Seventh Edition: Stay Safe Stay Well
Written by Gráinne Dennison, Joe Lynch and Gina O’Connor
A message from LCETB CE George O’Callaghan
Wellbeing for Whole School Community
The Greatest Wealth is Health ~Virgil
The indicators of student wellbeing (active, responsible, connected, resilient, respected and aware) have been to the forefront of many teachers' thoughts and practices as school communities navigated their way through distance learning and teaching during COVID-19. The wellbeing indicators are important to not just our students now, but to the entire school community (staff and parents/guardians). As we approach the summer break it is now more important than ever that members of our school communities continue to prioritise and actively promote their wellbeing now and over the summer holidays .
The level of resilience demonstrated by LCETB students over the past months has been impressive and shows most are equipped with strong coping skills.
For teachers who have had to cope with the new way of teaching, it is especially important that they continue to pay attention to and take proactive steps to promote their own wellbeing and self care so that they in turn can support their students wellbeing and learning as the year draws to a close.
“Wellbeing is a crucial prerequisite for achievement and achievement is essential for wellbeing”. (Andy Hargreaves, A., Shirley, D. (2018b).
Under the leadership of senior management, staff members adapted quickly and together to support and progress student wellbeing and achievement in the last ten weeks. The solid respectful relationships management, teachers and staff have built up with students and their families over the years has meant that most students have willingly engaged online with their teachers. From a place of concern and awareness teachers reached out to support all students. Parents/guardians have expressed their appreciation on receiving the many supportive calls/contacts from staff members.
Distance Learning has been challenging and demanding for all, and teachers and LCETB students are to be commended for their engagement. Video conferencing, virtual learning classrooms, pre recorded classes, posted materials, laptop home deliveries, phone calls, postcards home and text messaging are just some of the ways teachers have reached out to students. Extraordinary efforts were made to encourage each and every student to stay connected with their schools. Mostly, students welcomed the contact, as many understandably reported perfectly normal feelings of loss and isolation without friends and regular school life. The human contact from teachers to students and their families helped in a way we may never know
Teamwork at school level has been central to supporting successful student wellbeing and achievement in schools. Student support teams, SENCO teams, wholestaff teams, curriculum leader teams, yearheads, senior management teams, student and parent councils, boards of management and subject department teams prioritised student wellbeing knowing how crucial it is to learning. The result? Student engagement, and a sense of belonging to a caring school community. As our resilient students reconnected with peers and teachers, slowly but surely, they actively and responsibly took small steps back into the joy of learning.
Physical Activity and Mental Wellbeing Here, Now and in the Future
A Healthy Body is a Healthy Mind
As we approach the summer break now more than ever our students physical fitness and wellbeing is of utmost concern to teachers/staff and parents/guardians. Covid 19 has the potential to damage physical health and wellbeing, however if we continue to adopt a proactive and joined-up/collaborative approach with parents/guardians, teachers and students, we can improve our students and indeed all of our levels of physical fitness and wellbeing throughout the summer.
LCETB Schools Promote Physical Exercise-Keep it up!
The necessary physical 5km restriction has been very limiting for our students as was the sudden closure of schools and sports grounds. Students have had to readjust and devise new ways to exercise. Gone are the days of organised sport and activities where their social, emotional, psychological and physical needs were nurtured. The potential of the loss of organised sports/activities to propel these once happy active students into a place of confusion and alienation is a real threat to their wellbeing. Thankfully this has been fully recognised in LCETB schools and every effort has been made to counteract the effects of this loss. Many creative and positive responses from teachers, students and parents/guardians show how the lockdown challenges are being overcome by remotely organising activities from workouts and walks to wellbeing practices.
Lockdown - FitnessUp.
For many in our LCETB school communities the lockdown has meant improved levels of fitness and wellbeing. Be it inside, outside or online, fitness and wellbeing levels are on the up and up.
