Wellbeing Journal Years 9&10 Teacher Guide by learning_curve

YEARS 9&10 journal – teacher guide The purpose of the journal is to provide you with a weekly menu of usable evidence-based activities which enable students to become and then extend their best possible selves. There are no shortcuts to achieving this, but rather, frequent opportunities for students and yourself to experience positive emotions through doing. Many students of this age believe they don’t need to participate in wellbeing activities, but the research categorically says otherwise, as they are often socially and emotionally quite fragile. Each week there are eleven activities to choose from to suit your class’s and school’s context. You are not expected to do them all, so don’t feel any pressure; they each contribute to enhancing wellbeing. The weekly activities are: • Wellbeing Builder – focusing on enhancing one of the elements of wellbeing. • Growth Mindset Actions – learning more difficult approaches to stretch and grow their brains’ abilities. • Mindfulness Activity – connecting with their own thoughts, moment by moment. • R esilience Builder – developing students’ social-emotional resilience to enjoy respectful relationships. • Character Strength – a strength is nominated to discuss and focus on using in their daily life. • T hinking Tool – a higher order thinking tool is introduced to develop their creative and critical thinking. • Strengths Booster or Wellbeing Fitness Challenge – cultivating growth and resilient mindsets. • Mind and Heart Calmer – prompting positive questions to focus on. • How Did You Feel This Week? – cultivating self-awareness, optimism and hope for the future. • What Went Well This Week? – hunting for good things which happened that they are grateful for. • Mindful Coloring – an opportunity to practice solitude to connect with themselves.

GROWTH MINDSET ACTIONS

to become my best To grow my brain’s abilities ’ things could I do? possible self, what ‘difficult

MIND AND HEART CALMER

exercise and vitality

tried hard to When is a time you have but missed out? be picked for something

Wellbeing Bank: to boost fresh foods and less by eating more naturally processed ones. that naturally fresh foods Many studies have proven bodies need to thrive and have what our minds and flourish. ed more and more process Yet, people are eating are more difficult for our and takeaway foods which contain less nutrients bodies to digest and usually salts. and and more fats, sugars are obese, have diabetes As a result, many people and this situation is and rely on medication rate. increasing at an alarming ignore these facts? Why do so many people are much better for us Fresh home cooked foods , minerals and nutrients. and contain more vitamins food that you currently Describe the types of fresh eat. ................................ ............ .................................... ................................

............ ....................................

........

....................................

learn to What do I still need to

STRENGTHS BOOSTER

What do I still need to

HERO STRENGTHS I will study a person in history I admire for what they have achieved and write down strengths I think they used and why.

WEDNESDAY Date: ___/___/___

What do I still need to

......................

............ Misuse it: ........................

learn to do?

What do I still need to

learn to do?

WEEKEND Date: ___/___/___ What do I still need to

learn to do?

WHAT WENT WELL THIS WEEK?happened,

THINKING TOOL

PERSON 2

PERSON 1

MINDFUL COLOURING

FRIDAY Date: ___/___/___

..............................

Underuse it: ........................

INTERSECTIONS

learn to do?

THURSDAY Date: ___/___/___

ECTIVE, describe For the strength of PERSP to: one thing you could do ................................ Use it well: ........................

Thinking Tool

learn to do?

What do I still need to

CHARACTER STRENGTH

that you consider Behaving ethically means others, safe, legal, makes if what you do is fair to do and it the right thing to you feel ok afterwards behaved ethically. you time for you. Describe a

ACTIONS to two things I will start doing

do?

TUESDAY Date: ___/___/___

RESILIENCE BUILDER

e and Judgement to Use the strengths Prudenc yourself is to read the salt, build a healthy habit in and the s on processed foods sugar and fats content serve. per s number of kilojoule of healthy amounts for each Also, by being aware of eat to avoid you what of charge in these, you can be suffers from obesity and becoming someone who . diabetes Reflection. > Website: Wellbeing Builder

on your back with your DOING NOTHING – lie and concentrate on doing hands under your head least five minutes. You absolutely nothing for at can only do nothing.

MONDAY Date: ___/___/___

NATURALLY FRESHmy Exercise and Vitality

MINDFULNESS ACTIVITY

topic, individually brainstorm When beginning a new know about it and any as many things as you questions you have. brainstorms and fill in the In threes, compare your Intersections diagram below. of, what two thought of Fill in what all three thought and your remaining thoughts. of the other two Fill in the individual thoughts students.

things that Think about three good were, that you were no matter how small they did you do to make grateful for this week. What can you make them them happen and how happen again?

HOW DID YOU FEEL THIS WEEK?felt this week. Select a face which shows

how you

are really What are three things you to next week?

looking forward

What are less processed eat more fresh foods and foods?

1. 2.

“Intelligence is the ability

to adapt to change.”

Stephen Hawking

PERSON 3 11/10/13 9:25 AM

2014 Thinking Tools_Intersections.indd

FRONT pages OF the JOURNAL

Introducing what social-emotional learning and positive education is all about. PAGE 1 – setting the scene on extending their best possible selves

GRADES 9-10 MY WELLBEING JOURNAL

extending MY BEST POSSIBLE SELF Making the choice to extend your best possible self, will mean leaving your comfort zone to learn and try new more difficult things. You may find some of these challenging, but this is when you discover exciting new paths to explore.

STUDENT NAME..................................................................................... CLASS............................................. To experience the great feelings that come from sharing with real people in real time, make the choice to look up from your phone and put what’s happening on social media on hold for a while. Choosing to thrive and flourish by making the choice to:

Focusing on developing the skills of resilience in myself by: using my strengths to control my emotions and impulses

do what I say I will do make my top priority in person relationships

building my self-belief to have optimism and hope for the future

be kind to myself through positive self-talk

showing empathy for others because I believe they matter

explore the unknown, make mistakes and grow myself by fixing them.

learning how to change the way I think for different situations.

Write a short job description of the must do tasks you need to face up to as a student. What do you expect from yourself?

........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... Acknowledgement: Sonja Lyubomirsky & Tal Ben Shahar

“Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” Steve Maraboli

PAGE 2 – finding what you are looking for

index You can extend your best possible self by doing the wellbeing building activities in this journal. These have all been shown to encourage you to reflect on what you do and how you do them. This in turn will provide you with frequent opportunities to feel positive, happy and fulfilling emotions. Neuroscience has shown that your brain is always changing and that you can grow your brain’s abilities by lifting your efforts to learn and try new and more challenging things. Make science work for you by improving your abilities rather than proving them.

Strengths And EmotioNS

Page

positive engagement

Emotional Control ...............................................14 Acceptance And Belief .......................................26 Skills of Resilience ..............................................40 Strengths Beat Bullying ......................................54 Assertive Language ............................................66 Mindfulness And Strengths .................................80 Lasting Moments ................................................94 Encouraging Self-Talk .......................................106

RELATIONSHIPS AND OPTIMISM

Page

skills and achievement

EXERCISE AND VITALITY

MEANING AND PURPOSE

Page

Breathing Deeply ................................................22 Living Actively .....................................................36 Naturally Fresh....................................................48 Humour Advantage ............................................62 The Key Is Sleep.................................................76 Living Healthier ...................................................88 Thriving Holidays ..............................................102 Self-Connecting Timeouts ................................114

» The index is broken up into topics under sections for each of the Elements of Wellbeing.

Page

The Prioritizing Challenge....................................20 Six Rs Of Note Taking .........................................34 Revising And Pathways ......................................46 Time Target Stages.............................................60 T.E.E.L.. ..............................................................74 Researching With Price.......................................86 Project Reports ................................................100 Referencing And Plagiarism ..............................112

information

» Developing their brains’ abilities is explained in the top paragraph and it underpins the reality that achieving personal and academic growth only comes through “doing.”

Page

Creating Brain Pathways ....................................16 Home Study Patterns .........................................28 Mindset And Practice .........................................42 Coping Positively ................................................56 Fully Engaged .....................................................68 Feedback Advantage..........................................82 Listening To Understand .....................................96 Not Starting Tasks ............................................108

Family And Friends .............................................18 Enthusiastic Listening And Responding ..............30 Teachers And Thriving ........................................44 Team Learning ....................................................58 Connected To Others .........................................70 Empathy And Listening .......................................84 Helpful Support ..................................................98 Social Media .....................................................110

» To suit your class’s and school’s context, choose the topics which are most appropriate for each week.

Page

Sensible Time Usage ..........................................24 Present With Purpose .........................................38 Living A Good Life ..............................................50 Accepting Connectedness..................................64 Positive Thinking .................................................78 Acting Kindly ......................................................90 Grit And Leadership..........................................104 Resolving Things Fairly .....................................116

topic

Page

» The journal is only chronological in the sense that the Elements of Wellbeing are rotated through in order. It is designed so that you can select weeks from any part of the journal at any time.

Page

Respectful Relationships Understandings . 118-121 What do You Expect of Yourself? ......................122 Positive Memory Habits Are? ............................123 Why Habits of Mind? ................................ 124-126 Why Feelings and Emotions? ............................127 What are Positive Personal Descriptors?...........128 Why Positive Self-talk? .....................................129 Quarter One Learning Goals and Reflections ....130 Quarter Two Learning Goals and Reflections ....131 Quarter Three Learning Goals and Reflections ..132 Quarter Four Learning Goals and Reflections ....132 Dates I Must Remember ...................................134

Front Page............................................................1 Index ....................................................................2 Doing To Build Your Wellbeing ..............................3 What Are Character Strengths ..............................4 Your Top Strengths Are? .......................................5 Why Strengths Boosters? ................................. 6-7 Why Wellbeing Fitness Challenges? .................. 8-9 Are You Extending Your Best Possible Self?........10 Wellbeing Bank Builders Are? .............................11 How Were Your Efforts Last Quarter? ........... 12-13 Notes ......................... 32-33, 52-53, 72-73, 92-93

» Ask students in pairs to read through the simple things they can focus on doing every day and ask them to share their thoughts. » Stress that knowing doesn’t matter, but rather, doing comes before becoming something. » Ask them to write a description of what they think they need to do and expect of themselves as a student. » Mark on your class calendar when the Strengths for Relationships weeks occur – usually around week 5 of each term. They are great opportunities to develop respectful relationships

Acknowledgement: Abraham Maslow, Martin Seligman & Chris Peterson

“When the wind of change blows, some people build walls, others build windmills.” Chinese Proverb

PAGE 3 – journal sections and elements of wellbeing

“doing” to build your wellbeing There is no single factor which shows how healthy your wellbeing is. Your state of wellbeing is a combination of the six equally important elements below, which you can develop in yourself by doing the activities and journaling your thoughts in this journal. To build each element of wellbeing in yourself, the journal has three sections. They are:

» The journal is made up of three sections which are described.

