Society is gradually evolving alongside the way we think and do things. Schools are one of them. Before, educational institutions used to only think about the school curriculum. Now, people are urging them to take a more holistic approach. They shouldn’t just be offering mere education in their school. They should also give their students the necessary knowledge to live a healthy life. Here are some fundamentals in promoting student wellness in schools.
Physical Wellness
Physical wellness is one of the primary forms of body wellness. A physically healthy body can deter all sorts of diseases. It can even help allergies and asthma symptoms to improve, both of which are common diseases among children. The first step into promoting physical wellness is through seminars.
Seminars
Before you start adding extracurricular activities that promote physical wellness in your school, you should begin by disseminating necessary information first among students and parents. It’s quite surprising that not many people know the benefits of physical wellness, despite our mainstream media telling everyone that it’s good to have a physically fit body.
Furthermore, despite this knowledge, there are still children that are obese. The CDC has found that 19% of children are obese globally, and many more are at risk. Being able to disseminate this information can undoubtedly wake some parents up regarding the increasingly unhealthy population in our country.
Exercise
Exercise is a fundamental way to keep fit. However, a single physical education class is not enough to keep students from growing overweight. This is why you should start adding fun sports into clubs and students’ extracurricular activities.
Sports
Essentially, it should be mandated that every student has a sport they can play at a competitive level. Furthermore, it should be a sport that they’re passionate about. So having all sorts of sports available in your school should be a priority as it can help increase the number of choices for each student. They should also be incentivized to join their favorite sport. This can come in the way of future scholarships or school fee deductions once they become athletes.
Mental Wellness
Physical wellness isn’t the only thing we should be concerned about. Mental wellness is essential, too. It’s estimated that a staggering 73% of children have anxiety and depression. We must address this problem through resilience-building exercises.
Resilience Building
Resilience building is one way we can decrease the number of anxious and depressed individuals in our school. Counselors and other mental health professionals can join these seminars to share their expertise. Students should be urged to visit these seminars, and once again, incentives should be given to those who join them. A resilience-building campaign effectively promotes mental wellness among students and is one way you can proactively treat mental disorders in your school.
Holistic Approach
Taking a holistic approach is also an ideal way to help promote mental wellness. A holistic approach explores all factors related to mental health. This includes exploring various interpersonal relations such as friends and family members. It also explores how they perform in multiple classes external factors such as the environment and cultural factors.
A holistic approach is an effective way to make students more comfortable in school. It’ll make them feel safe and secure among their peers, and it’s likely to reduce bullying. Understanding the whole person instead of just one side of their story is one step into better mental health in schools.
Safety
We would never be at ease when our children’s lives are at stake. There are too many variables involved, and we can’t control these variables every time as teachers and parents. During these situations, we should prepare for the worse.
School safety is the number one priority. It’s not a mere obligation but a necessity. When our children’s lives are involved, we should spare no expense in keeping them safe. One way we can do this is by installing a school panic button system. The alert can ensure that students and personnel can evacuate promptly, especially during natural disasters like earthquakes.
It’s important to have CCTV cameras installed when it comes to delinquent and violent activities. Furthermore, security guards should also have the necessary training to handle such activities. These are good deterrents in handling delinquent activities in schools, including bullying.
Practicing drills are also an important way to ensure school safety. Drills can be practiced during classes, but make sure to announce them beforehand. It’s also important that the school talks to parents about it so that they are at least informed. In some states, certain drills like fire drills are mandatory and should happen at least once or twice a year.
Final Thoughts
Schools offer more than just education. They are pivotal organizations in a person’s growth, and they should start promoting these things to ensure positive growth among students.
