Wellbeing is a word that is often used in schools, but without putting the concept

into practice, wellbeing is just that: a word.

Building a classroom on basic principles of wellbeing can set both teacher and
students up for lifelong learning, successful relationships, engagement, academic
development and enhanced social skills.

Today I am going to introduce some tips which we can inculcate in our teaching so
that the classroom becomes a space where learning can truly thrive.

QUALITY RELATIONSHIPS AND LISTENING IN THE CLASSROOM

Encouraging children to develop quality relationships between themselves and
their classmates, as well as with their teacher, makes a positive difference to their
learning and wellbeing.
Relationships are built collaboratively, and leading by example is an excellent
way of providing a positive environment for students.
As Vani ma’am said yesterday to slow down our lesson plans and give time to
listen to the children and answer their queries hen students see their teachers
getting along and working as a team, they feel safe, valued and they are
encouraged to treat their peers well.
Teachers need to listen and observe to ensure their class is engaging in healthy
relationships between themselves.
On the surface, it could appear a group of girls in a grade three class is having the
time of their lives, but scratch that surface and you might find one of those girls is
going through severe anguish at the hands of the others. Or there might be a boy
who seems to be perfectly happy sitting on his own every lunch time, but share a
conversation with him and it might eventuate that he is, in fact, suffering in
silence.
A teacher who listens, learns, knows their students and picks up on signals, will
gain the trust of their class and be more proactive in solving issues that can affect
wellbeing.
EXPLICIT TEACHING, DIFFERENTIATION AND INCLUSIVITY
Children respond well to clear instructions, accessible tasks and a teacher who
knows their capabilities and limitations.
Although teachers would all love their students to be able to conquer every task
given to them, the reality is, there are children who need the curriculum to be
differentiated, their assessments to be modified and a standard to be set that they
can achieve. The best way to do this, to set an individual learning plan so that the
student feels safe, listened to and set for success.
EMBEDDED WELLBEING - THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM
Author, teacher and educational philosopher Rick Lavoie describes the “hidden
curriculum” as social skills that everyone knows, but no one is taught.
Rules, expectations and social cues are included in the hidden curriculum, which
is important to embed wellbeing into learning, so that skills can be modelled,
which allows students to lead by example and enhance their lifelong learning.
A teacher who considers the values and beliefs and set rules in the classroom will
achieve a strong sense of wellbeing in the classroom.
Teacher can set several rules for her classroom such as
 Raising the hand to ask any query or to give answer.
 Wait for their peers /friends to finish their topic/query
 Ready to ask doubts.
REPAIRING HARM BEFORE THINGS GET WORSE
Eventually, negative interactions such as misunderstandings, conflict, or criticism
can weaken a teacher-student relationship. If these negative interactions are left
unaddressed, students may feel disengaged and be less willing to participate in
activities. They may also be more likely to misbehave, creating further damage. So
it’s important for teachers to “intentionally reconnect” with students to restore
the relationship to a positive state.
When relationships need repair, teachers can:

 Let go and start fresh. Teachers should avoid holding mistakes over a student’s
head, instead giving them a chance to start each day with a clean slate.
 Take responsibility for their actions. Teachers can avoid blaming students
when things go wrong, and think, “What could I have done to avoid the problem
in the first place?” They shouldn’t be afraid to apologize when that’s called for—
doing so helps build trust with students.
 Show empathy. There are two sides to every story, and a teacher can
acknowledge that students may have a different perspective about what
happened.
 Focus on solutions, not problems. Teachers can work with students to find a
solution that everyone feels is fair.
 Separate the deed from the doer. It’s important to criticize the behavior, not
the person. If teachers label children as “problem students,” there’s a danger that
they’ll internalize that label, making it more likely that they’ll repeat the behavior
in the future.