The Importance of Wellbeing in International Schools
Institutional approaches to encouraging student well-being should be implemented in international schools, but they can often be limited by unfamiliar cultural norms.
The Importance of Wellbeing in International Schools
Institutional systematic approaches to encouraging student well-being should be implemented in international schools, but they can often be limited by unfamiliar cultural norms. This means teachers can overlook, underestimate or even neglect the factors that contribute to student wellbeing, placing international students at risk of developing mental health problems. Faced with increased challenges, we believe that teachers need to commit more time and effort to encouraging student well-being, and our recent research identifies ways that can be done. Our internationally-focused teachers in Dubai can only offer students the best educational experience, if they themselves feel at home in the city and have the chance to make friends with other people from different countries.
Key Takeaways
- The Cultural Blindspot: Why familiar teaching approaches fail international students, and how overlooking cultural factors creates hidden wellbeing crises in diverse classrooms
- Beyond Academic Excellence: Discover the communal wellbeing spaces transforming student mental health and why academic pressure alone undermines international school success
- Your Wellbeing Ripple Effect: How teacher connections and cultural comfort directly impact student outcomes, the surprising link between staff and pupil mental health
- The Nine Essential Measures: From building resilience to managing stress, the comprehensive framework that equips students to thrive in challenging global environments
The importance of well-being in international schools
I have just returned from an overseas school where there is a focus on academic achievement, but there was also an emphasis on psychological wellbeing. There, students work together to manage their well-being in a communal space to gain a greater awareness and understanding of communal well-being approaches and holistic understanding of their emotional wellbeing. The aim is to develop a culture of wellbeing that creates a more active role for students in addressing their emotional health in the classroom. The support we offer, including professional development, is intended to equip teachers with tools to support and enable students to develop critical thinking and make healthy choices, enabling them to cope with social challenges and stay engaged and develop intrinsic motivation. The pressure to excel in our current climate is understandable, but this might be causing many students to feel isolated and to prioritise academic attainment over their own health.
What does wellbeing mean?
In the international context, the main aim of our work is to provide a better understanding of how physical and mental wellbeing can be achieved and impacts on educational outcomes, teaching and learning.
At Structural Learning, we use a broader definition of wellbeing. For us, wellbeing is encompassing, interdependent and deeply contextualised, and includes social, emotional and physical components. At Structural Learning we understand wellbeing to mean that a child or young person has the capacity to cope with the overwhelming and varied pressures of life, and is able to achieve a greater range of learning outcomes, take up challenges and gain the confidence to overcome obstacles. The lens through which we see wellbeing is not simply what we want it to be, but what we need it to be, and for us, that requires a holistic approach to child development.
What should be considered when supporting students?
Responsibility for ensuring the emotional and mental health of students should lie firmly with schools. While not every student needs professional support, all students should have the opportunity to reach their full potential and be treated with respect and dignity. Most teachers will agree that supporting students to develop the skills needed to cope with the mental pressures of a modern and fast-changing society can have a positive impact on their academic achievements and well-being.
What measures can be taken to support senior leaders?
The ISC are currently investigating the emotional wellbeing of directors and senior leaders within senior leadership teams within various International Schools. They are also developing an online programme that will support students and staff at all levels and provide resources for senior leaders, including professional development and resources on managing team challenges and wellbeing in an increasingly competitive global environment.
They have launched a Mindfulness Teacher Training Programme to train school leaders on mindfulness, meditation and breathing techniques that can be used in classrooms. The course includes material to help you develop your own understanding and support for teaching children and staff in mindfulness.
What measures can be taken to support student wellbeing?
For the purpose of these key questions, we have defined the essential measures of student wellbeing as follows:
Managing stress
Providing opportunities for students to work productively in challenging situations
Understanding and developing the capacity for students to think and to act for themselves, with help and support when needed
Sustaining and maintaining well-being in students
Engaging in activities that enable students to think for themselves
Building mental resilience
Providing students with a sense of belonging
Help students to deal with and cope with difficult or stressful situations
Enabling students to communicate effectively
We need to talk about student wellbeing and define what it means. It is an incredibly complex issue and can encompass far more than most of us are aware of.
Conclusion
Why does all this matter? Well, we're not the first generation of educators to think that the path to human development can be changed by small positive changes in children's lives. There are many examples of schools and universities implementing a range of policies and strategies that support this goal, and now it seems that we have taken it to another level, embarking on a journey that could transform the way we all live, work and learn.
We have argued that this is not a topic just for specialists, but one that will require everyone to care about the wellbeing of young people. The majority of teachers now see themselves as change agents, people who can help others to understand the importance of mental health, well being and flourishing. As teachers, we need to question our own work and make the positive strides needed to support our learners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does wellbeing mean in the context of international schools?
Wellbeing in international schools is encompassing, interdependent and deeply contextualised, including social, emotional and physical components. It means a child has the capacity to cope with overwhelming and varied pressures of life whilst achieving learning outcomes and gaining confidence to overcome obstacles. This holistic approach to child development recognises that wellbeing directly impacts educational outcomes, teaching and learning.
Why do international schools face unique wellbeing challenges compared to local schools?
International schools often struggle with unfamiliar cultural norms that can limit systematic approaches to student wellbeing. Teachers may overlook, underestimate or neglect factors that contribute to student wellbeing due to cultural blindspots, placing international students at greater risk of developing mental health problems. The diverse cultural backgrounds in international classrooms require teachers to move beyond familiar teaching approaches that may fail international students.
What are the nine essential measures for supporting student wellbeing mentioned in the article?
The essential measures include managing stress, providing opportunities for productive work in challenging situations, and developing students' capacity to think and act independently. Additional measures involve sustaining wellbeing, engaging in activities that promote independent thinking, building mental resilience, and providing a sense of belonging. The final measures focus on helping students cope with difficult situations and enabling effective communication skills.
How does teacher wellbeing impact student outcomes in international schools?
Teachers can only offer students the best educational experience if they themselves feel at home and have opportunities to build friendships with people from different countries. There is a direct wellbeing ripple effect where teacher connections and cultural comfort significantly impact student outcomes. This surprising link between staff and pupil mental health demonstrates that supporting teacher wellbeing is essential for student success.
What practical measures can schools implement to create a culture of wellbeing?
Schools can create communal wellbeing spaces where students work together to manage their wellbeing and gain greater awareness of their emotional health. Professional development should be provided to equip teachers with tools to support students in developing critical thinking and making healthy choices. Schools should also implement programmes like mindfulness teacher training that include meditation and breathing techniques for classroom use.
What responsibility do schools have for student mental health according to the article?
Responsibility for ensuring the emotional and mental health of students should lie firmly with schools, even though not every student needs professional support. All students should have the opportunity to reach their full potential and be treated with respect and dignity. Schools must recognise that supporting students to develop coping skills for mental pressures can positively impact both academic achievements and wellbeing.
How can international schools address the cultural blindspot that affects student wellbeing?
Schools need to move beyond familiar teaching approaches that fail international students and recognise how overlooking cultural factors creates hidden wellbeing crises in diverse classrooms. Teachers must commit more time and effort to understanding and encouraging student wellbeing within different cultural contexts. This requires developing cultural awareness and adapting wellbeing strategies to meet the needs of students from various international backgrounds.
