Student Learning Journal - Module 01 - Wellbeing

MODULE 01

Wellbeing

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Your Your Your

mental health is a priority. is an happiness essential. is a self-care necessity.

SAMPLE

-Author Unknown

DIET, SLEEP & EXERCISE

To fully understand the importance of being healthy, you will now have the opportunity to learn about physical and mental health and the impact both have on your overall well-being.

One way that you can look after your physical health is by eating a balanced diet, getting sufficient sleep and doing some exercise each day. Good diet, sleep and exercise have countless physical and mental benefits.

Physical Benefits

• Helps to build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints

• Helps to control weight, build lean muscle and reduce fat

• Prevents and reduces high blood pressure

Mental Benefits

• Improves your memory and lengthens your attention span

• Improves your decision-making, planning and multi-tasking skills

• Increases your production of new nerve, blood and brain cells

Looking after your Physical Health

SAMPLE

DIET SLEEP EXERCISE

Ensure you have a healthy diet.

Scan this bar code to access the food pyramid, which shows how often you should eat different food groups.

Ensure you get a good night’s sleep. Avoid being on a screen before you go to bed, and it’s best not to bring your phone into your bedroom.

Try to get a daily recommended physical activity of 30 minutes of exercise. Consider including a column for physical activity in your study timetable so you can actively make it part of your daily routine.

Unfortunately, negative things happen to everyone in life; however, some people seem to bounce back quicker than others. This is referred to as resilience - your ability to bounce back after setbacks.

One useful way of understanding how to develop resilience is to use the acronym BOUNCE

Bad things and times happen, but things do get better. Others are there to help you, but you need to let them know. Unhelpful thoughts don’t make things better. Nobody is perfect.

Concentrate on the good things in your life, it’s not all bad. Everybody has setbacks or struggles. You are not on your own here.

Here are five useful ways that you can build your own personal resilience. In the space provided, identify one way you could incorporate each one into your own life!

GETTING HELP

The most important thing about mental health is being aware of your feelings as they arise. This helps you identify stress triggers and how you react to them.

It is important that you have people around you that you can talk to about these things.

So, let’s identify people in your life that you can go to in the three categories below.

People

People in your life who you can go to for advice.

Names of agencies / support services available to you if you need them.

WHO CAN you GO TO when you NEED HELP?

In the diagram below, fill in each circle with the various people in your life.

We a ll need whe re we

Your Safety somewhere feel safe

- Emma Thompson (1959 - )

Emma is a British actress, screenwriter, activist, author and comedian. She is a winner of Academy Awards, BAFTA Awards and Golden Globe Awards.

PERSONAL SAFETY

At the heart of your own well-being, and your physical and mental health, is your own personal safety. It is important to feel safe in many different aspects of your life. Here are some tips for ensuring your personal safety in different circumstances.

SAFETY TIPS FOR TRAVELLING WITH OTHERS

• Never, ever take a lift from a driver that has taken drink or drugs.

• Speed kills, so ensure your driver always strictly keeps to the speed limits.

SAFETY TIPS FOR CYCLING

• Never cycle in the dark without adequate lights.

• Wear a reflective jacket, armbands and belt if cycling at night.

• Obey traffic signs and signals and watch out for traffic.

• Ensure your bike is in working order.

• Keep to the left.

• Wear a helmet.

• Do not wear headphones.

• Take your time.

SAFETY TIPS FOR WALKING

• Always walk facing traffic so that a car can’t come up behind you.

• Don’t cross the road on a corner or a bend.

• Don’t walk on dark roads on your own at night – stick to walking in daylight.

• Always walk on the footpaths.

Sadly, bullying can be a feature of school life. It is important to understand these facts about bullying so that you can:

(a) Recognise it

(b) Take action and know where to ask for help

What are the main types of bullying?

Hitting, pushing, spitting, stealing or breaking others’ belongings, making mean hand gestures

Where can bullying happen?

Bullying can happen…..

• To anyone

• Anytime

• Anywhere

• In any way

Threatening, teasing, name calling, making sexual remarks

Spreading rumours, encouraging others to reject or exclude someone, embarrassing someone in public

How can I deal with bullying?

• Report it to someone you can trust.

• Stay calm and in control.

• Talk to friends you can trust and ask them for help.

• Don’t show emotions like anger, fear or upset.

• Be assertive – speak clearly and firmly.

• Show confidence – use positive body language.

CYBERBULLYING

Cyberbullying is where information and communication technology is used to deliberately hurt someone’s feelings.

Cyberbullying can take place through instant messaging, chat rooms, online polling sites, blogs and social networking sites.

Cyberbullying can be very dangerous because it is:

• Invasive

• Often anonymous

• Difficult to escape from or stop

• Sometimes a criminal act

• Communicated quickly and to a wide audience

THANKFULLY, THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF FROM CYBERBULLYING.

Here are some tips for staying safe on the internet:

HIDE YOUR PERSONAL DETAILS: Password, PIN, username and real name, email address, home address, mobile number, personal photos.

FOLLOW NETIQUETTE: Communicate clearly, use emoticons, be polite.

• React appropriately

• Block any sender of nasty messages

• Set your sites/profiles to private

• Save nasty links/texts etc.

• Ask permission before you share anyone else’s details

• Change your password often.

• Open a message from someone you don’t know

• Give details to anyone that you don’t know in real life.

the most impor tant thing,

Your Learning

Strengths

no matter how you do it, or where you do it, or who you do it with.

