Educational organizations of all kinds have begun to turn their eyes towards improving wellness in their students. This is a difficult thing because ‘wellness’ continues to be a vague term. But as vague of a topic that wellness is, it can indeed be supported by simple and foundational changes that focus on empowering students. These 5 ideas can provide both students and teachers alike with empowerment, wellness, and better educational outcomes.

Empower Your Students

Wellness is connected to empowerment and respect. It’s important to provide students with ways to speak up for themselves and have an impact on the educational community that they are a part of. This can be as simple as providing a strong student government – or go as far as having weekly open office hours for students to share their thoughts.

Fundraising and Activism

Community service, activism, and fundraising are all excellent ways to build a sense of interconnectedness between students. We’re all aware of the standard trope of ‘broke college students,’ but educators can emphasize the importance of selfless acts in general. Building into your school calendar a week of community service events can go a long way in providing a sense of purpose and consideration in the student body.

Promote Wellness Through Educators

Educators are more than simple teachers, they are leaders and influencers in the educational system. We often underestimate the importance of teachers and professors in the development of our student’s moral and ethical judgments, even outside of studies that feature those qualities. 

Make Learning Meaningful

Modern educational systems are deeply obsessed with grades, standards, and assessments. These are useful and important for measuring outcomes, but they miss the whole picture of education. We can’t judge a student’s wellness or progress with a few standardized tests. Push for deeper curiosity and promote sincere interest in education beyond the classroom.

Ensure Support is Accessible

Much has been said in recent years about accessibility. It’s important to recognize and acknowledge that not all students have the same levels of access. One of the most important works today is the efforts towards an equitable system of support. This is an excellent place to involve students, promoting their own involvement through tutorship programs, educational support groups.