We know that schools across NSW are currently developing their 4 year Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP). So how can a strength based approach help? It can support the wellbeing element of the School Excellence Framework which underpins your SIP:
1. Caring for students - no doubt you have a staff member that explicitly supports students. With a strength-based approach they would be able to identify strengths within all students. They could discuss how strengths help with challenges, how we may over or underplay a strength and how to develop strengths to enhance wellbeing. This increases wellbeing literacy for all.
2. A planned approach to wellbeing - an evidence based whole school approach such as Strong Minds can be implemented systematically and pre and post evaluation completed to determine students sense of belonging to school. Research shows feeling like you belong at school is linked to higher levels of student psychological wellbeing 1. and better academic performance 2.
3. Individual learning needs - these can be enhanced when we know students strengths. Utilising our strengths is what we naturally do well.
4. Behaviour - positive, respectful relationships are evident and widespread among students and staff when a strength-based approach is adopted. This occurs because:
-Students and staff focus on the best in each other
- When students utilise strengths in their learning engagement increases and behavioural concerns are diminished and
- When staff discipline with a strength-based approach students are more motivated to comply, as strengths are what they value.
1. Jose, P. E., Ryan, N., & Pryor, J. (2012). Does social connectedness promote a greater sense of well-being in adolescence over time? Journal of Research on Adolescence, 22(2), 235–251. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2012.00783.x.
2. Sari, M. (2012). Sense of school belonging among elementary school students. Çukurova University Faculty of Education Journal, 41(1), 1–11.
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