A New Approach to Education
A number of clubs and activities promote wellbeing too, for example Friday morning yoga classes, the running club on Friday at lunch times and the social events organised by the Student Council.
A number of theme weeks are also connected with wellbeing, such as healthy eating week and kindness week. Music is an important relaxing activity at ETSS Wicklow with a music club at lunch time.
The central focus of the well-being programme, both at junior and senior cycle, is to enable students to get to know the most important person in their lives better – themselves! The programme provides a unique opportunity to develop a skill set which will enable them to make informed decisions about themselves and others – their mental health, personal lives and social/emotional development.
Student well-being is at the heart of the vision of the new Junior Cycle programme and there are six basic indicators: Active, Responsible, Connected, Resilient, Respected and Aware. The wellbeing programme is centred around these six basic indicators. It is hoped through guided self-reflection and group work, students will develop a positive sense of themselves and their physical, social, emotional, and personal wellbeing. Below you can learn more about some of the wellbeing subjects on offer at ETSS Wicklow - each subject also has its own page in the curriculum section of the website.
The Civic Social and Political Education (CSPE) is a short course that contributes significantly towards the Junior Cycle Wellbeing programme. The main aim of CSPE is to assist students in developing into active and responsible citizens. This short course teaches students how to be aware of injustices in our society and enables them to question what happens in the world around them. It teaches students that our wellbeing is interlinked with the wellbeing of those around us. Most importantly, CSPE teaches students about our basic human rights and our social responsibilities to protect these human rights for all - both locally and globally.
Yoga is a co-curricular course offered at ETSS Wicklow. The main benefits of yoga include:
- Learning about mindfulness and being aware of our thoughts
- General fitness and mobility
- Meditation and breath work
- Relaxation
- Improvement in energy and sleep
Other advantages of yoga are improved mental health and overall wellbeing. Being aware of and being able to manage our thoughts and emotions is a key skill learned during the Junior Cycle Wellbeing Programme. Our yoga classes are offered on Friday mornings before school in the Art room in order to set students up for a calm and mindful day at school.