Here’s how:
-Families are getting active together with many reporting they are experiencing a reconnection with each other. Memories are being made and shared.
-Roads are quieter for the biker. During lockdown many are rediscovering the joy of biking in our cleaner fresher air.
-Students and teachers are organising their own physical activity events e.g. GCL ran a virtual 5k/10/ run/walk challenge.
-Students are reconnecting with their natural and physical environment as they walk/run/bike and explore their local areas. Colaiste Mhuire's, (Askeaton), cross curricular Poetry in Motion project with the PE and English departments was hugely successful in promoting reflective thinking and observation as students immersed themselves in the great outdoors.
- Online classes from yoga to total body workouts are being promoted by schools and used by the students and their families. There is something there for everyone and students have shown high levels of engagement and improved levels of wellbeing. PE padlets with online classes and resources from PE departments are pointing students in the direction of an array of activities from which to choose. Students have never had more choice.Here are examples from Castletroy College https://padlet.com/pjones134/5jdm4367ferp and another example from Desmond College Newcastle West https://padlet.com/catherine_creed/xterfs6vulof65zo
- Fitbits and other such technologies are providing students and all school communities with data regarding their activity levels, sleep and diet. Many students are proactively taking steps to improve on these. Desmond College ran a ‘Count Your Steps’ programme for staff.
-Social media is being used by many schools to promote and share physical activity. Well done to the staff of Castletroy College for setting the standard with their tweeted “Get Active for Mind and Body” video.https://twitter.com/CastletroyC/status/1260928999561150465?s=08
Well done also to the staff of Ennistymon Vocational school for their Virtual Sports Challenge. https://twitter.com/ennistymonvs/status/1263045083290636289?s=12
Bravo to all schools particularly PE departments who have stepped up in terms of promoting and prioritising student physical fitness, health and wellbeing. As we face into the summer break it is of utmost importance that as a whole staff we actively continue to encourage the entire school community, particularly the students, to work on and enjoy being physically active and healthy now, during and after the lockdown.
Thank you and well done, school life goes on.
As the 2019-2020 school year draws to a close we look back on what has been an extraordinary year. We wish the class of 2020 all the best in the coming months. Your hard work, dedication and study will pay off!
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best for the summer break and thank you for your support and inspiration throughout the year.
We would love to hear from other schools and teachers in relation to any tools, resources, tips you have that would be of use to others with a view to publishing them on this blog. If you would like to be included, please email either Grainne@lcetbdrive.com, Joe@lcetbdrive.com or Gina@lcetbdrive.com.
A special thank you to the following teachers submitting their initiatives for this newsletter on behalf of their schools.
Castletroy College Orla Knight and Patricia Jones
Desmond College, Catherine Creed
Ennistymon Vocational School
Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh: Pat Gleeson
Coláiste Mhuire, Askeaton: Ide Trant
Responding To Critical Incidents During Covid-19
The National Educational Psychological Services have updated their Critical Incidents Guidelines during school closures and can be viewed at this link-
Online Resources for Wellbeing
Here are just some of the many helpful wellbeing resources and guidance available to teachers.
Stay Active and Connected https://youtu.be/9nZVcDcvVLc
Stay Positive and Calm https://youtu.be/UlK9L68hETU
National Educational Psychological Services https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/National-Educational-Psychological-Service-NEPS-/supporting-the-wellbeing-of-post-primary-students.pdf
Support for Leaving Cert Students Leaving Certificate 2020
In This Together https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/together/
https://www.ibec.ie/connect-and-learn/insights/insights/2020/04/23/keeping-well-with-the-coronavirus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD3-c7yRgo4 LCETB promoting wellbeing
Upskilling online courses for Teachers and SNAs https://www.lec.ie/courses-limerick-education-centre.html
References
(Andy Hargreaves, A., Shirley, D. (2018b). Well-being and success–Opposites that need to attract. EdCan Network magazine, Winter 2018)
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