Pages 1–13: learning about you and what things create and make up your wellbeing. Pages 14-117: doing the weekly wellbeing builders and activities to grow personally and academically. Pages 118-134: developing your abilities to extend your wellbeing. Your school has a username and password for website www.learningcurve.com.au. Make the most of the interactive online activities it contains to extend yourself.

» Students and your wellbeing are a combination of the six equally important elements described. They are based on the wellbeing model PERMAH.

strengths and emotions Being in charge of your feelings through your strengths.

positive engagement Connecting with yourself and the present moment.

relationships and optimism Believing you and others matter to have a positive future.

skills and achievement Building your capabilities to achieve what you set out to do.

For thriving and flourishing wellbeing.

exercise and vitality Having a healthy body, healthy mind and healthy purpose.

meaning and purpose Having a passion for something larger than yourself to strive for.

Acknowledgement: Martin Seligman and Chris Peterson

“The mind is everything. What you think is what you become.” Aristotle

PAGE 4 – living their lives through a character strengths based approach

strengths and emotions WHAT ARE CHARACTER STRENGTHS? – boosting my Strengths and Emotions by learning about my character strengths. The 24 Character Strengths are positive personal qualities which are developed through your experiences during your upbringing. You have your own special mix of them which enable you do what is ethical and right for you. Character strengths bring the following six virtues to life: Wisdom ... about your learning and thinking

Courage ... about your determination and passion

Justice ... about your fairness for others

Transcendence ... about your willingness to help others

Temperance ... about your emotional control

Humanity ... about your valuing of relationships

» The twenty-four Character Strengths are described and explain to students that they have all 24 in varying amounts depending on their upbringings and life experiences.

Your top five strengths are called your Signature Strengths and your next few are your supporting strengths. Discover your strengths by doing the free Youth Survey at www.viacharacter.org Before you do the survey predict what your Signature Strengths will be. My predictions are: ................................. .............................................................................................................................................................................. ..............................................................................................................................................................................

VIRTUES

24 CHARACTER STRENGTHS CREATIVITY

CURIOSITY

∙ Originality ∙ Adaptive ∙ Ingenuity

WISDOM

∙ Interest ∙ Novelty-seeking ∙ Exploration ∙ Openness

BRAVERY

COURAGE

∙ Persistence ∙ Industry ∙ Finishing what one starts

LOVE

HUMANITY

JUDGEMENT ∙ Critical thinking ∙ Thinking things through ∙ Open-mindedness

PERSEVERANCE

∙ Valour ∙ Not shrinking from fear ∙ Speaking up for what is right

∙ Both loving and being loved ∙ Valuing close relations with others

LOVE OF LEARNING ∙ Mastering new skills and topics ∙ Systematically adding to knowledge

HONESTY ∙ Authenticity ∙ Integrity

KINDNESS

SOCIAL-INTELLIGENCE

∙ Generosity ∙ Nurturance ∙ Care & compassion ∙ Altruism ∙ “Niceness”

∙ Aware of the motives/feelings of self/others ∙ Knowing what makes others tick

TEAMWORK

JUSTICE

FAIRNESS

∙ Citizenship ∙ Social responsibility ∙ Loyalty

TEMPERANCE APPRECIATION OF BEAUTY & EXCELLENCE

TRANSCENDENCE

∙ Awe ∙ Wonder ∙ Elevation

HUMILITY ∙ Modesty ∙ Letting one’s accomplishments speak for themselves

» There is also an Adult Survey, which you will enjoy doing on the same website. Get your whole staff to do it to enable a positive strengths based culture within your school.

LEADERSHIP

∙ Just ∙ Not letting feelings bias decisions about others

FORGIVENESS ∙ Mercy ∙ Accepting others’ shortcomings ∙ Giving people a second chance

» Students enjoy doing the free Youth Survey to identify their top strengths at the described website.

PERSPECTIVE ∙ Wisdom ∙ Providing wise counsel ∙ Taking the big picture view

ZEST ∙ Vitality ∙ Enthusiasm ∙ Vigour ∙ Energy ∙ Feeling alive

PRUDENCE

∙ Organizing group activities ∙ Encouraging a group to get things done

SELF-REGULATION

∙ Careful ∙ Cautious ∙ Not taking undue risks

∙ Self-control ∙ Disciplined ∙ Managing impulses and emotions

GRATITUDE

HOPE

HUMOUR

∙ Thankful for the good ∙ Expressing thanks ∙ Feeling blessed

∙ Optimism ∙ Futuremindedness ∙ Future orientation

∙ Playfulness ∙ Bringing smiles to others ∙ Lighthearted

SPIRITUALITY ∙ Faith ∙ Purpose ∙ Meaning

“Just as we don’t realize we are breathing, we often don’t realize we are using our character strengths.” Martin Seligman

PAGE 5 – creating a visual perspective of strengths

strengths and emotions YOUR TOP STRENGTHS ARE? – building my Strengths and Emotions by using my character strengths. Fill in your signature and top supporting strengths in the Character Strengths Wheel below and put it up in your bedroom to look at every day. Next to each of them write one thing you could do to show that strength, for example, for Judgement, you could make a list of points which contradict your opinion on an issue. Rate how you currently use each strength using 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and how you would like to be using it in a month’s time using 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. The Shadow side of a strength is when you overuse it, misuse it or underuse it, for example, for Leadership, you could overuse it by dominating the decisions your group of friends may want to do.

» Ask students to write in their top eight strengths around the wheel.

YOUR CHARACTER STRENGTHS WHEEL STREN GTH N OW 0 1 tar g e t 1 2 3 4 012 5 34 67 56 8 78 9 9

» They then estimate how well they are using each one now, by circling a number and then setting a usage target to aim for. » Students then journal a time/s they felt that they used their strengths well and how they felt while consciously and deliberately using them.

STR E

GTH

NGTH

N STRE

N OW 0 tar g e t 1 2 3 4 012 5 34 67 56 8 78 9 9

6 7 8 99 45 8 23 4567 01 23 W 01 N O rget ta

H2 ENGT 67 8 9 STR 45 9 23 45678 01 23 W 01 N O get tar

STREN GTH N OW 0 7 tar g e t 1 2 3 4 012 34 567 56 8 78 9 9

H8 ENGT 7 8 9 STR 456 89 23 4567 01 23 W 01 N O rget ta

N OW 0 tar g e t 1 2 3 4 012 5 34 67 56 8 78 9 9

NGTH

7 8 9 456 89 23 4567 01 23 W 01 N O rget ta

STR E

N STRE

GTH

Describe two times you believe that you used your strengths well and how did you feel? 1............................................................................................................................................................................ .............................................................................................................................................................................. 2............................................................................................................................................................................ .............................................................................................................................................................................. “Nothing in the world is so powerful as an idea whose time has come.” Victor Hugo

FRONT pages OF the JOURNAL

Introducing what social-emotional learning and positive education is all about. strengths and emotions

WHY STRENGTHS’ boosters? – building my Strengths and Emotions by practising using my strengths regularly. For the weekly character strength, journal three positive things you could do to use it to build your and others’ wellbeing and then do them. The stages of growth you will go through when learning how to best use your strengths are: Not knowing you don’t know how to use them knowing you don’t know how to use them not knowing you know how to use them knowing you know how to use them. Where are you at?

Strengths spotting

Learning strengths

Activity one strengths

Sporting strengths

Working strengths

Breathing strengths

Journal any times I see myself or others using this week’s strength and the actions I or they take.

Journal three strengths I could use to accept mistakes and correct them to grow personally and academically.

Journal five activities I really enjoy doing and the two main strengths I use when doing each of them.

I will think of my favourite sporting individual or team and journal what I think their strengths are and how they use them.

I will describe a recent challenging situation which confronted me and the strengths I used to overcome it and what I did.

Every day for each of the strengths in my strength’s wheel I will take a deep breath concentrating on how I can use it to build my wellbeing.

Strengths thinking

Media search

Family strengths

Valued strengths

Strengths collage

Song strengths

Every day for two of my strengths, I will choose the best Habits of Mind ways to think when using them.

Every day I will select one of my strengths to look for people using those strengths on the news, in newspaper and in magazine stories.

I will ask my family to do the VIA strengths survey, put their strengths wheels on the fridge and talk about how each of us use our strengths.

I will journal what strengths I look for in others when choosing to make friends with them and why.

I will look for pictures from newspapers, magazines or the net which remind me of my strengths and paste them together to make a strengths’ collage.

I will listen to three of my favourite songs and for each of them, write down three strengths that I can see being referred to in the words.

Self-acceptance strengths I will select a strength every day that I want to build to become my best possible self and why I chose it.

Relationship strengths

Hero strengths

Daily Strengths PracticE

Emotional strengths

Strengths stocktake

I will select five strengths I believe people could use to value others and build relationships and why I think so.

I will study a person in history I admire for what they have achieved and write down strengths I think they used and why.

I will journal something I could do to use two of my strengths every day at home and at school and do them.

I will describe a recent event that really upset me and the strengths I used or could have used to help me become positive again and what actions I could take.

I will journal both the positives and not so positive things about using each of the strengths in my strength’s wheel and why.

Struggle strengths

Friends’ strengths

Movie strengths

Classroom strengths

Dial-up strengths

Clash strengths

I will look for stories where people have had to dig deep to overcome setbacks and challenges and write down strengths they used.

With a group of friends share your strength’s wheels, identify which YOUR CHARACTER you have in common WHEEL and what STRENGTHS you do to use them.

I will watch a movie and journal what I think three of the strengths of each of the characters in the story are and how they used them.

