Weaving Well-Being is a set of lessons and activities designed to teach children in our Primary Schools the skills which promote and develop positive mental health. The skills are based on current research from the field of Positive Psychology. Positive Psychology is concerned with the science of well-being, personal growth and resilience. It is founded on the concept of identifying and developing personal strengths, as opposed to correcting deficits. Positive Psychology uses evidence-based activities which help people not only to cope with everyday stresses, but to flourish, grow and engage with life on an optimal level whenever possible. The lessons and activities in this book introduce children to many of these strategies and activities which can empower them to become active participants in creating, maintaining and boosting positive mental health throughout their lives.

The chart above shows the main topics covered by the Weaving Well-Being programme for each year class. The programme is age appropriate, although there is some flexibility in this area. For example our first programme is "Positive Emotions" which is designed primarily for Second Class could could equally be delivered to Third Class if preferred. However it would not be suitable for older classes.

The aim of Weaving Well-Being is to teach children about the specific behaviours and activities which have been linked to Well-Being, in a child-centred, interesting and age-appropriate way. The children are encouraged to practise the skills, strategies and activities; to see how they feel and how useful they find them. Children will have individual preferences for activities and strategies; it is helpful to expose them to a wide variety so that they can find a range of strategies which best suit their particular personality.

The lessons are designed to be implemented within the framework of the S.P.H.E curriculum. They tie-in with stated aims of the second and third class curriculum under the strands units of Self-identity, Health and Well-Being, Knowing about my body, As I grow I change, Making decisions, Relating to others Although designed as S.P.H.E. lessons, the lessons lend themselves well to integration across many other curricular areas to prevent further overcrowding of the curriculum, e.g., English, S.E.S.E, Visual Arts, Drama. A variety of methodologies are suggested including: Talk and discussion, active learning, reflection, responding through art, checklists, group-work, higher order thinking.

This set of lessons is comprised of a general introduction to well-being and two particular components. The components are as follows: Positive Emotion and Character Strengths .Each of these components is a vital ingredient in well-being; the introduction to each strand contains background information and research references.

Each component is divided into a number of lessons which each have a PowerPoint display, at least one specific classwork page in the children’s activity book and a homework activity page. The homework page has space for parental comments; this encourages parental participation and feedback. There is also list of further suggestions for each component- teachers may decide to further develop the strands as the needs and interests of their individual classes indicate.

Note
The concept of Well-Being as referred to in these lessons is informed by with the definition outlined in Guidelines For Mental Health Promotion; Well-Being in Primary Schools (D.E.S, 2015 )

‘A state of Well-Being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities; can cope with the normal stresses of life; can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her own community ( WHO, 2005 p.43)