Drop a pebble into still water, and the ripples travel far beyond the point of impact.
Communities work in much the same way. A small act can create a lasting effect, often reaching further than we realize. This year, Tsinghua International School is using wellbeing as an opportunity to help students understand the influence they have on one another—and the difference they can make together.
Today’s children face a myriad of challenges and pressures. Some come from school, some from parents, some from society, and some from within. We see evidence of such stressors manifesting in behavioral changes, isolation, device addiction, or other challenges.
An answer to this isn’t to pretend such challenges don’t exist or to shy away from the important work our students strive for daily. Wellbeing, in Chinese as "身心健康", strives for balance; it reminds students that by taking time for ourselves, building community, and spreading smiles throughout the room, we strengthen ourselves and build resilience as pressures come our way.
Such practice needs to be explicit work. When we carved out the new schedule for our Secondary Division this year, we intentionally crafted a program to rebuild a sense of community and connectedness. One year, with eight themes, we focused on social and emotional health, academic success, and sharing our accomplishments and accolades, among other work. But will a 45-minute block once a week change a student's worldview and make them a balanced, healthy student?
It is closely tied to the form and the format. Sometimes, we need to lie beneath the gingko trees of the 100-year grove on campus and soak up some sun, reminding ourselves that sunlight provides Vitamin D, improves our health, and makes us happier. Sometimes, we need to play survival games with unfamiliar classmates in different grades, put together as a team, to remember that our success sometimes comes from relying on others and building that sense of camaraderie. And sometimes, it’s taking a moment to write yourself a letter, one you’ll know to open at the special time, when you’ll need that pep talk and nudge of reassurance.
Taking care of oneself isn’t a luxury or an afterthought. The small investments we make in ourselves and others pay off down the road. And that’s the mission of this year – impact.
Reflecting on David Yeager’s monumental work, an American developmental and educational psychologist and one of the leading scholars in the field of growth mindset who wrote 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People, the focus for middle- and high-school students shifts from direct instruction and modeling to building respectful school climates where students develop the mindset to cope with challenges to status and respect.
Throughout the year, themes push students to reflect on their journey, build belonging, and ground themselves in grit and resilience. As THIS college counselor Gabriela Di Muro noted, this program is “a highlight of the well-being program at THIS, as it’s designed to reach every member of our community. From dedicated time for peers in different grade levels to form relationships, to inviting teachers to share their experiences, Wellbeing at THIS is about every person feeling seen and included.”
Because at the end of the day, whether it’s building belonging and community in assemblies or pursuing individual challenges in and outside the classroom, culture is intentional, and challenge is opportunity.