I will journal five strengths I could use in the classroom to learn well with other students and my teachers and why.

I will journal particular strengths I have which I believe I am able to dial up further when I face difficult challenges.

I will journal strengths from my strength’s wheel that at times may clash and work against each other and how they may do.

ST R

TH 8 ENG

STR E NGT H1

» Knowing about and talking about strengths isn’t using them.

7 ENG TH

ST R

TH 2 EN G

TH ENG

EN G TH 3

ST R

EN G TH 5

ST R

TH ENG

strengths and emotions

PAGES 8 & 9 – using wellbeing fitness challenges

strengths and emotions

– boosting my Strengths and Emotions by using my strengths to tackle the weekly wellbeing fitness challenges.

WHY WELLBEING FITNESS CHALLENGES?

– boosting my Strengths and Emotions by using my strengths to tackle the weekly wellbeing fitness challenges.

Every second week there is a new wellbeing fitness challenge to tackle. Each day, write down what you did to meet the challenge, no matter how small you believe your actions were. Doing this connects you with yourself and the moment to boost your and others’ wellbeing. It is great to look back at what you wrote and relive your special experiences.

Neuroscience has shown that with every new experience you have, your brain changes and that you can grow your brain’s abilities in all areas of your life. Just as you boost your physical fitness by regularly working out, the wellbeing fitness challenges stretch your abilities to grow your wellbeing.

Thinking Of Others

» Their purpose is for students to consciously focus on the booster task and journal what they did to use their strengths.

ST R

Positive Vibes – every day sending someone a text praising or thanking them or asking how they are.

» Every second week a Strengths Booster is nominated for you to share with students.

“When you face difficult times, know the challenges are not sent to destroy you. They are sent to promote, increase and strengthen you.” Author Unknown

“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does; that makes you a winner right there.” Venus Williams

PAGES 6 & 7 – using strengths boosters

strengths and emotions

WHY STRENGTHS’ boosters? – building my Strengths and Emotions through practising using my strengths regularly. Just knowing what your top strengths are makes no difference to your wellbeing unless you use them. Becoming your best possible self comes from doing more difficult things which challenge your current very best. Making the choice to stretch your very best to new levels, will mean you will make mistakes, which you may not like. You can then use your strengths to push through these challenging situations to learn new things to fix your mistakes. The Strengths Boosters, which you do every second week, give you opportunities to use your strengths in different ways to build your wellbeing.

WHY WELLBEING FITNESS CHALLENGES?

Tell Me More

Others Matter

Brain Stretch

Hidden People

Bright And Light

Interested Listening – when listening to others, before I speak I will ask them to tell me more about what they are talking about at least three times.

Acts of Kindness – looking for at least two opportunities to give of myself to make others’ lives better and recognizing when others do kind things for me by thanking them.

Improving Thinking – improving the way I am thinking by intentionally using Habits of Mind and a variety of thinking tools in my learning to grow my brain’s abilities.

Invisible Champions – making a list of people who selflessly give of themselves to support me to have a good life and then thanking them one by one.

Being Happy – looking for at least two opportunities to lighten up, smile, laugh, have fun to experience positive emotions and feel good brain chemicals.

Thank You Feel Good Menu

Self-Image

Aimless Writing

Emotions Spotting

What Went Well

Discovery Learning

Delicious Feelings – making a list of my ten best of best feel good activities and choosing to do one every day to thrive and flourish.

Positive Messages – creating a list of 10 self-affirming messages on how I want to be and spend 30 seconds thinking about each one every morning.

Opening Floodgates – writing anything that comes into my head for 10 minutes every morning.

Mindful Feelings – being mindful of positive, negative and mixed emotions I feel and notice others feeling and watching for the intensity of emotions rising in myself and others.

Being Grateful – looking for three good things that happened that I am grateful for, why they happened and putting them on a gratitude board on my bedroom wall.

Being Curious – mindfully focusing my attention and energies on discovering one new thing about me, my friends, my family, my school or my community.

Gratitude Letter

Photo 7

Looking Forward

Values Living

Life's Treasure

Even Better

Being Thankful – writing a letter thanking someone from my heart who really helped me and give it to them.

Gratitude Pics – every day taking a photo on my device of something I am grateful for to create a gratitude album this week.

Positively Focused – starting each day by thinking of and journaling the three things I am looking forward to most.

Standing Tall – choosing three Positive Personal Descriptors to live by and showing them in my thinking, words and body language.

Appreciation and Love – writing down a list of the people and things that I treasure in my life and reading it every morning and every night.

Positive Stretching – when reflecting on good things that happened, I will stretch my thinking to describe how they could have been even better.

Matter Videos

Music Magic

Adventure Eat

Forgiveness Letter

Courage Journal

Step It Up

Sharing Happiness – daily make a one or two minute video of something that matters to me and show them to my family and friends.

Creating Concerts – 4 times daily, spending 5 minutes listening to my favourite music as if I were there at a concert to give me an energy boost.

Variety Tasting – leaving my comfort zone and doing my body a favour by having a junk food free week and trying new tastes, fruits and vegetables; I might be surprised.

Saying Sorry – writing a letter to someone I have upset saying sorry and asking what I can do to make it right for them and giving it to them.

Brave Acts – every day writing down two things I did that I believe were courageous and why I think so.

Moving Myself – building up to meeting the daily 10,000 step challenge and journal the number of steps I take each day.

“You’ve always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself.” Glinda, Wizard of Oz

» Every second week a Wellbeing Fitness Challenge is nominated for you to share with students. » Their purpose is to develop students’ self-regulation, selfawareness, empathy for others through using their strengths. » Doing these together as a class with a Wellbeing Fitness Challenge board for students to write on and post what they are doing, is a fun way to build social connectedness. (great for staff to do also).

“What is necessary to change a person is to change their awareness of themselves.” Abraham Maslow

PAGE 10 – extending their best possible selves

MEANING AND PURPOSE are you EXTENDING your best possible self? – building my Meaning and Purpose by “doing” to explore my best possible self.

It was once said, “it is insanity to expect different results by doing the same things.” But you can bring the power of YET alive by exploring other ways to look at what you are currently doing. Choose to leave your comfort zone. Describe how you do this now? ....................................................................................... ....................................................................................... .......................................................................................

Describe your best possible self that you want to extend further and what you hope to discover. Read this often.

» This is a roadmap for both students and you to follow to build their and your own wellbeing.

............................................................................ ............................................................................ ............................................................................ TIP: look at Positive Personal Descriptors to select five that you want to show for your best possible self. Then look at Feelings and Emotions and pick five positive ones that you want to experience regularly.

.......................................................................................

Write yourself a short letter on what you want to achieve and become in 2019/20.

Which of your top strengths will you need to use most and why?

............................................................................

TIP: every third week write down an action you will do for each of your top strengths. Then when you spot yourself doing them, journal it in this journal.

............................................................................

» Aim to complete one of the sections about every two weeks.

............................................................................

............................................................................ ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ............................................................................ TIP: read this often to remind you of what you have set out to achieve this year.

The Strengths Boosters and Wellbeing Fitness Challenges are great opportunities to use your strengths to feel positive emotions and build your wellbeing. Which Strengths Boosters and Wellbeing Fitness Challenges do you enjoy doing most? ............................................................................ ............................................................................

Describe the qualities and strengths you like in yourself, your friends and in other people. ............................................................................

............................................................................ TIP: Journal what you did to meet the booster and challenge and how you felt.

............................................................................ ............................................................................ ............................................................................ TIP: we all have mirror neurons which copy the expressions and moods of those around us. Often, qualities and strengths you like in other people are those you like in yourself. The opposite is also true. Always try to look for qualities you like in others, no matter how few they may be. Then work on building relationships with them through these positive qualities. Use positive self-talk to push the negatives qualities out of your mind.

Describe an achievement that you are very proud of, the strengths you used and the positive emotions you felt. ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ............................................................................ TIP: Read this often to relive the uplifting feelings you experienced. Acknowledgement: Sonja Lyubomirsky and Fred Bryant

“You can be whatever type of person you choose to be. Your habits, your behaviours, your responses, are all your choice.” P.K. Shaw

PAGE 11 – wellbeing bank builders

POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT wellbeing bank builders are? – boosting my Meaning and Purpose by mindfully enjoying these positive thoughts and activities every day.

By making the effort to do one or more of the activities daily will build your Wellbeing Bank, which you can draw on to overcome challenges, setbacks and obstacles. You will feel uplifting positive emotions doing these activities which will help you to become your best possible self. Taking in and appreciating what you see, hear and feel; enjoying the wonder of your world. Actions: What are two things I will start doing? ................................................................................................. .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... Showing others matter to you; listening with all of your senses and asking others to tell you more. Actions: What are two things I will start doing? ................................................................................................. ..........................................................................................................................................................................

» Encourage students to do at least one of the Wellbeing Bank Builders every day as things to look forward to, which develops optimism and hope for the future.

..........................................................................................................................................................................

» Doing any of these self-generates positive emotions to build their wellbeing.

.......................................................................................................................................................................... Exercising for an hour to build your mental and physical fitness and reflect on how you use your strengths. Actions: What are two things I will start doing? ................................................................................................. .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... Living by giving; doing simple acts of kindness and saying warm words to build others' and your wellbeing. Actions: What are two things I will start doing? ................................................................................................. .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... Learning and trying new things to build your brain’s abilities; leaving your comfort zone by having growth mindsets. Actions: What are two things I will start doing? ................................................................................................. .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... Writing down three good things that happened; why did they happen and how you can make them happen again. Actions: What are two things I will start doing? ................................................................................................. .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... Praising positive efforts; recognizing and celebrating with others when they have accomplished what they set out to do. Actions: What are two things I will start doing? ................................................................................................. .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... Acknowledgement: Barbara Fredrickson

“Everyday is a wonderful opportunity to love, to learn, to care and to celebrate the joy of life.” Saying

POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT HOW WERE YOUR EFFORTS LAST Quarter/YEAR? – increasing my Positive Engagement by raising my self-awareness of

my progress in building each of the elements of wellbeing.

