Tracy Sim, Times-Chronicle
Jenny Martin is School District 53’s Health Promoting School Coordinator and her seven-week course brings positive, relational experiences to the classroom by teaching kids her “fun” method of learning where students get to experience laughter, joy, and well-being in a safe environment.
In her course offering, Martin utilises her BA and BEd credentials for her Tier 1 program, defined as universal core education, for kids in the 12 to 14 age group. This new teaching method is yielding happier students.
Her course aims to build positive mental health practices among students with the hashtag #changeyourmood – positive strategies to change your mood. In her course offering, teachers new to her course also become students.
Martin says the program is designed around three core ideas.
One is to model well-being in the classroom environment and to build confidence in classroom educators to take on this new teaching method.
Two is to build positive relationships and experiences in the classroom by creating lessons within lessons where students will experience laughter, joy, and well-being with a healthy adult and their peers.
Three is to create opportunities for students to explore their own well-being, becoming more self aware in the process. Students are educated about what supports are available in their school environment and what to do if they can’t change their mood.
For teachers, Martin emphasizes that the course is evidence based. The evidence shows that healthy connection fosters better learning and better outcomes for students. And happier students are a side effect of her experiential-based teaching approach.
Martin’s FUN theory involves food that impacts how students feel and the fun they have together making it. They learn that physical activity improves their mood and that being outside in nature makes them happy.
It’s all about connection, according to Martin. It’s about education too. During this positive learning, kids and teachers learn what to do and who to turn to in their school environment if they aren’t feeling good or supported.
At the end of each lesson, the kids celebrate their learning together.
A companion program called Equine Partners in Counselling (EPIC) is largely put together by Carol Gabel, elementary counsellor at Similkameen Elementary/Secondary School in Keremeos.
EPIC is facilitated by EZ Acres, a private ranch run by Leanne Robbins in Oliver. Robbins credits the work of Gabel, her team, and Martin for putting together all the foundational elements of the programs in this article.
Robbins spoke about EPIC’s work of creating genuine connections with younger kids in the 8 to 12-year range that are in Grades 3 to 7. She describes the interactions between kids and the horses as important, even magical in a way. She spoke of the emotional bonds formed between kids and their horse. Even kids with elements of trouble in their lives responded overwhelmingly positively and showed real emotion when the kids had to leave the animals, describing their experiences as lasting.
Kids from all backgrounds and a variety of ages have participated in these programs, including Osoyoos Elementary, Tuc-el-Nuit Elementary, kids from YouLearn, as well as several education assistants and their support workers.
