Enrichment and Wellbeing

For me enrichment and wellbeing in schools go hand in hand, for students and teachers alike. For me enrichment is what schools can offer beyond scheduled lesson time or beyond the confines of the classroom. Being passionate about enrichment has, I’m sure, enabled me to be a more productive and proactive teacher. I’m positive that for any current or aspiring teacher that engaging in enrichment will help build relationships with a wide range or students.

Building relationships in this way and getting to know the student as an individual not only promotes the wellbeing of the student but can also reap rewards in the classroom. Through enrichment the student feels the teacher has a vested interest in them and will, in return, take a vested interest in the teacher, increasing productivity and helping to create a positive classroom environment. I once attended a conference where the speaker talked about this as a form of “emotional piggybank”; the teacher making investments in the student and this paying off in the form of trust and relationships. Developing trust and relationships is also important with parents.

Using enrichment can also develop trust and relationships between teachers and parents, providing students with memories that they can then go home and share. In this way the triangulate of the student, teacher and the parent is reinforced through shared memories and experiences thus developing trust and relationships all round. Once these relationships are established I believe the students respond more productively in the classroom in response to the teacher within their own subject.

Often the parameters of a lesson require teachers to fulfil certain learning objectives and students to achieve certain learning objectives. This can limit the time teachers can engage with the student as an individual. By engaging in and offering enrichment teachers can move the parameters so they can spend a little more time learning about the student as an individual through shared experiences. Promoting the mental, emotional and physical health and wellbeing of teachers and students is an integral cog of any good school. By developing relationships with students and building trust we promote the wellbeing of the student as they then see the teacher as someone they can turn to in times of trouble or crisis. Developing relationships through enrichment will ultimately pay off in the classroom whether it is in your subject area or not. Just spending uninhibited time with any students will gain their trust and respect. It doesn’t even have to be in your own subject area!

Enrichment allows students to witness teachers showing the joy of learning across any subject or activity. This joy of learning then develops the mind-set of applying oneself in any endeavour, from pastoral to academic, and everything in between.  Just by sharing life experiences with students whether through enrichment in school or through enrichment outside of school, through field trips or school trips, provides students and staff with shared experiences that develops a common bond. Also in this age of media and technology engaging in enrichment can promote a sense of health and wellbeing as students are able to work outside the formality of the classroom and enables teachers and students to engage in physical and mental activities that motivate and challenge all parties involved.

For me engaging and productive enrichment is essential to the enjoyment and learning of any successful school. The broad range of learning experiences and environments that it offers actively promotes teachers and students health and wellbeing. By using enrichment the teacher can develop trust and build relationships with students and this then, not only, contributes to a positive classroom environment, but can also permeate the walls of the classroom and help build a whole school positive environment.