An effective, evidence-based process that cultivates well-being throughout an entire school community
Schools focus on performance. For students, teachers, and administrators, that primarily means "making the grade". Yet all performance — even academic — is impacted by our total WELL-BEING. This includes social, emotional, physical well-being and beyond. When one aspect of well-being is neglected, it affects the whole person and their whole performance.The Moore Well-Being Process helps bring focus and balance on the dimensions of well-being that improve overall performance at the individual and organizational levels.
feel overwhelmed, sad or depressed, tired or fatigued and say their stress level during the school year is 5.8 out of 10
APA 2014 REPORTreport feeling under stress almost every day or several days a week.
METLIFE 2012 SURVEYand are at risk for poor outcomes in school and in life
CHILD MIND INST. REPORTThe Well-Being Wheel operates on two planes — the individual level and the organizational level. Ideally, both planes are supported by the school community. The reason for applying the construct of well-being to both children and adults is for the sake of consistency. A newsletter from the National Institutes of Health explains how if adults as well as children in a school community develop healthy habits, youth have a greater chance of learning these healthy habits from models. The Moore Well-Being Wheel is designed to do just that — help both adults and children learn how to be well.
Here are some ideas that your school can use to start discussing well-being in each of these dimensions. Every school will create unique definitions of well-being based on their context and resources.
Individual Level: Students and adults are challenged with new ideas, concepts and processes that will help transform the school community; continuing education classes are provided for adults; students and adults are encouraged and supported in pursuing their interests.
Organizational Level: Structures are in place to support innovation and intellectually demanding work — teacher exchanges, regular professional development time, staff led professional development (pd), offsite pd, ongoing graduate coursework, etc.
Individual Level: Students and adults are able to build healthy, trusting relationships that form the foundation of their work together.
Organizational Level: There are healthy social relationships throughout the school community, as evidenced by talking circles for effective mediation.
Individual Level: Students and adults practice responsible behaviors such as picking up trash, turning out lights, recycling, composting, taking public transportation, reducing consumption, planting trees, growing food.
Organizational Level: Adults and children are mindful of the resources that are consumed by the organization; actions that leave a minimal carbon footprint; structures to ensure responsible, fair trade, green procurement.
Individual Level: Students and adults are supported in developing their emotional health through identification of emotions, managing emotions and developing a strong sense of agency.
Organizational Level: The school supports the healthy expression of emotions; there are structures in place to provide counseling (individual and group) onsite to help both children and adults manage the issues/challenges they face, as well as curricular resources.
Individual Level: Students and adults engage in significant amounts of daily physical activity, including stretching, walking, running, and deep breathing.
Organizational Level: There are programs in place to support regular physical activity and the nutrition of the students and adults in the organization.
Individual Level: Students and adults learn executive functioning skills and strategies and practice them regularly. They feel responsible for their own spiritual development and aware of the ethics of their decisions as well as the consequences of their actions.
Organizational Level: Mindfulness, yoga and meditation are incorporated into work with children (in class) and adults (pd workshops); there are structures and programs to support spiritual development (i.e. meditation room, religious education, etc.).
Individual Level: Students’ families have access to information and programs to ensure financial security, such as governmental aid, language classes, educational opportunities, job training, and financial guidance and advising.
Organizational Level: The school is fiscally strong for the long and short term and provides living wages for all its staff members; structures are in place for the community to understand the financial health of the school.
The Moore Well-Being Program includes instructional approaches for teachers and dozens of relevant methods and practices on subjects ranging from math and literacy to music and visual arts.
As our classrooms grow ever more diverse, so must our thinking. The Moore Well-Being Program addresses social growth from a fresh and restorative approach with engaging and challenging concepts and exercises.
Environmental learning goes beyond the benefits of green spaces or clean air and water. It invites students and teachers alike to explore the ecology of their school, their community and their earth through active participation.
The Moore Well-Being Program helps adults and students to recognize that emotional well-being is more readily achieved as a supportive community rather than individually. It provides coaching and tools to do just that.
Physical well-being is about more than exercise and diet. It's about developing an awareness and attitude toward health and self-care that permeates throughout all aspects of one's life. The Moore Well-Being Program engenders and elevates physical well-being through a fun and creative curriculum that speaks to the whole self.
Spirituality is defined as a sense of meaning and purpose, and a connection and relationship with one's self, to others, to the environment and to something beyond the self. The Moore Well-Being Program explores these relationships and offers tools for self-awareness, compassion, and reverence.
Our relationship with money begins at an early age, but healthy habits and strategies can develop through adulthood. The Moore Well-Being Program encourages "financial literacy" at both the individual and organizational level through a plan-act-assess approach.
Dr. Jenn Moore facilitates conversations to uncover the school community's strengths and the areas for growth. During this stage, Dr. Jenn provides materials to communicate the Well-Being Process to the larger community so all feel included and optimistic about achieving the individual and organizational goals.
The second phase brings everyone together to explore the dimensions of the Well-Being Wheel: Cognitive, Social, Environmental, Emotional, Physical, Spiritual, and Financial.During this stage, all participants reflect and determine the dimension(s) for their individual and organizational goals — and then design plans for achieving those goals.
During this phase, participants put their well-being strategies into action. Dr. Jenn provides support to help the school community succeed, communicating with participants via text or email, monitoring their progress, giving professional support & providing encouragement for their efforts.
A sample of the curriculum, professional development, policies & practices and measurement resources for each of the seven areas of the Moore Well-Being Program.
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I consider Jenn Moore my professional mentor. Working with Jenn is inspiring because she feeds my thinking and helps me consider all that is possible in any given situation. And she makes incredible things happen, too! From supporting school leaders to coaching teachers... and beyond. Her approach is refreshing, informative, collaborative and inspiring.
Lisa, colleague
Dr. Moore was a great resource and support at my son's school by being a big proponent of educating the whole child. She had dialogues with kids about wellness and conveyed the importance of sleep, rest and a healthy diet to families. She was a role model for democracy, fairness and inclusion as she worked to make all families feel heard and respected.
Jesus, parent
Ms. Moore was my principal at AGC for a few years and she was awesome at it! She was very nice and she would always smell good like cupcakes. When our class was having trouble, Ms. Moore would come and talk to us about how we can fix the problem and our actions. When we were done talking, the problem would be fixed all because of her.
Ayanna, student
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