Mumbai, 4th November 2022: The JBCN International School, Oshiwara, encourages healthy social, emotional, and behavioral development of their learners through planned Mental Health Awareness engagements and activities.
The Enrichment department put together a week-long event focused on raising awareness about the importance of self-care and caring for others. The focus was primarily on self-awareness and control for the younger grade learners; for instance, they discovered how to observe and artistically express their breathing patterns using “Controlled breathing waves.” The “Emotional color wheel” and “Inside my head” were used to teach them how to understand their emotions and thoughts, while the older students focused on learning about the beneficial effects of simple exercises and “Affirmations.”
While anti-bullying themes are a regular feature in the Enrichment department’s time-tabled sessions, an inter-house poster-making competition on anti-bullying helped middle-school learners to articulate their thoughts and feelings on the subject meaningfully. The learners created posters, and each house explained what their posters focused on. Some groups expressed their thoughts through dance and music, and others through drama. The winning house, Super Samurais, worked together to present a short skit to showcase their thoughts on the long-term effects of bullying. They also gave their peers some advice on how to confront bullies and work towards building a bond of trust and friendship.
Lastly, in association with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, the Enrichment department held a workshop for the parent community on Positive Parenting: Strengthening the Parent-Child bond with emphasis on understanding the social, mental and physical well-being of children. The workshop helped parents explore the dynamics of parent-child relationships and understand different parenting styles.
The IBDP learners joined in support of Mental Health Awareness week by inviting the Ashiana Institute for Autism to hold an exhibition/ sale of the handicrafts products made by their students to encourage the independence and self-sufficiency of people dealing with autism.
Mr K V Arjun Rao, the Head of School at JBCN International School Oshiwara, said, “Enabling our future generations to cope with the myriad challenges of the future is important, and our role as educators is to support our learners by providing them with the right set of tools, which will help them develop a positive self-image and healthier and meaningful relationships. Our teachers and counsellors have been doing a fantastic job, and Mental Health Awareness Week is one such example.”
