Wellbeing and positive mental health are always a priority here in DPETNS and continuously promoted. The encouragement of growth (not fixed) mindsets are nurtured throughout the school.
This month in DPETNS we were celebrating Positive Mental Health Month. PMH Month is an annual wellbeing initiative that we engage with as a school community to further promote and develop our understanding of this topic. The four pillars of a Changemaker School (Empathy, Leadership, Creativity and Teamwork) underpin many of this month’s activities and celebrations.
PMH Month is broken down into four weeks with a focus topic each week:
Week 1: Introduction to Positive Mental Health. Classes explore what mental health is and the daily habits we can create to look after our wellbeing. Second Class have been enjoying music as a part of their exploration of this initiative. They also made positive mental health rainbows to remind themselves to look after their wellbeing.
Week 2: Emotions are explored with stories and the arts. We learn to recognise and handle all the different feelings we experience.
Week 3: Kindness Week shines a light on our positive interactions with each other, while developing empathy for those around us. The school community is filled with smiles, laughter, ‘bucket filling’ and random acts of kindness. Fourth class celebrated Kindness Week through the creation of a Kindness Wall, which they hope to cover with lots of positive and uplifting quotes to spread kindness to all who see it.
Week 4: Active Week marks the end of PMH Month and is a celebration of getting our bodies moving through Busy Breaks, Mile with a Smile walking and Shake and Wake mornings.
Here are some more wonderful examples of how classes explored Positive Mental Health Month.
Junior Infants enjoyed reading the book ‘The Colour Monster’ and exploring their emotions through the creation of their own colour monsters. They also got creative with their uplifting rainbow display which is spreading positivity and kindness through the school building.
Senior Infants looked at PHM through the lens of colour with stories, rainbow art and ‘Rainbow Land’ as a part of Aistear.
Second and Third Classes didn’t let the weather dampen their spirits and headed out for their Mile with a Smile for ACTIVE WEEK. Third Class also did a spot of sight seeing visiting the local Carr’s Mill Tower, while Second Class dropped in to see Lyndsy’s chickens.
Third Class
Second Class
Sixth Class wanted to spread the positivity around the whole community through the collection, painting and distribution of ‘Positivity Rocks’. The rocks were a delightful pop of colour around Donabate and offered positive and inspiring quotes to passersby’s.