Becoming your best possible self comes from regularly reflecting on whether what you are doing is growing each of the elements in yourself. Doing this and acting on your reflections will see your state of wellbeing continue to build so that you can thrive and flourish. Use the following to reflect on the questions below: A – always, B – usually, C – sometimes, D – not yet

Focus on ABC: Actions – good things that you want to happen; Beliefs – your positive thoughts supported by your strengths; Consequences – two positive things you will start doing to make them a reality. Set something special you wish to achieve for each element of wellbeing, for example, “I will exercise every morning to grow my Exercise and Vitality” or “I will use a different thinking tool every week to add to my Skills and Achievement.”

Then set a target rating you will strive for next quarter.

Last Year

Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter Target 1 2 3 4 Rating

Last Year

Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter Target 1 2 3 4 Rating

STRENGTHS and EMOTIONS – being in charge of my feelings through my strengths.

skills and achievement – building my capabilities to achieve what I set out to do.

What went well that I am grateful for and how can I make them happen again for this element of wellbeing?

What strengths did I use and what positive emotions did I feel?

Wrote down a list of things I treasure and read it every morning?

Ignored peer pressure to ask questions in class to better understand?

Chose one of my top character strengths every day to role model and live by? Welcomed the experience of feeling my full range of human emotions? Accepted that my life is full of possibilities and choices?

What strengths did I use and what positive emotions did I feel? Focused on what is happening, not on what might happen, to ignore distractions? Every morning, thought of the three things I am looking forward to most today? Journaled what went well every day to connect with myself and be grateful. Listened with interest, acted with interest and learned with interest?

exercise and vitality – having a healthy body, healthy mind and healthy attitude. What went well that I am grateful for and how can I make them happen again for this element of wellbeing? What strengths did I use and what positive emotions did I feel? Exercised for an hour on most days with either my family or friends? Ate more fresh foods and less takeaway and processed foods to be healthier? Approached what I did with zest and laughed every day? Exercised my mind by reading, suduko and non-electronic activities?

Coped by working on my weaknesses and thrived by working on my strengths?

Turned off my phone for 10 minutes every day to enjoy my own company?

What is something special I want to achieve for this element of wellbeing and who can help me?

RELATIONSHIPS and OPTIMISM – believing I and others matter to have a positive future.

meaning and purpose – having a passion for something larger than yourself to strive for.

What went well that I am grateful for and how can I make them happen again for this element of wellbeing?

What strengths did I use and what positive emotions did I feel?

Showed others matter by listening enthusiastically and asking them to tell me more? Celebrated others' good efforts when they achieved what they set out to do? Looked for other peer groups to join as well as my normal ones? Showed I love my family and value my friends?

Looking for something meaningful in everything I did? Every day, did what I knew was right and ethical thing to do? Did good for others to feel good myself? Focused on something bigger than myself to make a positive difference?

Lived by giving of myself so that others will grow?

Looked for benefits and what is good in what I experienced?

What is something special I want to achieve for this element of wellbeing and who can help me?

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” Oscar Wilde

» On the website, www.learningcurve.com.au there is a Student Self-Assessment Wellbeing Measuring Tool and also one for you to assess each student’s wellbeing. Use these two or three times over the school year as measuring tools to keep you on track.

Completed all set learning on time and to the best of my ability? Prepared to make mistakes and then fix them to grow academically?

What is something special I want to achieve for this element of wellbeing and who can help me?

POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT – connecting with myself and the present moment.

» Ask students at the end of each term to revisit these pages to see how their wellbeing has grown.

Regularly revisited and reviewed my class notes? Thought more intelligently using Thinking Tools and Habits of Mind?

Was assertive when I needed to be?

What is something special I want to achieve for this element of wellbeing and who can help me?

What went well that I am grateful for and how can I make them happen again for this element of wellbeing?

PAGES 12 & 13 – stocktake of the elements of wellbeing

“Every action has its pleasure and its price.” Socrates

body pages OF the JOURNAL

Each week the intentions of the Wellbeing Builder will be explained and questions are provided to discuss with students. Ask students to think about the question within the builder either individually, with a partner, or as a class and then answer it. Asking students to come up with two things they will start doing in Actions will bring the Wellbeing Builder alive, and cultivate growth mindsets in them to grow further for the topic. STRENGTHS AND EMOTIONS

PAGE 14 – EMOTIONAL CONTROL

MIND AND HEART CALMER What kind things have you done for other people this week?

The intention this week is to develop students’ Strengths and Emotions element of wellbeing by them learning about their emotions in order to build both their selfregulation and self-awareness. Explain that their amygdalas will create emotions almost automatically, and their prefrontal cortex’s work is to balance their intensity. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Thinking Flexibly (page 124).

EMOTIONAL CONTROL Wellbeing Bank: boost my Strengths and Emotions by understanding how to recognize and control my emotions. The first two stages in developing your social-emotional intelligence are: self-regulation – being able to control the intensity of your emotions self-awareness – having your finger on the pulse of what is happening around you which could trigger emotions within you. Describe how well these stages are currently developed in you.

STRENGTHS BOOSTER STRENGTHS SPOTTING Journal any times I see myself or others using this week’s strength and the actions I or they take.

................................................................................

CHARACTER STRENGTH

................................................................................

For the strength of SELF-REGULATION, describe one thing you could do to:

When you have an experience, your eyes send what they see directly to your amygdala, which creates positive, negative or a mix of emotions. When you understand how you respond to different emotions in advance, your prefrontal cortex, the good decision making part of your brain, will enable you to control their intensity. Perspective and Social-intelligence are key strengths to monitor your emotions. To prepare yourself, look at Feelings and Emotions (see index) and write down three emotions you could feel with each of the following people: at home with family

Use it well: ........................................................ Misuse it: .......................................................... Underuse it: ......................................................

RESILIENCE BUILDER Mental health issues, body image, coping with stress and school and study problems are the main concerns for young people of your age nationally. Rank them in order of importance for yourself and explain your reasons.

................................................................................ at school with other students and teachers ................................................................................ socially with friends ................................................................................ in with others in sport or leisure activities ................................................................................ in with others in part-time jobs ................................................................................ > Website: Thinking Traps, Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

ACTIONS What are two things I will start doing to be aware of and in charge of my emotions ?

1. 2.

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

ANSWER, REFLECT, SHARE

ANSWER

REFLECT

Answer any questions posed.

Note down any issues, implications or thoughts.

This Thinking Strategy is designed to organise your thinking approaches in order to systematically examine and analyse a topic, event or process. It can be used individually, in small groups or as a class. In the Answer section answer any questions posed on a topic, event or process. This will often involve group discussion, so it is important to listen with your eyes, your ears and your heart to add depth to your understanding. In the Reflect section note down any issues, implications or thoughts you or your group may have about it. There are always different points of view and ideas to examine before arriving at a thoroughly considered answer. In the Share and Explore section all individuals or groups share their answers and reflections with the class. This enables all members of the class to tap into the collective intellect of the class. This may well lead to extending discussion on the topic, event or process further to create new understandings and perhaps predictions.

Question 1: what areas of your life do you self-regulate well, and which others not well? Question 2: what areas of your life are you really self-aware of, and which areas not so self-aware? Question 3: google, “Social-intelligence.”

SHARE AND EXPLORE

Acknowledgement: Canon & Cherry

Share your answers and reflections.

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

Albert Einstein

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POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT

PAGE 16 – CREATING BRAIN PATHWAYS

MIND AND HEART CALMER What are times that you have shown you are fair?

The intention this week is to build students’ Positive Engagement element of wellbeing by them understanding that deliberate practice will strengthen their brain pathways to create their habits. Explain that practicing at the same level will not grow their brains’ abilities, they need to regularly increase the difficulty of what they practice. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Remaining Open to Continuous Learning (page 126).

CREATING BRAIN PATHWAYS Wellbeing Bank: to add to my Positive Engagement by creating and strengthening my brain pathways through practice. Your brain is an amazing organ which rewires itself when you have new experiences; this is called neuroplasticity.

WELLBEING FITNESS CHALLENGE THINKING OF OTHERS Positive Vibes – every day sending someone a text praising or thanking them or asking how they are travelling.

By learning and trying new things, it has been proven that you can develop your brain’s abilities in all areas of your life. In Grades 7 & 8, you learned that your brain creates what are called neural pathways, which enable you to learn and do different things.

CHARACTER STRENGTH

When you first try something, it is usually quite difficult for you, but the more you do it, the faster and stronger these pathways become and the easier the activity is to do.

For the strength of CREATIVITY, describe one thing you could do to:

This is how regular practice creates patterns in your brain to develop your abilities and habits.

Use it well: ........................................................

Key strengths to use to practise are Love of Learning and Perseverance.

Misuse it: ..........................................................

Describe things you regularly practice and how you improve as a result.

Underuse it: ......................................................

................................................................................

RESILIENCE BUILDER

................................................................................

Social and emotional distress increases as young people enter their teens. Why do you think this happens and what skills do you think you need to develop to cope with this situation capably?

The opposite is also true for your brain. When you don’t practise something, your neural pathways become slow and weak and forget how to do it. Deliberate practice makes the difference for your brain. > Website: Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

ACTIONS

What are two things I will start doing to develop fast and strong brain pathways through practice?

CAP CONSIDER ALL POSSIBILITIES Many people learn and think more creatively when they use visuals to bring their ideas alive. • •

This is a brainstorming strategy using different shapes

Topic

Pick a topic or use the one given to you by your teacher

•

Write down anything and everything you think about the topic

•

se the shapes to stimulate your thinking - for U example, in the square write dull and boring things, in the circle write the soft and kind things.

1. 2.

Question 1: what do you think, practice makes progress means? Question 2: discuss what more difficult things you could do when practicing? Question 3: google, “Perseverance.”

“The golden rule is that there are no golden rules.” George Bernard Shaw

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Acknowledgement: Dweck, James & Konorski

19/08/13 11:18 AM

relationships and optimism

PAGE 18 – FAMILY AND FRIENDS

MIND AND HEART CALMER What are things you find awesome at home, at school and in the community?

The intention this week is to grow students’ Relationships and Optimism element of wellbeing by them understanding that trusting and loving relationships with family and friends builds their wellbeing. Explain that as we evolved as humans, both mentally and physically we relied on and thrived on being together in tribes. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Thinking Interdependently (page 126).

