Form 1 pupils recently enjoyed a morning of activities, games and talks, which were focussed on building their emotional literacy.
Viv Lamb, PSHE Coordinator tells us more:- “A lot of media attention has been given to concerns about teenage mental health and quite rightly so. However, the focus is often on strategies like exercise and breathing rather than starting by helping young people to get used to the idea of checking in with how they are feeling and being able to label their emotions accurately. This morning aims to ensure that they have those skills.
Relationships with others are important but you also need to be able to accurately read how others are feeling through body language, facial expressions etc so we did some work around that too.
Students know from their work on the brain in Form Time that in order to learn we need to be in the happy/content range of emotions. Using a tool called zones of regulation we looked at simple strategies we can use to help us regulate our behaviour so it is proportionate and appropriate to the situation and moves us back towards being in a mindset that will help us learn best.
We hope that this information and getting used to regularly checking in with your emotions and taking action, if needed, will lay a solid basis for coping with the brain changes and resulting emotional volatility that can take place during puberty/teenage years. We believe that if you understand what is happening to your body and are able to correctly identify how you feel makes it is easier to employ the strategies that support good mental health in good time to be of most benefit.”
Oakham School nurtures all aspects of its pupils’ intellectual, physical, mental and spiritual development through its exceptional pastoral care. It also has a strong tutorial programme, which helps pupils to develop a healthy relationship with their bodies, to have good self-esteem and to be in strong mental health.