- Saoirse Ronan (1994 -)

An Irish actress who has received many accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, four Academy Award nominations and British Academy Film Awards.

GROWTH MINDSET

Earlier on in this module, you learned the meaning of the word resilience. People who display resilience have a ‘Growth Mindset’. Let’s find out a little more about this….

What is a mindset?

A mindset is a person’s approach or attitude.

What are the different types of mindset?

There are two main types of mindset. They are known as a Fixed Mindset and a Growth Mindset .

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FIXED MINDSET AND A GROWTH MINDSET?

“I learn nothing from mistakes.”

“I am not good at some things.”

“When I am frustrated, I give up.”

“I learn from my mistakes.”

“When I am frustrated, I persevere.”

“I can learn anything if I try hard enough.”

Examine the diagram above to identify what type of mindset you have. What techniques can you use to develop a growth mindset?

Your INTELLIGENCES

A psychologist known as Howard Gardner identified eight different types of intelligences. Research now suggests that different intelligences occur in different parts of your brain.

Here are the eight intelligences identified by Gardner:

The ability to think musically and to hear, recognise and remember patterns. Used by musicians, mathematicians, artists and dancers.

The ability to understand cause and effect; to manipulate numbers. Used by scientists, mathematicians and engineers.

MUSIC

The ability to interpret space and to navigate. Used by pilots, artists, architects and racing drivers.

ERSONAL SPAT

The ability to understand yourself, to be reflective, know what you can or can’t do and where to get help. Used by philosophers, psychologists and church ministers. SILARUTAN

The ability to understand and relate to others. Used by teachers, salespeople, politicians, human resource managers, doctors and psychologists.

The ability to discriminate between living things and be sensitive to the natural world. Used by botanists, ornithologists, beauticians and top chefs.

The ability to control body movement and the capacity to handle objects skilfully. Used by athletes, actors and dancers.

The ability to use language. Being able to express what’s on your mind and to understand others. Used by poets, novelists, politicians and lawyers.

Reflecting on YOUR strengths

Developing a growth mindset by recognising your intelligences

A person with a Growth Mindset will ask themselves “In which ways am I intelligent?” and not “How intelligent am I?”

Use the diagram below to identify which intelligences most apply to you. Reflect on times when you have used this intelligence by giving a specific example.

Is this intelligence one of your strengths?

Give an example of when you have used this intelligence:

Kinaesthetic Intrapersonal LOGICAL MUSICAL

Is this intelligence one of your strengths?

Give an example of when you have used this intelligence:

(1997- )

Malala is a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.

This content has been developed in partnership with The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU).

I raise my voice but so that those without a voice CAN BE heard.

not so that I can shout,

- Malala Yousafzai

What is the ISSU?

Did you know that there is a union that represents you?

The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) is a union representing students, run by students.

They are the national representative body for you, second-level students in Ireland. Their membership is based on the student council model, and they aim to provide support, training and assistance to member student councils.

They aim to build a stronger student voice at all levels of the education system.

They are there for you, they are your union. Reach out, get involved, ask for their help. Engage with them. #Expressyourself

How can you strengthen the student voice in your school?

How can you find out more about the ISSU?

Follow ISSU on social media:

You can make a difference, young people don’t realise, if you have a proactive attitude, if you’re willing to try to find a solution - you can do it. My advice: find other people who want to see a change, bring them together, write on a giant piece of paper “What do we want to do?”

- Reuben Murray, President of the ISSU

SDGs & Climate Activism

In 2015, 193 countries agreed on Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to create a better world by 2030. The 17 goals cover a wide range of areas, and address many of the causes of inequality, poverty, and injustice in our world. All of the goals are linked, and we can’t achieve any of them without achieving the others. If you want to get involved in sustainability, you can:

• Contact an organisation currently working to help us achieve the SDGs, e.g.

or ISSU.

• Organise action in your own area.

• Research the SDGs at sdgs.un.org or download the SDGs in Action App to learn more and find action around you!

How can you engage in climate activism?

Engaging in climate activism is for everyone; get involved, learn, and make your voice heard!

• Get involved with groups involved in climate activism - usually through social media, or attend a demonstration!

• Organise community actions like beach clean-ups!

• Write to your councillors and TDs! (whoismytd.com)

• Promote awareness in your school, community, and online!

• Take small steps such as recycling, growing your own food, or shopping sustainably, and encourage friends and family to join you!

Gaeilge Activism

Conas do ghuth a úsáid chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn!

How to use your voice to promote the Irish language!

Ar scoil:

• Establish an Irish Officer / Oifigeach Gaeilge in your student council.

• Use Gaeilge with your friends and encourage others - have fun with it!

Lasmuigh den scoil:

• Keep up to date with Gaeilge and Gaeltacht issues and write to your public representatives!

• Attend events in your area and get involved on a local level as much as you canar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine!

• Use Gaeilge online and join the Irish-speaking community on social media!

ISSU agus an Ghaeilge:

• The ISSU is a strong advocate for the Irish language, and has worked with multiple organisations to promote and work on behalf of the language.

• In conjunction with Conradh na Gaeilge, we offer training days for students who want to get involved with the language - keep an eye on www.issu.ie and our social media accounts for exciting upcoming opportunities!

Is é an rud is tábhachtaí ná do ghuth a úsáid

- labhair amach ar do shon agus ar son na Gaeilge!