FAMILY AND FRIENDS Wellbeing Bank: to strengthen my Relationships and Optimism by valuing my relationships with my family and friends. Feeling loved by your family and showing that you love them, generates plenty of positive emotions in all of you to build your collective wellbeing. This focuses you on looking for what is good in what you are doing, which empowers you on striving to become your best possible self. Ask your family for their support when you need it. The most important thing is not to take their advice as criticism, because the reality is that they only want the very best for you.

STRENGTHS BOOSTER LEARNING STRENGTHS Journal three strengths I could use to accept mistakes and correct them to grow personally and academically.

Describe how your family currently supports you. ………………………………………………………….

CHARACTER STRENGTH

…………………………………………………………..

For the strength of LOVE, describe one thing you could do to:

Similarly, happy and close relationships with friends, creates uplifting feelings of being socially connected.

Use it well: ........................................................

This boosts your optimism and hope for the future.

Misuse it: ..........................................................

It is important not to burden your friends with your problems, because they don’t need the stress and don’t have the answers.

Underuse it: ......................................................

Share your concerns with a trusted adult.

From Feelings and Emotions, what are five emotions which you think you need to keep under control in order to act and learn positively and your reasons why.

Describe what you value about your friends. ................................................................................

RESILIENCE BUILDER

................................................................................ Key strengths to use and share with your family and friends are Gratitude and Love. > Website: Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

ACTIONS

What are two things I will start doing to keep building positive relationships with my family and friends?

1. 2.

CLAIM, QUESTION, SUPPORT, DECISION

Question 1: what types of feelings do you have when having good times with family and friends? Question 2: when were tough times your family and friends were there to support you? Questions 3: google, “Gratitude.”

CLAIM QUESTIONS

Acknowledgement: Diener & Fredrickson

When a claim is made by someone, such as “apples are better for you than oranges”, very often you make a spontaneous decision about whether it is true or not true based on your feelings. This thinking strategy enables you to gather evidence in support of the claims and questions which need to be resolved to establish its truth. • In the CLAIM section, write what the claim is. • Start the strategy with small group or whole class brainstorm on what you and other students know and don’t know about the truth of the claim. • From the brainstorm in the QUESTIONS section write any questions which need to be answered about the claim. • Investigate the claim by searching for answers to your questions. • In the DOES SUPPORT column, write evidence that supports the claim. The Five Es of Learning is an effective strategy for doing this. • In the DOES NOT SUPPORT column, write evidence that does not support the claim. • Reflect on the support you discovered for the claim and that against it and make a balanced decision. Write it in the DECISION section. • As a class, share your decisions and reasons for them.

DOES SUPPORT

DOES NOT SUPPORT

“Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.” Christian Nestell Bovée

DECISION

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skills and ACHIEVEMENT

PAGE 20 – THE PRIORITIZING CHALLENGE

MIND AND HEART CALMER Who are people who make a positive difference at school and why?

The intention this week is to strengthen students’ Skills and Achievement element of wellbeing by them understanding that they will achieve little personal and academic growth without being able to prioritize. Explain that when they create a habit of prioritizing, they enable other habits, such as handing in work on time, to develop. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Persisting (page 124).

THE PRIORITIZING CHALLENGE Wellbeing Bank: to build my Skills and Achievement by disciplining myself to prioritize and complete what I need to do. You are heading towards a stage of your schooling where you can launch yourself towards becoming your best possible self. This doesn’t just happen, you have to make it happen and key strengths to enable you to do this are Curiosity and Bravery. Have you seen older students who have missed out on many great opportunities because they just drifted along? Describe how committed you currently are to your future. ................................................................................ ................................................................................ As you have often been told about prioritizing, completing learning tasks in a logical order is a must and it is your responsibility to identify what you need to do and when you need to complete it by. From Grades 7 and 8 you learnt that Musts are things you have no choice in doing, whereas, Options are things you have a choice in doing. Be self-motivated and fill in the Musts and Options Thinking Tool on the website, to develop a clear picture of what you need to do. Taking control of you, will fill you with uplifting positive emotions.

WELLBEING FITNESS CHALLENGE TELL ME MORE Interested Listening – when listening to others, before I speak I will ask them to tell me more about what they are talking about at least three times.

CHARACTER STRENGTH For the strength of PRUDENCE, describe one thing you could do to: Use it well: ........................................................ Misuse it: .......................................................... Underuse it: ......................................................

RESILIENCE BUILDER Little children’s emotions are very simple, such as glad, mad, sad. In your teens, you may have more than one emotion happening together. From Feelings and Emotions select five pairs of emotions which often happen together and the situations involved.

> Website: Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

What are two things I will start doing to focus myself on prioritizing what I need to do?

COLOURS, SYMBOLS, PICTURES, ANIMALS

COLOUR

Why this colour?

Acknowledgement: Schwartz & Boniwell

Why this symbol?

After reading chosen material, listening to a talk or watching a video, individually, in small groups or as a class, identify ideas or aspects that were: • Interesting • Important • Puzzling

SYMBOL

ACTIONS

Selecting one idea/aspect at a time, think of: Why this picture?

• A colour that gives the feel of it and describes the mood

• A picture such as a bridge, landscape, planet, which embraces the whole idea/aspect • If the idea/aspect was an animal, what would it be? Discuss the ideas/aspects of each group or individual with the class.

“Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.” Reggie Leach

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Why this animal?

ANIMAL

PICTURE

• A symbol such as a line, circle, cross, which characterises it

Question 1: when are times you have prioritized well and as a result have done well? Question 2: what are the main things do you think you need to focus on prioritizing? Question 3: google, “Bravery.”

19/08/13 11:40 AM

exercise and vitality

PAGE 22 – BREATHING DEEPLY AND GRATITUDE WEEK

MIND AND HEART CALMER What are times you were really creative in what you did?

The intention this week is to improve students’ Exercise and Vitality element of wellbeing by them learning how to use deep and mindful breathing to self-relax and connect with themselves. Explain that thinking about special people and things they love while breathing deeply, makes the activity more relaxing and calming. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Managing Impulsivity (page 124).

BREATHING DEEPLY Wellbeing Bank: to increase my Exercise and Vitality by learning to self-calm myself by breathing deeply. Your breath regulates your inner you and gets your mind, heart and body working together as one. Key strengths which enable this are Prudence and Spirituality.

STRENGTHS BOOSTER

Being able to focus on breathing slowly and deeply enables you, to be in charge of the intensity of your emotions and control impulses.

ACTIVITY ONE STRENGTHS Journal five activities I really enjoy doing and the two main strengths I use when doing each of them.

This connects you with yourself and the present moment, to watch your thoughts coming and going. In Grades 7 & 8 you learned how to use Square Breathing to reduce tension to calm yourself quietly. Describe how you currently use deep breathing to relax.

GRATITUDE WEEK This week have fun and make a special difference to other peoples’ lives by creating activities to use the strength GRATITUDE to grow relationships with your family, friends and school community.

................................................................................ ................................................................................ The following is an effective deep breathing method: • stand up straight with your shoulders open wide • imagine an invisible thread from the ceiling is holding your head upright • tighten your buttocks and pull in your stomach

RESILIENCE BUILDER

• join your fingers in a circle around your mouth

In your teens, emotions can also strengthen to become more intense. With a friend describe five situations which can cause your emotions to increase in intensity, for example, happy, delighted, thrilled. Name another two sets of three emotions.

• as you breathe in deeply through your nose make your finger circle larger • as you breathe out through your mouth make your finger circle smaller

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

CONNECT, EXTEND, CHALLENGE After completing a topic or lesson, individually, in small groups or as a whole class, reflect using this tool: • Connect - how does what was presented relate to what you already know? • Extend - how have these new ideas stretched your thinking in new directions?

• How are they connected and related to what you already know?

• What new ideas have you thought of that have stretched your thinking?

• In what new directions has your thinking been pushed?

• What do you still have to get your mind around?

• What questions do you need to have answered?

Acknowledgement: Kabat-Zinn & Borchard

• Challenge - what do you still have to learn more about? What questions do you have? • Then in groups of five share your thoughts and then report back to the class. • Allocate one wall of the classroom for connect, another for extend and another for challenge. Write thoughts on sticky notes and put them on the appropriate wall. • Discuss as a class.

• How are the ideas and information presented?

CONNECT

ACTIONS

What are two things I will start doing regularly to practise breathing deeply to relax?

“Who bravely dares must sometimes risk a fall.” Tobias G. Smollet

EXTEND

> Website: Self-Calming Strategies activity sheet, Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

CHALLENGE

• concentrate on doing this for five minutes to feel yourself relaxing.

Question 1: when deep breathing deeply, who are special people and things you love you can think about? Question 2: when are three time every day that you can practice breathing deeply? Question 3: google, “Prudence.”

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meaning and purpose

PAGE 24 – SENSIBLE TIME USAGE

MIND AND HEART CALMER How would you ask for help if you lost your phone and who would you ask?

The intention this week is to add to students’ Meaning and Purpose element of wellbeing by them learning a structure which will give them the time to extend their best possible selves. Explain that doing this as a habit will create more time for them to have fun with family and friends and achieve what they set out to do. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Striving for Accuracy and Precision (page 125).

SENSIBLE TIME USAGE Wellbeing Bank: to raise my Meaning and Purpose by taking ownership of my time to create a Personal Timetable. As you progress through the year levels, how you manage your time needs to become more effective because you require a balance between school, home and community activities.

WELLBEING FITNESS CHALLENGE OTHERS MATTER Acts of Kindness – looking for at least two opportunities to give of myself to make others’ lives better and recognizing when others do kind things for me by thanking them.

Thank You

The strengths will assist you to do this are Judgement and Honesty. The four stage method will enable you to achieve this. Describe how you currently organize your time.

CHARACTER STRENGTH

................................................................................

For the strength of JUDGEMENT, describe one thing you could do to:

................................................................................ The four stages are quarter, monthly, weekly and daily and you record important time targets on your forward planner or as reminders in your phone.

Use it well: ........................................................ Misuse it: ..........................................................

Quarter gives you a general overview for due dates for assignments, assessment, exams/tests, school and out of school activities.

