Flourishing at School

In our tenth episode, Tamara and Jason chat with Matthew Savage, an International School consultant whose desire to have every student know they can be seen, be heard, be known and belong came from his 25 years as a school leader and principal in the UK and internationally. Matthew talks about inclusion, using different types of data, and the need for school leaders to consider both street and sheet data as a revolutionary act of kindness.

In Episode 9, Jason and Tamara speak with Clinical and Coaching Psychologist and Founder of The Positivity Institute, Dr. Suzy Green. They discuss self-determination theory, the role of coaching in developing wellbeing leadership, and how to create whole-school momentum.

In this episode, Sue Chandler speaks to Tamara and Jason about her mission to help schools drive positive and transformational change through the integration of the science of wellbeing into whole school systems. We touch on restorative practices the need to understand staff wellbeing from the perspective of psychosocial hazards in the workplace, and how she helped All Hallows' School create their framework

In this episode, Jason and Tamara speak with URStrong's Dana Kerford. Since 2009 Dana has helped over 1 million kids through a first-of-its-kind friendship curriculum which grew into a whole-school friendship strategy. Dana shares tips around the language of friendship, putting out friendship fires, and skills to make friends.

In our first EXPERT SERIES episode, our co-hosts Jason van Schie and Tamara Lechner go back to basics by defining some of the terms and acronyms our guests are using. They explain the acronym PERMA, differentiate between Positive Education and social-emotional learning, discuss Character Strengths, and explain why Geelong Grammar School is so frequently mentioned. They also coin a new term for a group of psychologists.

In episode 5 our guest Héctor Escamilla discusses how applying whole-school wellbeing at Tecmilenio University, the First Positive University in the world, achieved the vision “To prepare people with a purpose in life and competencies to achieve it”. Jason and Tamara explore how students are empowered to customize their own college program with 40 % flexibility, 100% studying positive psychology, and 90% graduating with a job.

Lisa Baylis, a Canadian school counselor and author of Self-Compassion for Educators, dives into the critical intersection of educator well-being and student success. She shares insights from her AWE Method, highlighting how self-care and mindfulness can transform the classroom experience. Lisa emphasizes the significance of self-compassion for teachers, especially in challenging times like the pandemic. The conversation also touches on creating nurturing school environments and practical strategies for educators to cultivate compassion in their work.

In episode 3 Jason and Tamara catch up with Dr. Sharron Russell, the Director of Student Support and Positive Education at The Shipley School. They discuss Shipley's successes and lessons learned as a pioneer school whose hiring, teaching, and ongoing professional development all include a focus on individual and community mental wellbeing. We touch on teacher buy-in, character strengths, and the importance of a people-first, teacher-second training approach.

In episode two of the Flourishing at School podcast hosts Tamara Lechner and Jason van Schie chat with Dr. Gilda Scarfe, CEO of Positive Ed and a member on the advisory board of the Global Flourishing Study led by Harvard University. Gilda unpacks the role of mental toughness in flourishing at school while considering consistency and teacher buy-in as levers for success. She introduces the importance of consulting with an external expert over time and reminds our listeners that wellbeing at school is a journey rather than a destination.

In the first episode of the Flourishing at School podcast we meet you hosts Tamara Lechner of Canada and Jason van Schie of Australia. They introduce the aim of the podcast which is to advance the understanding and practice of whole school interventions for student and staff mental health. They define the term flourishing and discuss why this should be a goal of schools. They chat candidly about both positive and negative examples of how schools commonly go about mental health initiatives and discuss opportunities for improvement. They introduce the integrated model of mental health and chat about how this can be applied within a school context as a holistic way to prevent illness, promote flourishing and respond to ill-health.