The best thing

Mental wellness and resilience programme for years 7 and/or 8

DESCRIPTION

The Best Thing involves one class of students for two consecutive days, with students and facilitators working together using drama games and exercises to explore problems and issues, particularly in communication and connectedness. Modules move from building individual strengths into developing group cohesion, with students learning to think beyond their own points of view. International and national research indicates that a complete programme dedicated to these concepts aimed at younger students before they reach the generally accepted risk-taking years, may enhance their wellbeing overall. THETA trialled the programme in 2006 with and has toured it nationwide in 2007 and 2008.

The programme is facilitated by THETA’s two actor/educators most experienced in working with young people.

The Best Thing is a resource designed to complement schools’ ongoing health programmes, using drama as a tool for learning. It is ideally placed to work within the Health Promoting Schools framework and other mental wellness and resiliency programmes such asThe Lost Bag.

Programme content is drawn from extensive current national and international mental health promotion and educational research.

REVIEWS

Students

• ‘Thanks so much for coming to our school to teach us new skills while having fun. I really enjoyed the games because it was all about working together as a team and solving problems together.’Georgia, Huia Range School 2008

• ‘…one of the best programmes I have been part of… There are links right across most curriculum, I particularly found useful the dramatic approach in which the programme is delivered. Areas including problem solving, values development and decision making are key areas of my class development throughout the year.’Teacher evaluation 2008

• … Thank you for coming to our school. I learnt not to r-gue with people otherwise it could get ugly. I learnt about communication with other people. I absolutely loved the play, we did and the fun games. I hope you guys come back because we will miss you guys. You have changed this classroom because everyone works together and never used to. When everyone had problems you would always help us. So thank-you for changing Room 5 …

• …Thank you so much for teaching us to communication have confedince problem solve and having courag. When you first came on the first day my teacher had on the board Be ready? I was thinking oh I don’t want to do sport please don’t be doing sport. It wasn’t. thankful for that.

• I was a bit scared when we were going to do our show because I’m really quite and don’t really want to get up on stage so that is what was uncomfitable with. I really liked you guys because you always made us either work together or in pairs. It was so much fun I want to do it again. I wish that you guys would come back cause that was AWSOME. This programme helped us so much. Before everyone was going ’Oh do I have to go with him?’ or ‘oh do I have to go with her?’ Now that is all changed…

• … Well that was the best thing in school I have ever done. The thing that I liked was working together. We don’t really do that in class much. I think the thing I learned was working together and listening to other people…

• I have enjoyed the last two days you have been with us. We all had lots of fun when we were playing games, drawing, writing, acting and we all had lots of fun. It has changed me from being shy to standing up in front of the class and making them laugh and also rapping in front of them. You have shure made me try new things and I now have more fun doing it. Without you I wouldn’t have acted in the play. Thanks for that. I had lots of fun these last few days and I know you did too. Peaceout.

Staff Learning Outcomes Assessments:

• While all students have gained enormously from working through the programme it has been especially helpful for those children who have lacked social confidence and rarely initiate or have interactions with their more confident peers. Less confident children have been drawn in and supported – all have become involved – non-threatening games have helped this. Confident children have supported others and reinforced own learning.

• Level of ‘buy in’ and commitment to participation has been very high. Responses in discussions have reflected good attitudes and knowledge about themselves, their behaviour, how they think about issues, arguments, conflict etc.

• The students showed confidence in expressing themselves, asking questions if they were unsure – looking to teachers etc for guidance. They all displayed imagination, creativity, thoughtfulness and a sense of fun and enjoyment – which leads to wellbeing and self care!

• The educators supported and encouraged pupils in a fun, non-threatening learning environment where pupils were able to discuss, think about decisions critically and drive some of the activities with their own input.

• I was so pleased with the participation of everyone. Particularly in the ‘bang’ game, it was awesome to see a usually shy and timid girl having a go and being successful in the game! The encouragement of her peers would’ve really made her feel great! Thank you.

• Over the two days the students increasingly showed greater care and co-operation for each other. This was evident not only in class times – but by class working/playing together at break times – more cohesively and inter-gender! The class is more relaxed and aware of each other and has gained a greater understanding of those they may not have known much of before.

• The educators reflected a right and respect for others. Their demonstration of care and concern for each other flowed over into the group. Many of the activities reflected this. A huge group-sharing effort. Many activities demonstrated compromising, co-operation and caring to an agreed consensus about decision making, where all parties were satisfied.