Underuse it: ......................................................

Monthly narrows your view of your commitments. Use different colours for different subject tasks and prioritize the importance of each task,

RESILIENCE BUILDER

Weekly accurately prioritizes your time usage using Musts and Options to identify what you have on. Enter them on your personal timetable.

Describe four sets of three emotions which grow in intensity, for example, edgy, agitated, frantic. What self-calming strategies do you or could you use to slow your emotions becoming more intense?

Daily mindfully connects you with yourself and the moment to every night prepare for the next day’s tasks by looking at your weekly stage for items to include. > Website: Blank Personal Timetable, Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

ACTIONS

What are two things I will start doing to use the four stage model to create a personal timetable?

CREATIVE RIPPLES

Who benefits and how do they benefit?

Individually, in small groups or as a class, brainstorm a list of everyday objects or things. These could be a school, car, pencil, cup, etc. Select one to investigate. Think about the main purposes of the object and enter them in the centre circle.

What parts make up the object? Any special ones?

Think about the parts that make up the object and enter them in the second circle. Think about who benefits from the object and in what way they benefit. Enter them in the outer circle. Rotate through a number of objects and present your findings to the class. Alternatively, draw a large version of this diagram on the board in the classroom, write your thoughts on sticky notes and put them in the appropriate circles. Discuss these thoughts with the class.

Question 1: what are two things you need to do each term, each month, each week and each day? Question 2: what are your main time wasters and how can you reduce them? Question 3: google, “Judgment.”

What are the main purposes of the object?

1. 2.

Acknowledgement: Wade & Turla

“What we do flows from who we are.” Paul Vitale

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STRENGTHS AND EMOTIONS

PAGE 26 – ACCEPTANCE AND BELIEF

MIND AND HEART CALMER Who is someone who is good at building relationships and what do they do?

The intention this week is to build students’ Strengths and Emotions element of wellbeing by them accepting everything about themselves, to good parts and not so good parts. Explain that we are all different in so many ways, and that the best asset we have is ourselves; to thrive, we need to accept and believe we matter in every way. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Responding with Wonderment and Awe (page 126).

ACCEPTANCE AND BELIEF Wellbeing Bank: to build my Strengths and Emotions by valuing and believing in myself as a person who matters. Before you can build your Self-Belief, you need to accept all the things which make you up as a person.

STRENGTHS BOOSTER

There will be things you like about yourself and those that you don’t like so much.

STRENGTHS THINKING Every day for two of my strengths, I will choose the best Habits of Mind ways to think when using them.

The reality is that is who you are and no one on the planet has your special and individual mix of attributes and strengths. When you look at life through the lens of your top strengths, you tend to look for what is right in who you are, what you do and as a result, are far more likely to fully accept all of you.

CHARACTER STRENGTH

Using the strengths Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence and Humility, will enable you to strive towards becoming your best possible self.

For the strength of ZEST, describe one thing you could do to:

Describe how you currently accept who you are. ................................................................................

Use it well: ........................................................

................................................................................

Misuse it: ..........................................................

Believing in who you are and what you do will fuel your efforts to accomplish what you set out to do and create uplifting spirals of positive emotions in you to feel happier and healthier.

Underuse it: ......................................................

> Website: Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

RESILIENCE BUILDER Stronger emotions are felt when you have disagreements. It is also important for you to have empathy for the needs and feelings of the others involved. Describe a time you have done this well and what you did.

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

ACTIONS

What are two things I will start doing to boost my self-belief by accepting who I am as a person?

DEFINE, DESCRIBE, EXAMPLE, OPPOSITE

Define - What is this about? - Why did it happen?

This thinking strategy is designed to help you slow your thinking down to be more structured and analytical in your approach to a topic. • •

Topic

In the Define section state what the topic is about In the Describe section, describe the different parts that make the topic up

•

In the Example section, give examples of or similarities to the topic

•

In the Opposite section, give examples of things that are totally different; be creative

Example - What are examples of this? - Are they similar and how are they?

1. 2.

Describe - Describe the different aspects - What does it look, sound and feel like?

Question 1: what positive messages about yourself can you write on sticky notes to put on the mirror? Question 2: what are three things to accept more about yourself. Question 3: google, “Humility.”

Opposite - What are not examples of this? - How are they different?

Acknowledgement: Bandura & Rotter

“Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.” Albert Camus

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POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT

PAGE 28 – HOME STUDY PATTERNS

MIND AND HEART CALMER When are times you have shown yourself to be honest?

The intention this week is to increase students’ Positive Engagement element of wellbeing by them realizing that while their home study areas could be ideally setup, their attention can’t compete with their phones. Explain that to get any value out of learning, they must devote their whole attention to it; phones off or on flight mode. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Taking Responsible Risks (page 126).

HOME STUDY PATTERNS Wellbeing Bank: to add to my Positive Engagement by focusing my attention fully when studying at home. In Grades 7 and 8, you learned about the value of a home study area to create patterns for your brain to help you stay focused.

WELLBEING FITNESS CHALLENGE

Ideal conditions for the area include quiet, colourful, well resourced and away from distractions such as loud music, mobile phones and TV.

FEEL GOOD MENU Delicious Feelings – making a list of my ten best of best feel good activities and choosing to do one every day to thrive and flourish.

CHARACTER STRENGTH For the strength of PERSEVERANCE, describe one thing you could do to: Many of you and your friends are heavily involved in non-stop communication through social media, which narrows and reduces your attention to and engagement with what you are doing.

Use it well: ........................................................

This effectively destroys your ability to maintain deep concentration on any activity other than your phone.

Underuse it: ......................................................

Misuse it: ..........................................................

Describe how well you concentrate on your study at home.

RESILIENCE BUILDER

................................................................................

For a conflict situation you have been involved in describe the other person’s wants, needs, emotions and their intensity and the body language they showed. How were your own wants, needs, emotions and intensity similar?

................................................................................ To be fully committed to becoming your best possible self, the reality is that you need to focus when learning at home. A great strategy to achieve this, is to use the strengths Bravery and Self-regulation to put your phone on flight mode, enabling you to ‘switch off’. It is a simple choice, pay attention to what you need to pay attention to or suffer from FOMO and experience no personal or academic growth. > Website: Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

ACTIONS

What are two things I will start doing to maintain my attention while learning at home?

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

EVENT: CAUSE, EFFECT

EVENT

CAUSES

EFFECTS

In your own words, describe the event that occurred.

Give the reasons you believe led to the event occurring.

Say how people were affected by the event.

Every event or situation you look at would have had •

a number of causes which made it happen

•

a number of effects on people and other things because it happened

•

In the Event section, describe the event or situation you are looking at

•

In the Cause section, give the reasons why you think it happened

•

In the Effect section, write down what were the effects on people and other things because the event happened

•

Share your thoughts with a classmate and add to each other’s lists

1. 2.

Acknowledgement: Duhigg & Walsh

“One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.” Henry Miller

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Question 1: what kind of life do you want to lead, and is immediate messaging more important than that? Question 2: what can you do to devote you full attention to what you are learning? Question 3: google, “Self-regulation”.

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relationships and optimism

PAGE 30 – ENTHUSIASTIC LISTENING AND RESPONDING

MIND AND HEART CALMER What are things that have gone really well this week and how can you make them happen again?

The intention this week is to develop students’ Relationships and Optimism element of wellbeing by them understanding how they should listen to show that other people matter. Explain and have fun asking students to role model the four different ways of listening and responding. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Listening with Understanding and Empathy (page 124).

ENTHUSIASTIC LISTENING AND RESPONDING Wellbeing Bank: to boost my Relationships and Optimism by listening with zest and responding positively to others. When you are sharing your good news with others, you can tell if they are really interested in what you are saying or don’t care.

STRENGTHS BOOSTER

Their body language and responses will send clear messages to you.

MEDIA SEARCH Every day I will select one of my strengths to look for people using those strengths on the news, in newspaper and in magazine stories.

People tend to listen and respond in four main ways. 1. listen enthusiastically, make eye contact and focus positively on your words 2. listen with some interest, energy and enthusiasm 3. show little interest in you or your story

CHARACTER STRENGTH

4. dismiss your story and change the subject. Describe how you usually listen to others. ................................................................................

For the strength of KINDNESS, describe one thing you could do to:

................................................................................

Use it well: ........................................................

The only proven way to build healthy relationships is using the first way mentioned above, because you feel valued and that they think you matter as a person; positive emotions flood through you.

Misuse it: .......................................................... Underuse it: ......................................................

It is called Active Constructive Responding (ACR) and to create further positives they can ask you to tell me more.

RESILIENCE BUILDER Describe a time you have seen one of your friends upset. What were their wants, needs, emotions and body language and what did you say and do to assist him/her to reduce the intensity of his/her emotions and find a suitable outcome to his/her problem.

Key strengths to use ACR are Zest and Kindness. When positives outweigh the negatives in conversations more than the ratio 5 to 1, relationships grow and flourish. Acknowledgement: Shelly Gable

> Website: ACR activity sheet, Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

FACT OR FICTION

ACTIONS

What are two things I will start doing to practise using ACR when I’m listening to others?

CLEAR

NEEDS TO BE CHECKED

CLEAR

NEEDS TO BE CHECKED

Question 1: what are three things you could do to show you are interested in what others are sharing with you? Question 2: when are times others have shown real interest in what you were sharing with them? Question 3: google, “Kindness.”

Look at an event, news story or situation, individually, in small groups or as a class.

Acknowledgement: Gable & Lambert

Identify the facts: • •

List the facts that stand out as clear List the facts that need to be checked

What are the thoughts and feelings of the people involved in the event, news story or situation? •

List the thoughts and feelings that are clear and obvious

•

List the thoughts and feelings that you may hear or observe but are unsure of and you would need to check

Then come to a conclusion about the event or story and provide reasons for your conclusion. Alternatively you can: •

Draw a large version of the grid below on the board and have the class write their thoughts on sticky notes and then put them in the appropriate quadrant

•

When the grid is complete, as a class reach a conclusion on the event, news story or situation. Include your reasons in the Conclusion section

CONCLUSION - what are the reasons for this conclusion?

“Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.” John Dewey

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skills and ACHIEVEMENT

PAGE 34 – SIX R’S OF NOTE TAKING

MIND AND HEART CALMER What are things that you have not done well this week and what can you do to do them better?

The intention this week is to build students’ Skills and Achievement element of wellbeing by them learning a more intelligent way to take notes. Revisit Creating Brain Pathways (page 16) and explain that working through each of the 6R’s when taking notes is a form of deliberate practice for their brains. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Questioning and Posing Problems (page 125).

SIX R’S OF NOTE TAKING Wellbeing Bank: to develop my Skills and Achievement by further developing how I take notes in class. In Grades 7 & 8 you learned the Cornell note taking method, which effectively uses both sides of your brain. Describe how well you think you used this method.

WELLBEING FITNESS CHALLENGE

................................................................................

SELF-IMAGE Positive Messages – creating a list of 10 self-affirming messages on how I want to be and spend 30 seconds thinking about each one every morning.

................................................................................ The Six R’s note taking method will provide a logical structure for your learning and enable you to use the strengths Perspective and Judgement. Record – record headings and key words, not sentences, developing your own shorthand like texting.

CHARACTER STRENGTH

Reduce – after class reduce your notes further to create memory prompting words and use Thinking Tools to build logical brain pathways.

For the strength of CURIOSITY, describe one thing you could do to:

Reshape – turn the headings in your notes into questions to answer and draw diagrams and idea maps to use both your left and right brains.

Use it well: ........................................................ Misuse it: ..........................................................

Recite – recite your notes out loud a number of times and emphasize memory prompting words.

Underuse it: ......................................................

Reflect – how do your notes connect with what you already know? And how can you apply them to other situations?

RESILIENCE BUILDER

Review – revise your notes every week for 15 minutes and then every month for 15 minutes.

For each of your signature and top supporting strengths, describe one thing you can do to use them well.

> Website: Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

FISH THINKING

ACTIONS What are two things I will start doing to further improve the way I take notes?

Question 1: when taking notes, what percentage of time do you listen, and then write? Question 2: when is a time you have used a thinking tool, diagram or idea map to improve your understanding? Question 3: google, “Pareto Principle.”

FISH - What things can you do each and every day to live a fun and happy life?

Every day is an opportunity for you to approach life in a positive and happy way.

Acknowledgement: Pauk & Wade

FISH Thinking stands for; • •

F - Fun and enjoyment in everything you do I - In the present each and every moment

•

S - Share your efforts and energies to make someone’s day every day

•

H - How you think positively when you rise every day; it’s going to be a great day!

FISH - What do you have to do to be in the present each and every moment in your life?

In the sections for FISH, write down things that you will do every day to have positive growth mindsets.

FISH - What things can you do each and every day to make someone’s day? Remember you live by what you give.

1. FISH - How can you ensure that you approach each and every day with a positive attitude?

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.”

Helen Keller

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exercise and vitality

PAGE 36 – LIVING ACTIVELY

MIND AND HEART CALMER What are times when you were openminded in what you listened to?

The intention this week is to develop students’ Exercise and Vitality element of wellbeing by them accepting that obesity, diabetes and low moods are likely to happen to them if they don’t follow this week’s guidelines. Explain that one hour’s daily exercise, eating fresh and having a rest from social media is totally their choice for a healthy future. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Creating, Imagining, Innovating (page 125).

LIVING ACTIVELY Wellbeing Bank: to strengthen my Exercise and Vitality by eating healthy and actively exercising for at least an hour every day. The overall state of our population’s physical fitness and mental health is quiet poor and deteriorating every year.

STRENGTHS BOOSTER

Obesity has become a national problem and the onset of diabetes and depression are occurring at a much younger age.

FAMILY STRENGTHS I will ask my family to do the VIA strengths survey, put their strengths wheels on the fridge and talk about how each of us use our strengths.

There is no shortcut to being healthy in body and mind. Using the strengths Bravery and Perseverance, you, your family and your friends can avoid the above issues happening to all of you by making a choice to do the following things.

CHARACTER STRENGTH

Actively exercise for at least an hour every day doing pulse rate lifting activities.

For the strength of HOPE, describe one thing you could do to:

Eat fresh home cooked meals and avoid some processed and takeaway foods.

Use it well: ........................................................ Misuse it: ..........................................................

Clear your mind with personal timeout away from social media daily.

Underuse it: ......................................................

Find something you are passionate about, which is bigger than yourself, to meaningfully focus your energies on.

RESILIENCE BUILDER Describe how each of your top strengths contribute to your ability to set ISMART goals and to help you become your best possible you.

Describe what you do every day to improve your mind and body’s health. ................................................................................ ................................................................................ There are many quality ways for you to exercise, eat and focus yourself. Encourage your family and friends to get out and about with you to thrive and flourish. > Website: Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

ACTIONS

What are two things I will start doing to exercise more, eat healthier and focus myself?

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

FIVE E’s OF LEARNING

ENGAGE

EXPLORE

EXPLAIN

ELABORATE

Think hard to find connections with the topic and what the topic means to you.

Use your natural curiosity to decide what you would like to discover more on and explore it.

Explain the steps you followed, the thinking strategies you used and the resources that provided you with the information.

Connect all the class presentations on the topic and discuss real life situations that can be related to it. Ponder further things you wish to learn about the topic.

Think of an event, topic or situation individually, in small groups or as a class. •

EVALUATE Reflect on the process and answer the following questions: • What was the most difficult step for you and why?

Identify aspects of it that are of interest.

•

Then begin investigating the aspects using the Five E’s of Learning – Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate.

•

This Learning and Thinking Strategy provides a logical and structured pathway to follow.

•

Combine the Five E’s with a Learning Jigsaw, in which small groups investigate the different aspects of a topic. Groups then combine to gain an overall picture of the topic. This exercise is a great example of effective, authentic learning.

• What was the most important thing you learned and why?

Question 1: what are three intelligent choices you could make for your future? Question 2: when are times you have got living actively right and what did you do? Question 3: google, “Bravery.”

• How did you feel when presenting?

Acknowledgement: McQuaid & Kern

• What things did you enjoy about learning this way?

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals.” Henry Ford

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meaning and purpose

PAGE 38 – PRESENT WITH PURPOSE

MIND AND HEART CALMER What kind things have other people done for you this week?

The intention this week is to grow students’ Meaning and Purpose element of wellbeing by them understanding that in person interactions with others are the greatest builders of their wellbeing. Explain that these interactions release powerful feel good neurochemicals, serotonin and oxytocin, which electronic communication doesn’t do. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Gathering Data through All Senses (page 125).

PRESENT WITH PURPOSE Wellbeing Bank: to increase my Meaning and Purpose by making the effort to speak in person with others. Feeling positive emotions through connecting in person with others is the greatest single factor in building your wellbeing. It is your choice whether to engage in face-to-face sharing of ideas and having fun conversations with others, no one else’s. Making an effort every day to speak with at least ten people will often be the highlights of your day. Describe how often you have in person conversations with others.

WELLBEING FITNESS CHALLENGE AIMLESS WRITING Opening Floodgates – writing anything that comes into my head for 10 minutes every morning.

................................................................................ ................................................................................ Being purposefully present with other people enables you to learn to read their body language and practise sending positive messages through your own body. This raises both your and their state of wellbeing by sharing what it is to be human. Electronic communication seems to be taking over as the preferred way to communicate, with many people glued to their mobiles. They seem to be totally unaware of what is happening around them and won’t connect in person with others for fear of missing out. It is time to start using the strengths Zest and SocialIntelligence to have more in person conversations with others. > Website: Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

CHARACTER STRENGTH For the strength of SOCIAL-INTELLIGENCE, describe one thing you could do to: Use it well: ........................................................ Misuse it: .......................................................... Underuse it: ......................................................

RESILIENCE BUILDER With two friends discuss the benefits of each Character Strength in your lives and come up with your top six for young people of your age group and your reasons why.

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

GIVE AND TAKE

ACTIONS What are two things I will start doing to have more in person conversations with others?

This thinking strategy is used to analyse the merits of different options in addressing controversial issues. Look at an issue or situation as a class and brainstorm possible options to address it. When brainstorming the options available, consider what the consequences are of choosing these options. Enter the options on either the left or right sides of the diagram, depending on which way they are pulling. Think about options that will make a compromise to solve the issue. Make a note of these. Share your findings with the class.

CHOOSING

Benjamin Franklin

OPTION Y

PULLS THIS WAY

“Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learn.”

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CHOOSING

OPTION X

Question 1: what feelings do you have when in person with others that you don’t get with phones? Question 2: what body language messages do others send when with you? Question 3: google, “Serotonin.”

PULLS THIS WAY

COMPROMISE 21/08/13 11:18 AM

Acknowledgement: Diener & Biswas-Diener

STRENGTHS AND EMOTIONS

PAGE 40 – SKILLS OF RESILIENCE

MIND AND HEART CALMER What is something you have loved learning about?

The intention this week is to develop students’ Strengths and Emotions element of wellbeing by them understanding that to be resilient to bounce back, they need to develop all of these seven skills. Explain what they can do to develop each of the seven skills of resilience in themselves. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Persisting (page 124).

SKILLS OF RESILIENCE Wellbeing Bank: to boost my Strengths and Emotions by focusing on building the skills of resilience in myself. Having the ability to overcome challenges by being resilient doesn’t just happen. You have to first understand what skills you need to possess to enable you to be resilient.

STRENGTHS BOOSTER

Then it is your choice as to whether you apply yourself to develop the skills of resilience as habits in your everyday life.

SELF-ACCEPTANCE STRENGTHS I will select a strength every day that I want to build to become my best possible self and why I chose it.

Use the strengths Hope and Perseverance to power your efforts and practise the activities to build each of these necessary resilience skills. Following are the seven skills of resilience and suggested strategies to build them:

CHARACTER STRENGTH

Optimism and hope for the future – develop through goal setting and adopting growth mindsets.

For the strength of LEADERSHIP, describe one thing you could do to:

Regulating emotions – develop through wellbeing fitness challenges.

Use it well: ........................................................

Impulse control – develop through mindfulness activities.

Misuse it: ..........................................................

