The Board is committed to promoting evidence-based and promising practices to support well-being in the classroom. This approach involves ongoing monitoring and evaluation so that we can continue to improve the quality of instruction and ensure safe learning environments for all students. Below are a selection of the resources and activities that we have been integrating into our schools and classrooms to support mental health and well-being for all.
Self-Regulation
It is well established that a child’s capacity for self-regulation is a huge predictor of long term health and success. Self-regulation is about managing stress: recognizing stressors, understanding how stress affects each of us individually, reducing stress when possible, and developing the awareness and personal tools to recover from stress.”When a child’s stress is too high, the brain and body’s systems for thinking and recovering energy are compromised (Dr. Stuart Shanker).”
Learn more about self-regulation and access great parent and educator resources at www.self-reg.ca.
Mindfulness, Meditation and Prayer
Increasingly, mindfulness practices are being used in classrooms as a tool to support a calm, focused learning environment as well as the social-emotional development and self-regulation capacity of children and youth. Mindfulness and meditation practices have a deep religious context and origin as a spiritual tradition, including the Catholic contemplative tradition. Practicing mindfulness, meditation and prayer are ways to enter a state of stillness and peace by putting oneself in the presence of God.
The MindUP Curriculum is one tool that schools are exploring as a way to teach brain-based strategies that promote self-regulation, mental health and well-being. Through this program, students also learn skills in Perspective Taking, Expressing Gratitude, Kind Actions, and Conflict Resolution. This resource complements our Fruits of the Holy Spirit and our Catholic Social Teachings.
Check out https://www.pray-as-you-go.org/home/ to try out contemplative prayer for yourself!
Psychology Foundation of Canada Programs
The Psychology Foundation of Canada provides parenting resources, curriculum-linked classroom resources for teachers, and resources for adult wellness. The classroom programs take a developmentally informed approach to teaching students about coping with stress in healthy ways by fostering emotional resilience, problem solving skills, self-awareness, and a positive thinking style.
Learn more here.
Strategy in Action
Check out how our elementary and secondary schools are implementing evidence-based practices for well-being into daily teaching and learning in intentional and explicit ways.