Although Maslow’s work has been criticised for its lack of scientific vigour due to the fact that it cannot objectively measure self actualisation, humanism ignores the unconscious mind and the is difficult to compare, the lessons for facilitators are real enough in motivating learners. It is therefore vital to support and challenge students whilst recognising that all learners are individuals and require a safe, comfortable and friendly environment for them to learn in, (humanistic approach). Creating a respectful, caring and intentionally inviting learning environment is the surest way to encourage student achievement (Purkey and Asp, 1988, 45). You could relate this to how you do this with your learners?
Larsen et al. (2003) (p. 222) wrote, ”Although positive psychology has made it clear that an exclusive focus on negative emotions i.e., “negative psychology” is insufficient, the present perspective implies that an exclusive focus on positive emotions may also ultimately prove insufficient.”
So it is clear that a degree of the two psychologies is required when the concept of wellbeing is being approached. Find the source or root of the problem (problem focused psychology) and aim to improve the wellbeing of an individual through the theories found within the concept of positive psychology. If an individual is able to identify the stressors then this may allow the individual to make sense of that stressor and eventually to gain mastery over future stressors.
A learners wellbeing affects most aspects of their functioning within education and is an important factor that affects learning and development outcomes. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) has defined learners’ wellbeing as ‘…a sustainable positive mood and attitude, health, resilience, and satisfaction with self, relationships and experiences at school’. This is reinforced by The Welsh Assembly Government Policy “ Wellbeing in Wales” which suggests there are strong links between people’s health and education and lifelong learning including, education incorporating strategies to help learners maintain or improve their health and well being. The opportunity for learners to grow intellectually and to gain a deeper understanding of physical, mental and emotional health. The document outlays the importance for learners to realise their potential through a lifelong learning approach that extends beyond education to formal and informal learning throughout life. Wellbeing is at the heart of the School Effectiveness Framework (SEF) and is a central core component of the work of education settings. The policies aim to include learners in the decisions that affect them, through a learner voice. They also intend to ensure a non-discriminatory environment for all learners. This is also reflected in the increased emphasis on wellbeing within the new common inspection framework, introduced by Estyn “Inspection Framework”(2010) which focuses on educating the whole person, academically, socially and emotionally. Learner Voice is now a Key Performance Indicator in all Estyn Inspections who states "Learner voice is a key source of evidence of achievement, attitudes and wellbeing.....When evaluating participation and enjoyment in learning Inspectors should consider...the extent to which pupils have a say in what and how they learn" Estyn CIF 2010 - KQ1 - 1.12. The framework is designed to ensure learning establishments are committed to ensuring learners show a positive attitude towards their health and wellbeing, they are contributing to their personal and academic growth and college community. It aims to ensure that all learners have a secure understanding of how they can maintain optimal health through accurate nutritional advice and information and the encouragement of physical activity, which should be imbedded into the curriculum, and all learners are becoming independent thinkers with balanced views and opinions. The Welsh Assembly Government and the wider UK Government are increasingly looking at how providers place learners at the heart of their planning, decision-making and quality assurance processes, and seeking evidence of the impact these processes have on learners' experiences.
“Happiness and education are, properly, intimately related: Happiness should be an aim of education, and a good education should contribute significantly to personal and collective happiness.” Nel Noddings Happiness and Education 2003 (P1)
Wellbeing made the headlines in February 2007 when Unicef reported that the UK ranked lowest in an international comparison of children’s wellbeing in 21 of the wealthier countries. While government ministers were quick to argue that the comparison was based on some out-of-date figures, the findings certainly give weight to the emphasis on the importance of wellbeing from the Welsh Assembly Government and the Estyn Inspection Framework. The Unisef Report
Promoting learners’ mental health and emotional wellbeing has been argued to support educational engagement, improve behaviour and attendance and help raise attainment. The World Health Organization states that “mental health is not just the absence of mental disorder. It is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual has the opportunity to realise their own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully with support, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” So it could be suggested that the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in education is linked to a holistic, multi-layered system of support for the learner. This could include ensuring the learner is challenged and setting realistic goals, receives positive criticism and praise, the use of personal tutor systems, learning support programmes and learning assistants, counselling service, health drop-ins (sexual health clinic with a nurse, drugs support drop-in) and group work (on, for example, anger management, relationship violence). It must be stressed that it is important to offer students a range of support services so that they have a degree of choice.
