The imperative role of wellbeing in education

Is academic success the ultimate goal for teenagers in a world where we need to feel safe and equipped to navigate life's twists and turns? While academic excellence is certainly crucial, it's equally important to understand that education should contain more than just textbooks and exams. At Spark, we've made wellbeing a core strand of our educational philosophy, and we invite you to discover why we want to offer teenagers and their families a safe learning environment suited to their emotional and familiar concerns.

1. Teenagers need emotional intelligence | From academic uncertainty to social issues, teens might find themselves under the pressure of a transition they are not ready for yet, so the adolescent journey needs to be lived and understood. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies emotional intelligence as a key factor in promoting mental health and preventing mental disorders.

By focusing on wellbeing, we aim to work together with their families to equip them with the resilience to face today's ups and downs and become confident adults. This invaluable skill not only improves their personal relationships but also prepares them for the collaborative workplaces of the future.

2. We focus on Holistic Growth | By emphasizing wellbeing, we ensure that our students graduate as well-rounded individuals, ready to tackle the diverse challenges of the modern world. More than this, a teenager's journey doesn't end with high school graduation. From effective time management to stress resilience, these are tools that they'll carry into their university years and future careers.

Our Wellbeing Head and the teachers we work with are professional people ready to act in a restorative way. One of the updates regarding the Wellbeing strand in Spark is that we use restorative approaches designed to empower students to learn from their mistakes, to understand the impact of their actions, and to grow personally in their ability to problem-solve and make responsible decisions. We care about how they feel, and this is the most essential part where we try to make them aware of their emotions. Imagine starting and ending a tutoring class with the question "How do you feel?". Both the teacher and the student will feel they have the freedom to express themselves, joining the high school journey together.

3. Supportive Environment | We often see teenagers afraid of talking about their issues or hiding personal problems that further affect their academic success. Think about a student-athlete who struggles with going to competitions and then having to prepare for two exams at the same time. The pressure of having good grades and keeping up with deadlines at school is too heavy for them, or the stress of not competing the next month because of an injury, of not meeting family's expectations, the lack of interaction due to the busy schedule... We assist these people with the flexibility to be well - physically and mentally.

Another example of supporting their wellbeing is that Spark was the first school project to participate in the Walking Month Challenge - a competition where teams of 4 join for a social cause. We had 10 students who accepted this challenge, and some even convinced their families to participate. The benefits? They got the chance to meet each other, discover common passions or perspectives and, by walking, they did a healthy activity that undoubtedly contributed to their mental health.

That's why we care so much about teenagers' wellbeing. They matter. They need to be well-rounded individuals. We invite schools, managers, and potential partners to join us on this transformative journey towards holistic teen development. #together #startups #innovation #shapingfutures #education #development #wellbeing #tomorrow #world