How BrainWaves is supporting student wellbeing in the classroom
In our webinar, “Learning to thrive in Key Stage 3: Teaching the BrainWaves wellbeing lessons”, we were joined by guest speakers, Louisa Anderson (Head of Citizenship & PSHE, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls) and Natalie Rodden (Educational Consultant). Both offered practical advice for teachers aiming to weave the BrainWaves KS3 wellbeing curriculum and mental health and wellbeing strategies into their classroom.
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Overview of our wellbeing curriculum
Our curriculum of free, evidence-based wellbeing lessons is available for use with Key Stages 3, 4, and 5 (ages 11-18). The curriculum has a focus on positive psychology and uses this approach to promote overall wellbeing, rather than focusing on specific mental health conditions. This aims to enhance and improve mental wellbeing for the entire student population.
A core aim of the lessons is to empower students by fostering a sense of agency and demonstrating that they can actively influence their own wellbeing.
Lessons incorporate scientific data as a starting point, ensuring that content is grounded in evidence. Research guides are also available to help teachers understand the science behind the lessons. Each lesson equips students with at least one practical strategy they can use to support their wellbeing.
Actionable tips for teachers
1. Start with the foundational lessons. During the webinar, our guests recommended beginning in Key Stage 3 with “The Science of Wellbeing“, a lesson that introduces the core concept of the PERMA framework (Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishments). A second lesson, “My Changing Brain“, is recommended to help students understand neurological changes during adolescence.
2. Integrate into your existing curriculum. BrainWaves lessons can easily be integrated into various parts of the curriculum, such as PSHE or personal development. For example, “Conflict and Repair” can be used in relationship units, and “Understanding Your Strengths” in careers. You can also adapt and personalise each lesson to your students’ needs and classroom dynamics. Consider relevant issues and create a safe space for discussion.
3. Encourage action and reflection. Encourage your students to use the strategies learned in the lessons outside of the classroom, then take the time to review how successful they were in future lessons. Journaling works well for this level of reflection. Everybody is different, so reflect on what worked for some students and what works for others. Learning that wellbeing is not the same for everybody, and that it’s helpful to have a whole toolkit of wellbeing techniques for different stages of your life, is an important leaning point for young people.
4. Utilise the support materials. The BrainWaves lessons are particularly recommended by teachers because of their ‘oven-ready’ nature – minimal preparation time or knowledge is needed before delivering them to students. However, detailed teacher notes are available to guide you through each lesson, as well as concise research guides that highlight the evidence-base for each strategy covered. Making the most of these resources can really boost teacher confidence and make delivery of the lessons even more engaging!
By incorporating the BrainWaves wellbeing lessons into your teaching, you’re not only equipping your students with valuable tools to support their own mental health but also fostering a classroom culture that champions wellbeing as a shared priority. These lessons can be a powerful way to show young people that looking after their mental health is both achievable, important and within their control.
For more information or support with delivering the BrainWaves lessons, please email support@brainwaveshub.org
About the author
Abbie Simpkin is a School Research Liaison Manager at BrainWaves, responsible for supporting schools on the BrainWaves Research Programme. She was previously a music teacher at Key Stage 3-5.