Wellbeing can be subjective with the intrinsic value of one’s self worth being validated by feelings of happiness; from an educational point of view it is clear that not all learners will be ‘happy’ about all aspects of their educational program. This less than happy period could be when challenged by new or diverse ways of thinking that remove the learner from their comfort zone or normal approach to task. Smooth seas do not make skilful sailors. Learners should be encouraged to challenge themselves for it is only by overcoming challenges and setting one’s self goals that we reach our full potential. “Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.” George S. Patton ( in World War I and II, -) Sessions need to make intellectual demands on the learners and the form of demonstrations and activities need to be varied in order to both stimulate, motivate and challenge the learner. It is important for a learner to be able to identify, develop and communicate their qualities, skills, attitudes and opinions and to have the opportunity to gain knowledge, build confidence and self-esteem and make the most of their abilities all within a safe and supportive environment. Personal wellbeing helps learners reflect on and understand their own values and attitudes. They identify and articulate feelings and emotions; learn and understand the best approach to managing new or demanding situations effectively and form and maintain valuable relationships with a wide range of people. Personal wellbeing has a major impact on a learner’s personal and academic development and their lifelong learning. Qualifications and curriculum Development agency 2011.
Within the college there is a heavy focus on learners’ wellbeing. The introduction of health awareness events (stop smoking initiatives, anti-bullying campaigns) has increased the understanding and need for health and wellbeing within education. The aim of these events is to raise awareness of health by having professionals exhibiting from the health and fitness industry (nutritionists, sports therapists and complementary health practitioners). This gives the learner the opportunity to find out more about the specific health related topics, nutritional advice and guidance and allows them get involved where possible. There is also an onsite college nurse who runs a weekly sexual health clinic where students can access information on safe sex, sexually transmitted infections and the free condom service. The nurse is also available to discuss other health issues on a one-to-one basis, and contributes to the PSHE programme.
There is an active student union that assists in the organising of social events and represents learners’ views and opinions, involving the learners themselves in developing college provisions, there are opportunities for students to gain valuable skills as committee members by helping to run the various clubs, activities and social events. The student Union assists in promoting the learners voice in service development, provision and feedback. This is invaluable in developing the kind of inclusive college ethos needed to promote learners’ mental health and emotional wellbeing
The college also offers learners a range of support services including those related to learning study support to help students across the college who have a range of additional support needs such as the addition of the Learning Support Assistants. LSAs will work alongside tutors in the classroom, helping learners to get the most out of their education. There is also a separate learning support department where LSAs can work with individuals or small groups away from the classroom on work that complements the work being delivered in the subject. The College has a Disability Statement that sets out the commitment to an inclusive learning environment and strives, where possible, to achieve this by removing barriers to learning. This includes the disability and dyslexia support service. This service can support any learner with a disability or specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia. This may include one to one support, in-class support, examination access arrangements and the use of assistive technology, such as laptops with specialist software. Within the colleges Learning Zone there is also a drop-in study and skills centres. This centre offers support with English Welsh and Maths to any student at any time. Within the college there is a central focus to ensuring that learners can choose the type of support they feel is most relevant to them. The different learning support options ensures the college is meeting the range of learning difficulties and mental health problems learners may present with. The college also offers a counselling service where professionally trained staff are available to help and support students with anything that is a worry or concern, such as family tensions, loss or bereavement, lack of self confidence, difficulties with relationships, physical and sexual abuse, anxiety, depression and coping with crises or difficult decisions. All of the services help to create an ethos of support, trust and inclusiveness within the establishment.
At the heart of the colleges provision is a personal tutor system where tutors run weekly group tutorial sessions (in which PSHE is also taught), but also offers individual learners a one-to-one tutorials per term. Learners’ health and wellbeing is a focus in both the weekly tutorials as well as the one-to-one tutorials, where discussion related to stress and management methods take place. Topics related to ESDGC are also discussed within the group tutorials such as economic, social and environmental issues within Wales, general health choices and cultural diversity, learners are then encouraged to relate these topics to their own lifestyles, surroundings and fields of study. For example, the Complementary Therapy group have looked at sustainably methods of extracting essential oils, the safe disposal of carrier oils and the diversity of Aromatherapy and how it differs in other cultures. Many other provisions include a child care service provided for learners. This centre is situated on site and provides facilities for children aged between 6 weeks to 5 years. Children are cared for by experienced staff and the centre aims to fit in with full time course timetables. The student services department is available to learners to gain advice and assistance of any financial support that might be available such as the Assembly Learning Grant, Educational Maintenance Allowance, travel cards and meal vouchers, which can all decrease the added financial stresses that learners may experience. Career counselling is also available to help learners secure jobs after they leave college.
