Student well-being is critical for a positive academic experience. Students who feel good about themselves and have good physical, mental and emotional health find learning and socialising at school easier, more rewarding and more productive. There are many factors that play a role in student well-being. At GIIS, we foster and monitor the well-being of our students regularly to ensure that they have a positive experience during their time with us.
The educators at GIIS believe that schooling is more than academic outcomes. High levels of well-being mean better academic and life outcomes, and that's what we prioritise most for our students. Well-being is a combination of "feeling good" and "functioning well." Students who are healthy in their mind, body and spirit are better able to handle the pressures and challenges they encounter in everyday life.
How GIIS Supports and Promotes Student well-being
At GIIS, we believe that the school and our educators play a crucial role in student well-being. There's a lot your child's teachers can do to help ensure your child is happy and healthy.
That's why we follow the R.I.S.E. model as a part of our approach to holistic well-being. R.I.S.E. stands for respect, integrity, skills and empathy.
Each student at GIIS is taught to respect peers and teachers, behave with integrity in their personal interactions with others, learn skills that will help them throughout their academic career and feel and act with empathy toward others. The R.I.S.E. philosophy helps our students develop healthy relationships and fosters a culture of respect and empathy for others.
GIIS’ well-being programme includes the following:
GIIS Healthline: GIIS' mental health helpline gives students resources in the event of a mental health crisis. Students who use the GIIS healthline are put into contact with counsellors to help in their time of crisis. The healthline provides confidential counselling to students who reach out for help. (For GIIS Singapore, the healthline number is +65 9723 4938.)
No questions asked, open-door policy: GIIS has a no questions asked, open-door policy for students who need help. Students may use this policy to seek help for personal problems, free from prejudice or judgement.
GIIS’ happiness index: We want to know how happy our students are, so we use the happiness index to quantify, monitor and encourage student happiness. This is what our happiness index tracks:
● Feedback from students
● Regular attendance
● Testimonials from parents
● High academic performance
● Positive referrals and sibling admissions
● High level of participation in school activities
Approaches to foster well-being
GIIS uses many approaches to foster well-being among our student body, which are used across all campuses. We believe that students thrive on positive relationships with their teachers, positive interactions throughout the school day and open lines of communication with peers and adults at the school.
Some of the practices that help to foster well-being among the student body:
● Positive teacher-student relationships: Teachers at GIIS understand how important it is to foster positive teacher-student relationships.
● Focus more on growth than failure: Students who focus on their hard work, attitude and accomplishments, find it easier to maintain a good attitude as they move through their academic experiences.
● Two-way communication: It's essential for teachers and students to communicate and listen to one another. Our staff help students learn to harness and participate in two-way communication at school.
● Promote independent thinking, personal growth and self-acceptance: Students at GIIS are taught to value independent thought, positive relationships with teachers and peers, self-acceptance and personal growth that leads to success in the classroom and beyond.
Measures to Gauge Wellness Levels Among GIIS Students
GIIS values happiness and wellness among students. We believe that student wellness is key to student success in academics and later in life.
That's why we measure wellness among our student body. Our wellness gauge can be classified into quantitative and qualitative measures.
Quantitative measures are tracked through student questionnaires and feedback forms. We monitor the number and types of concerns that students are experiencing and watch for increases, decreases and patterns.
Qualitative measures include observation, focussed interviews and action research, which we conduct throughout the year. These combined efforts help us address student concerns and take appropriate measures to address these concerns.
How well-being Impacts Learning
Student well-being is not independent of student learning. These two variables go hand-in-hand. When the student's well-being is high, then the level of learning is also high. Research shows that a higher level of well-being is correlated with better student engagement and participation in learning activities.
A positive learning environment, open communication and regular checks with students can foster overall student wellness. Students with the ability to manage stressors and who display healthy coping skills are better prepared for life in school and their communities.
There are several measures, as mentioned above, that GIIS takes to prepare students to become well-adjusted, productive, happy adults. Schedule a campus tour and visit the campus yourself to learn more about our well-being efforts and see how happy our students are, in school.
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Sabahat Fatima has completed her Masters in Applied Psychology with specialisation in counselling. She has worked in both clinical as well as school settings. She has successfully researched into the field of educational psychology, focusing on academic confidence and learning environment. She is a member of Singapore Association of Counselling. She is further exploring how positive psychology can shape and benefit young minds. She is the Behaviour Counsellor at the GIIS Smart Campus, Singapore.