Book Description

This resource supports teaching children and young people about mental health, wellbeing, resilience, and interpersonal skills. It was written with support from the Beeby Fellowship funded by the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO and NZCER. Teachers will discover ways to enhance student learning in four broad areas: personal identity and wellbeing communication and relationships with others social issues and social justice (especially against discrimination and exclusion) health promotion and action. The lesson plans work for multiple year and curriculum levels, and are particularly useful for Years 711 health education. Teachers will find relevant content for the following health education topics: personal identity and enhancing self-worth stress management friendships, relationships, and communication effects of discrimination and stereotyping on mental health support of self and others during times of difficulty equity issues that support the mental health of others and society help-seeking drug education and alcohol education (for example, the content on assertive communication, decision making, personal values) leadership and effective communication. The activities can be extended for senior secondary students and modified to be accessible for students at lower levels. Notes throughout explain how teachers can adapt, apply, and use the activities and ideas to achieve the intended learning outcomes and develop key competencies. Each section begins with specific achievement objectives, but teachers are free to develop their own. For this reason, achievement objectives for each activity are not specified. Instead, teachers can use the matrix showing links with the New Zealand Curriculum