learnt good practices .
• Wellbeing isn ’ t fixed ; it is vulnerable over time to the social context . Therefore , young people need to build a bank of wellbeing to give them resilience .
• Learning strategies to improve wellbeing at an early age can be used at all stages of an individual ’ s life – wellbeing management is a genuine life skill .
• It helps students to better understand themselves as learners , because they will understand the influences that directly affect their ability to learn .
Young people with a good sense of wellbeing feel generally healthy , sufficiently positive , able to focus on the task in hand and ready to deal with whatever life throws at them . They have reserves of physical and mental health and resilience , to help them deal with negative events or challenges . This is why it ’ s so important for schools to focus on wellbeing initiatives – to bring out the best in their learners .
Susanna Grace Johnson is a clinical psychologist and wellbeing specialist with over 10 years ’ counselling experience , eight of which directly in the education sector . With a master ’ s degree in Clinical Psychology , Susanna has been solely responsible for establishing and effectively managing counselling and wellbeing departments for premium British schools across Dubai . She is passionate about embedding wellbeing in school curricula and has conceptualised and organised largescale community engagement programmes to raise mental health awareness in the UAE . Susanna has also been part of different Dubai Health Authority initiatives and aims to continue fostering a mindfulness culture across her school and GEMS Education .
14 Term 1 Sep - Dec 2021
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