Recommendations on the development of effective practice
Although the college does show promising practice with regard to supporting learners’ mental health and emotional wellbeing, a broader awareness of mental health is needed across all sectors. Having an in post a professional with a lead responsibility for addressing learners’ mental health would be of great value to both tutors and learners. This post could be able to coordinate activities within the college, liaise with external agencies, provide some direct support to learners with specific mental health problems and contribute to the professional development of all college staff regarding mental health and emotional wellbeing. A mental health support team could offer support to younger and older learners with mental health problems to enable them to return to, and remain in, education. The inclusion of mental health awareness training for college staff and students. This may help to increase knowledge and assist in the developing of materials for tutors to use in PSHE tutorials. Another suggestion could be the addition of a young people’s support team run by trained youth workers with the possibility of a daily or weekly drop-in session, offering one-to-one support for learners either on or off the college site. This could also incorporate the running of small group work sessions on issues such as domestic violence, bullying and sexual health awareness which would also contribute to the college PSHE programme.
The college provides a small provision of places to spend free time such as the Java coffee shop, refectory and LRC. However the inclusion of specific quiet rooms, common rooms and additional sport and fitness facilities is greatly lacking.
A group of tutor managers whose responsibility is to support course tutors by: giving guidance on managing learners progress and support needs; helping to develop relevant tutorial materials; taking on students with particular difficulties; and working with local schools to ensure the college received information on learners’ needs before they began their FE course. Tutors would then have a specific and relevant direct point of contact if the tutor required some guidance or support. One further college post that would be of great benefit to both tutors and learners would be a health promotion adviser with expertise in sexual health, substance misuse and drugs education. This again could be incorporated and contribute to the tutorial programme. Any position, facility or provision that aids tutors and learners in awareness-raising, skills development, and offers clearer guidance and support within the colleges will undoubtedly improve the capacity of all staff working in the college to effectively identify, support and refer on learners at risk of, or experiencing, mental health difficulties, struggling with personal health, emotional or social issues and assisting learners with educational learning needs. One of this college’s strategic objectives is to promote a culture of equality and diversity. With this strategic commitment in mind, the college needs to increase the core funding for specialist posts to possibly include mental and sexual health specialists and learner, tutor support coordinators.
can assist them to embrace and accept change, feel positive about the person they are and enjoy healthy, safe, responsible lives. Through active and accessible learning opportunities, students are able to acknowledge, evaluate and manage risks effectively, take increasing responsibility for their own learning, their choices and behaviour and make positive contributions to their family life, education and community. It is believed that when a student has a particular goal orientation, they are more likely to become better achievers in the classroom. Goals provide a standard against which learners can gauge their development and setting goals can have a significant impact on the learners’ wellbeing and success.
Self esteem plays an important role in the wellbeing of a learner. Building their confidence by setting them up for success and providing positive feedback along with frequent praise are essential tools for all facilitators. Educational facilitators have a responsibility to provide these learners with the support they require. This may be in the form of written feedback so that the learner has a constant point to which they can refer and enables the learner to revisit the writing as a type of reassurance that they are of value and the facilitator has a level of belief in them. Critical feedback should always be constructive; there is no value in informing a learner that their attempts are wrong if there is no advice on how they could improve. Solely critical feedback can damage self esteem and make the less emotionally developed learner feel attacked on a personal level. However Dweck (1999) argues that feedback should be task orientated, praise the student's specific effort and strategy. For instance, 'I notice you have not made any grammatical errors in that piece of writing, that’s excellent work’, as opposed to person orientated praise such as 'I'm proud of you'. When using task based feedback, you've addressed both self-esteem and you've supported the learner’s motivational level for academic goals. Dweck, C. S. (1999) Self Theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality, and Development. This is also supported by Petty. G (1998) who states that the motivation of the learner is crucial to their achievement and success. A sense of accomplishment adds value to any lesson when recognition for the accomplishment is acknowledged. So the concept of ‘praise where praise is due’ can have considerable bearing on a learner’s wellbeing. However the emotional and personal wellbeing of the learner is not solely determined by their self esteem, it is dependent on many factors including their home life and support network; the feeling of belonging and the security of their environment. These all effect a learner’s emotional and educational development. The learner who is criticised at home and made to feel they have nothing to offer will dismiss all attempts to praise their educational accomplishments or alternatively withdraw from education believing that they would ultimately fail. “Criticism should not be querulous and wasting, all knife and root puller, but guiding, instructive, inspiring.” Ralph Waldo Emerson The Forbes Book of Business Quotations. Educational facilitators have a duty of care, this encompasses the recognition of a learners individual needs and can be as little as asking ‘are you ok’ or stating that they are available to the learner should they need or wish to speak to them privately. As learners recognise, develop and communicate their qualities, skills and attitudes, they build knowledge, confidence and self-esteem and make the most of their abilities. They learn to deal with challenges and accommodate diversity in all its forms. The world is full of complex and sometimes conflicting values. Personal wellbeing helps learners explore this complexity and reflect on and clarify their own values and attitudes. They identify and articulate feelings and emotions learn to approach new or difficult situations with a positive attitude and form and sustain successful and effective relationships with a wide range of people. Personal wellbeing makes a major contribution to the promotion of personal development.
