By Wellbeing Department – September 2022
THE ARIS PERSONAL WELLBEING MODEL
Our wellbeing curriculum is designed around this model, which seeks to incorporate the ATL skills of thinking, communication, Self Management, research, and Social/ collaboration. At the end of their time at ARIS, students would have picked up the IB learner profiles of being reflective, caring, knowledgeable, Open- minded, balanced, and a risk taker through the wellbeing program.
As part of this academic year’s theme to embrace “The Eagle Within,” the wellbeing department has been actively engaging students, staff, and parents in classroom discussions, workshops, and online training. Here are summaries of the work we have started this semester.
NEW ADDITION TO THE TEAM
This year, we have the wonderful opportunity of adding to our department,a new PYP school counselor, Jenea Scott, with over 17 years of experience in human services, education, and art therapy practice. Jenea is excited to be at Al Rayan and make a contribution to the wellbeing team. She is eager to serve the students and staff, and will be offering the following services for primary:
- Creative Wellbeing Class for Upper Primary Students
- Social Skills art based group for primary students
- Parent webinars
- Motivational Monday podcasts for parents
- Teacher training and support programs
- 1:1 Counselling and Art Therapy on request
STAFF TRAINING ON CHILD PROTECTION
Since the beginning of the school year, the wellbeing department has organized training sessions for staff at ARIS in an effort to equip our team with the knowledge and skills required to safeguard children and create a safe and empowering environment for our students. These trainings were very interesting and interactive, as staff were open to learning best practices as well as sharing experiences on how to improve child protection in school.
WELLBEING Classes in Secondary
Wellbeing classes at secondary school have taken off on a very positive note this year. Students have been expressive when discussing issues pertaining to their mental health and wellbeing, as well as issues surrounding how they relate to themselves and the world at large. From MYP 1 to DP2, we have had interesting discussions surrounding the ARIS Child Protection Policy and the first module; Me, Myself and I. We look forward to the class presentations, debates, and vision boards, as our students capture a deeper understanding of what wellbeing means to them and how the topics being treated can be transferred to several personal and global scenarios.
DF Mood Screener: September Edition
The Counselling and Wellbeing Department, as part of its year-long project, runs the DF Mood Screener four times a year to assess students’ need for psychological and emotional support. The first survey for the year has been completed by students, and the results and implications will be communicated in due course.
This screener will provide data on specific themes the Counselling and Wellbeing Team is looking out for, such as screening for symptoms of anxiety, low mood, panic, lethargy, difficulty sleeping, and eating habits. This will help us identify and support students of concern.
Our priority is to continuously assess the mental health and wellbeing of our students, and we will continue to assess their mood periodically through the academic year.
Recommended Sleep Requirements for Students
Students continue to report irregular sleep patterns, and for some, it has had an impact on their stress levels, learning, and emotional health. To ensure the healthy growth and development of our students at ARIS, the amount of sleep they get each day is important, as it also contributes to their health and well-being. Following relevant research, the ARIS Counselling and Wellbeing Department would like to recommend the following sleep schedules to parents;
| Pre-teens | 6–12 years | 9 hours each day |
| Teenagers | 13–18 years | 8 hours each day |