Flexibility of thinking – develop through habits of mind and thinking tools.

Underuse it: ......................................................

Empathy – develop through doing kind acts for others. Self-belief – develop through actioning your top character strengths.

RESILIENCE BUILDER

Building social-connectedness – develop through active constructive responding.

Find other students in your class who have some of the same strengths as you and describe how you both could and do use them to become your best possible you. List three things you could do for each strength.

Describe how you believe each resilience skill is currently developed in you. ................................................................................ ................................................................................ Practise using these skills when things don’t go your way. Acknowledgement: Karen Reivich and Andrew Shatte

> Website: Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

ACTIONS

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

GLAD, MAD, SAD •

GLAD

MAD

SAD

What makes me feel good about this? Why?

What makes me angry about this? Why?

What makes me unhappy about this? Why?

When you first see and listen to a plan, idea or proposal it is natural to have feelings about it.

•

Getting an emotional feel for something connects the “inner” you with it.

•

In the sections complete how you feel and why you feel that way.

•

Always be careful that decisions and judgements you make are based on facts, not purely on emotions.

What are two things I will start doing to develop the skills of resilience in myself?

Question 1: which of these resilience skills do you need to focus on developing in yourself, and which ones do you believe you already have? Question 2: when are times that you have each of these skills or should have used these skills. Question 3: google, “Hope.”

1. 2.

Acknowledgement: Rievich & Shatte

“Self-knowledge is the beginning of selfimprovement.” Baltasar Gracián

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POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT

PAGE 42 – MINDSET AND PRACTICE

MIND AND HEART CALMER When are times you have forgiven other people for doing the wrong thing by you?

The intention this week is to boost students’ Positive Engagement element of wellbeing by them understanding that to grow personally and academically, they need to do better things, not more of the same. Explain that they will make more mistakes doing more intelligent things, but learning new things to fix the mistakes causes growth. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Thinking about Thinking (page 124).

MINDSET AND PRACTICE Wellbeing Bank: to build my Positive Engagement by adopting growth mindsets to thrive and flourish. Growth Mindsets are believing that you can grow your brain’s abilities by lifting your efforts to learn and practise new approaches. Yet, there are many students who keep doing the same things and expect that they will somehow get different results.

WELLBEING FITNESS CHALLENGE GRATITUDE LETTER Being Thankful – writing a letter thanking someone from my heart who really helped me and give it to them.

Unfortunately, they have fixed mindsets and believe they that lifting their efforts to try more intelligent ways to learn will make no difference. Describe what type of mindset you currently have towards learning. ................................................................................

CHARACTER STRENGTH

................................................................................ From the Creating Brain Pathways Wellbeing Builder you learned that through deliberate practice you can grow your brain.

For the strength of APPRECIATION OF BEAUTY & EXCELLENCE, describe one thing you could do to:

The most important words in that sentence are deliberate practice.

Use it well: ........................................................

Use the strengths Self-Regulation and Love of Learning to make the choice to discipline yourself to discover new ways to learn.

Misuse it: .......................................................... Underuse it: ......................................................

Then practise them over and over to develop your abilities. Ask your teachers to show you more intelligent ways to learn.

RESILIENCE BUILDER

A famous pianist once said, “If I miss a day’s practice, I notice. If I miss two days, critics notice and if I miss three days, the audience notices.”

Ask your family to do the VIA Character Strengths survey and then discuss how each of you can use each of your individual top strengths to benefit your family. Which ones did you have in common?

> Website: Growth Mindset activity sheet, Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

GOLF THINKING

ACTIONS

What are two things I will start doing to use my strengths to develop growth mindsets to practice?

GOLF - What are you asked to investigate? Describe what it means to you in your own words. Who can help you?

This thinking strategy is similar to KWHL and provides another approach for you to investigate topics and issues. GOLF Thinking stands for: •

G - Go for it. What are you asked to investigate or find?

•

O - Organise yourself. What information do you need to find and how will you find it?

•

L - Linking it together. What strategies are you going to use to make sense of what you have found and what skills you need to develop?

•

F - Finish off. Reflect on how well you have covered the topic; are your conclusions or solutions reasonable?

In the sections for GOLF write down what you will do and how you will do it.

GOLF - What information do you need to find, where will you find it and how will you know it’s reliable? Who can help you?

Question 1: when are times you have practiced more difficult things, made mistakes, fixed them and improved? Question 2: what more intelligent things can you practice to grow? Question 3: google, “Love of Learning.”

GOLF - How are you going to link together what you have found? What strategies/methods are you going to use and what do you need to learn? Who can help you?

Acknowledgement: James & Dweck

GOLF - Think about how well you have covered the topic and are your conclusions or solutions reasonable? Who can help you?

“To make headway, improve your head.” B. C. Forbes

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relationships and optimism

PAGE 44 – TEACHERS AND THRIVING

MIND AND HEART CALMER What are times you have felt the emotions gratitude and joy and what happened?

The intention this week is to build students’ Relationships and Optimism element of wellbeing by them understanding that to get what they want from school relies mainly on their relationships with their teachers. Explain that building relationships is a twoway thing and that they need to play their part. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Remaining Open to Continuous Learning (page 126).

TEACHERS AND THRIVING Wellbeing Bank: to add to my Relationships and Optimism by building healthy and open relationships with my teachers. The quality of relationships between you and your teachers is the single most powerful factor in your success at school.

STRENGTHS BOOSTER

It is bigger than all of the other influences added together.

RELATIONSHIPS STRENGTHS I will select five strengths I believe people could use to value others and build relationships and why I think so.

Use the strengths Teamwork and Curiosity to help you combine your teachers’ top strengths with yours. Describe the quality of your relationship with each of your teachers.

CHARACTER STRENGTH

................................................................................

For the strength of TEAMWORK, describe one thing you could do to:

................................................................................

Use it well: ........................................................

You learn well and your teachers teach well when you are all happy and flourishing.

Misuse it: ..........................................................

Personal and academic success comes after happiness, not before it.

Underuse it: ......................................................

Studies have shown that happy students’ learning outcomes are considerably higher than students who don’t enjoy school.

RESILIENCE BUILDER

Happy and positive emotions broaden your attention and build your engagement for you to continue the journey to become your best possible self.

Write a short story about how a person used their top strengths to overcome a challenge or setback which confronted them. The story can be about a real-life event or fictional.

Listen to and act on your teachers’ advice to improve how you are learning and thinking. Don’t take it as criticism, because it is not. As you learned in Grades 7 & 8, Library teachers are experts at finding accurate information, effective research methods, correct ways to reference and compile bibliographies. > Website: Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

IDEAS MAP

ACTIONS What are two things I will start doing to build healthier relationships with my teachers?

Question 1: when are times great relationships with teachers have seen you do well? Question 2: which of your teachers do you need to learn better with to grow academically? Question 3: google, “Mirror Neurons.”

• Start with a key word or idea which you relate to about the topic in the centre balloon.

Acknowledgement: Radel & Rizzolatti

• In the balloons around the centre write the different aspets which make up the topic. • On the lines between balloons write how and why they are connected. • Connect smaller balloons with lines should you think they need to be. • Write your reasons on the connecting line. • Add more balloons if you need to. • The most important thing is that your Ideas Map is totally your view, on-one elses.

1. 2.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.” Aristotle

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skills and ACHIEVEMENT

PAGE 46 – REVISING AND PATHWAYS

MIND AND HEART CALMER What is something you want to do but are scared of failing?

The intention this week is to add to students’ Skills and Achievement element of wellbeing by them that the phrase, use it or lose it, applies very much to their brains. Explain that deliberating practicing what they learn, revising, is the only way to create patterns and habits which enable personal and academic growth. To adapt their thinking here, introduce them to the HOM Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations (page 125).

REVISING AND PATHWAYS Wellbeing Bank: to add to my Skills and Achievement by making the choice to discipline myself to build strong brain pathways through revising. Your brain thrives on looking for patterns and these are created by deliberate and regular practice, called revising.

WELLBEING FITNESS CHALLENGE

The strengths Self-Regulation and Perseverance will assist you to make a good choice to revise in an organized and structured way.

PHOTO 7 Gratitude Pics – every day taking a photo on my device of something I am grateful for to create a gratitude album this week.

The reality is that your brain remembers 90% if notes are revised within 24 hours, 30% after 3 days and 3% to 4% after a month.

CHARACTER STRENGTH

Describe how you currently revise what you learn in class.

For the strength of LOVE OF LEARNING, describe one thing you could do to:

................................................................................

Use it well: ........................................................

................................................................................

Misuse it: ..........................................................

Revising what you learn, enables you to further explore and process what you have learned in greater depth by thinking critically and creatively about the information.

Underuse it: ......................................................

It is important not to treat all information as of equal worth, because it is not.

RESILIENCE BUILDER

You can achieve this by slowing down when revising to think in more intelligent ways using Thinking Tools and Habits of Mind.

Think of a famous person and describe what you think are their top strengths and why. Are there any other Character Strengths which would benefit them developing?

This also builds new, stronger and faster brain pathways for you to experience personal and academic growth. Other methods to revise include routines, mnemonics, acronyms, flash cards, graphic organizers, lists, flow charts and idea maps. > Website: Positive Memory Habits, Wellbeing Builder Reflection.

THINKING TOOL Thinking Tool

ACTIONS

What are two things I will start doing to deliberately and regularly revise what I learn for my brain to be at its best?

1. 2.

IDEAS, QUESTION, BRIDGE

BEGINNING

AFTER

IDEAS

QUESTIONS

EXAMPLE

This thinking strategy is very good when beginning a new topic. When you first listen to and see a new topic and begin to relate to it, complete the following responses: • • •

Enter three ideas about it. Enter two questions you have about it. Enter an example of it in real life.

After learning about and investigating the topic, repeat the exercise: •

Enter three new ideas.

•

Enter two new questions.

•

Enter an example of it.

Then complete the Bridge section to explain how your new responses connect with your original responses.

Acknowledgement: Ericsson & Anderson

BRIDGE

“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.” Sir Edmond Hillary

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Question 1: when are times you have lost what you have learnt through not revising? Question 2: which thinking tools could you use to revise and deliberately practice? Question 3: google, “Self-regulation.”

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