How Am I Doing?

Wellbeing and resilience are inextricably linked. Therefore understanding our wellbeing and how to nurture and improve it – means we are better equipped to manage any challenges we face. This activity encourages tamariki to think about their wellbeing and all the things they already do, to care for it.

Print a double-sided copy of our How Am I Doing worksheet for each tamariki. First time around, you might like to print page 1 as an A3 (or draw your own graph nice and large on the board), so you can show students how to complete it!

What is wellbeing?

Let tamariki know the meaning of wellbeing, and perhaps write it on the board. An easy way to understand wellbeing is feeling good and functioning well.

Have a quick kōrero about this – what do you think this looks and feels like?

When we ‘check in’ with ourselves and others, we can ask: Am I feeling okay and able to do the things I need to? If the answer is ‘yes’, our wellbeing is pai!

We all have wellbeing

Reflect on the fact that everyone has wellbeing – and that we can all do things to look after it.

What might those things be? Well... we can find some really easy clues when we think about some of the times we feel healthy, happy and good! What are we doing? Who are we with? How do we feel?

The cool news is that we all know what positive wellbeing looks and feels like – and we'll already be doing some great things to look after our own wellbeing... maybe without realising it!

It’s worth getting clear about this – because if we know what’s contributing to our feeling good and functioning well, we can look to do more of it, to give ourselves a boost. This way we are the experts of our own wellbeing, and that's exactly how it should be!

Let tamariki know that just like researchers – today they are going to do their own wellbeing investigation, so they can see which wellbeing areas they're all topped up in and which areas could have a little more attention paid to them.

Explain that they're going to each get a sheet that features the Five Ways to Wellbeing – these are the five actions that after a huge research study, were found to really boost our wellbeing. They are connect, give (kindness), be active, keep learning, and take notice (being present in the moment and enjoying this time). Ask tamariki what each might mean and some activities that might fit into that area (e.g. being active: playing outside at lunchtime, dancing, walking to school).

If this is your first time, this is a great point to refer to your A3 print-out or graph on the board, and to show tamariki how to complete it. Introduce the scale from their worksheet, and plot away! We'd suggest giving a few areas lower scores, so that you can show that it's okay to have an area you haven't had much time for... or have just forgotten about a bit lately.

Reinforce that there's no right or wrong and each time they complete this graph it's likely to be different.

Then give each student a copy of the How Am I Doing worksheet and ask them to complete their graphs.

Keep kōrero open as tamariki may have questions or want clarification around the types of things they do that contribute to them feeling good and functioning well that may not be listed, or might slightly different from those on the sheet.

You may like to regroup before they complete side two, so you can reflect on your graph and ask them – which areas you were topped up in and which areas you were a bit low in.

Give tamariki a chance to complete the second side, and colour their pictures and webs!

• Tamariki can complete this activity in the same day or over two days, but it’s a goodie for them to take home and be able to discuss with whānau. You may like to consider printing another copy and asking tamariki to do this a whānau – it’s a great reflection for us all.
• Begin to talk about how any activities with your tamariki contribute to their wellbeing. Go outside to play a game – being active. Reading with younger tamariki – giving and connecting. Lunch time – challenge them to connect AND take notice…! Let wellbeing become an ordinary part of your language and way.
• Head to Fill My... Whare Tapa Whā to extend your class wellbeing knowledge and collective wellbeing thinking.

How Am I Doing is based off the creative and fun mahi of Chris Fouhy from St Patricks College, Wellington. Thanks so much for working with us – we really appreciate your mahi.