• Throughout the programme the pupils worked hard at using respect towards their peers – this was continually reinforced by the facilitators. This need to respect others grew as the intensity of activities progressed.

• Most children became more and more confident/felt safe to take risks as the programme continued. The ice-breaker games/activities were well-chosen and increased in complexity (great pacing) – drawing the children further and further into the role-playing/games. Children lacking confidence/self esteem became fully involved and more vocal as the time went on. Impressive!

• Exceptionally good co-operation. The group came together really well.

• Student talk out of the programme – at breaks and before school - was really positive.

• Congrats on a superb programme. The structure is good. You’ve done an excellent job engaging the children. They have grown as a result and all have learnt new things. So have I!

• Communication skills both in class and at break times are increasingly effective – listening and responding in a more respectful manner. The feeling of belonging to the class and awareness of students that may have been ‘quiet’ now become known – students able to excel in different ways and have their moment to stand out in the class and be known, which builds confidence, belonging, understanding. A fantastic two days – we have all gained so much – let us know next time!! Thanx Heaps.

• Students were very highly engaged as activities were totally student centred and active. Presenters are very highly skilled which added credibility.

• The Best Thing reinforced what we had established at the beginning of the year – especially our STRIVE school rules – so that was very beneficial and timely.

• Overall, The Best Thing helped our students to realize the ‘Best Things’ within themselves. It also helped students to identify their strengths and what they need to work on – weaknesses. Thanks for coming to our school.

• Students have thoroughly enjoyed this course and gained a lot. It was extremely useful to see some of the activities for staff and we would certainly use some of them. They were learning without realizing they were learning and having fun.

• This is a huge support to our own underpinning school philosophies surrounding behaviour management and ‘The Virtues Project’. It was great to observe healthy, enthusiastic role models in the facilitators. Thanks so much.

• Students listened well and showed huge respect for this amazing trio. I couldn’t believe that they were not trained teachers or psychologists. Thank you so much for two wonderful days!

• Children nearly all shared a common identity of being part of a team building process. Trusting each other is a powerful tool to learn and show respect. Thanks for a great two days. Hope we can do again.

• Co-operation: WOW! Self empowerment: it was rewarding to see different individuals so proud of their accomplishments and not embarrassed about succeeding Thank you!

• You exceeded my expectations guys! I thought my class were close already and that we had a great learning environment, BUT you have brought them, us, closer together!!!! WE ROCK! HARD! Carry on with your work empowering our youth!!

Notes of interest regarding the best thing

Health promotion and educational research indicates that fostering resilience (including good communication skills and self esteem) in students at a young age increases protective factors, enabling them to make reasonable decisions about their own and others’ wellbeing, and develop empathy and a sense of connectedness and belonging – thus improving their mental health.Joubert and Raeburn, 1998; Vance and Sanchez, 1998; Israelashvili, 2001

To achieve their full potential, young people need opportunities to explore their physical, mental, emotional, social and physical dimensions. Engaging with creative processes provides opportunities to explore a multileveled understanding of identity, initially through an internal dialogue and then in relation to their peers, the wider school community and their family. …Creative art processes merge the learning of process and content, so connecting thinking with doing. Providing a forum for the ‘deeper feelings’ or multi-layered responses that can occur in creative process, is to supply a means to exercise values. The current Health Curriculum emphasizes the need for programmes that provide examples of the areas in which values and attitudes can be explored, some of which are: ‘the strengthening of personal identity and enhancement of a sense of self worth, the examination of discrimination and stereotyping and the understanding of interpersonal skills and development of healthy choice-making’.

Self reflection in creative process enhances the development of resilience, which includes feeling of value or influence. Feeling of value relates to one of three core values of mental health promotion, that of ‘self-determination’, the other two being ‘enabling’ and ‘empowerment’.

Morgan, Patrica (2005) The Potential of Creative Arts as a Medium for Mental Health Promotion in Schools: An Exploration of Meaning-Making, Belonging And Identity Using Creative Processes.

(http:www.mentalhealth.org.nz. Retrieved March 2005.)[http:www.mentalhealth.org.nz]

Findings from the use of improvisational theatre in education in the United States indicate that the opportunity to express one’s uniqueness, to discover new abilities, to find your own voice and to tell your story through creativity are effective ways of promoting self-esteem.

The power of improvisation is in the creative learning process: the ‘encouragement of active participation, co-operative group learning using collaborative approaches, and most importantly, the application of democratic processes’(Gibbs, J. 1995) Students gain a variety of individual resiliency skills and a positive sense of purpose and belonging to a group which contributes to their own well-being.