Life Based Learning ™
Delivering subject content through nine life themes
Category: Mental Health
Life Spark
The area of life called Self covers children learning about and looking after their bodies, their emotions and their minds. However, life is not just about the individual looking after these three aspects. The interdependence of the three aspects is crucially importance. Without the… Continue Reading “Life Spark”
The benefits of plants
More evidence emerges of the health benefits of the Great Outdoors and of our growing love affair with plants. According to this report, a Royal Horticultural Society poll in Britain found that 71% of respondents feel that gardens and outdoor spaces have helped them… Continue Reading “The benefits of plants”
Children’s Mental Health Week
It’s good to see children’s mental well-being high on the agenda this week as a result of Children’s Mental Health Week. Provided that they are not just token gestures — their message all but forgotten once the occasion is over — ‘themed’ days and… Continue Reading “Children’s Mental Health Week”
Wellbeing Award for Schools
Here is a link to information about an excellent initiative, described by Philippa Stobbs, who is assistant director of the National Children’s Bureau, a UK charity that promotes children’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. LBL proposes that emotional awareness, resilience and well-being should be… Continue Reading “Wellbeing Award for Schools”
“Explosion” of anxiety levels in young people, says report
A recent report has found that anxiety among young people has trebled in the last 20 years. The lead researcher was Professor Nick Freemantle of UCL. The findings were published in September 2020 in the British Journal of Psychiatry. The report highlights a clear… Continue Reading ““Explosion” of anxiety levels in young people, says report”
Mental health charity: “Rising calls to helpline show need for support”
Young Minds is a children and young people’s mental health charity. Its mission is “to see a world where no young person feels alone with their mental health, and gets the mental health support they need, when they need it, no matter what.” Young… Continue Reading “Mental health charity: “Rising calls to helpline show need for support””
Taking an active interest in nature improves children’s mental health
One of the undoubted positives to come out of a year of unprecedented difficulties, challenges and misery is the abundance of evidence that an active interest in nature improves mental wellbeing. This needs to be properly reflected in the school curriculum. Millions of people,… Continue Reading “Taking an active interest in nature improves children’s mental health”
What is our response to the damaging effects of social networking?
The Social Dilemma docu-drama, available on Netflix, is a must-watch for parents and teachers — and a wake-up call for us all. The Social Dilemma is a 2020 American “documentary-drama hybrid” which explores the rise of social media and the phenomenon of social networking.… Continue Reading “What is our response to the damaging effects of social networking?”
The primary school national curriculum needs an urgent reboot
National curriculum reform: The gap between the current state of scientific knowledge and what is delivered to children in the national curriculum is growing ever wider. Take, for example, children learning about and learning how to look after their body (1), their emotions (2)… Continue Reading “The primary school national curriculum needs an urgent reboot”
‘Build Back Better’ must include tackling children’s mental health
Another report — this one released in the last couple of days by the Prince’s Trust — supplies yet more evidence of the damaging effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on young people’s mental health. Sadly, current problems merely add to an already existing crisis.… Continue Reading “‘Build Back Better’ must include tackling children’s mental health”