Question 1

All Are Able (to grow their SEWB)

Accepted Answer

Regardless of one's mental health starting point, both children and adults are able to grow in their SEWB.

Question 2

Mind-Body Connection Matters

Accepted Answer

Mental health, physical health, and academic health are inextricably linked.

Question 3

It is Important to Detect Mental Health Issues Early

Accepted Answer

Undetected mental health issues can become more acute later in life. We must detect issues, prevent illness, and promote wellness from an early age.

Question 4

Cause → Effect

Accepted Answer

Learning and behavior issues (often detected at school) can be symptoms of an underlying social/emotional/mental health issue.

Question 5

Social/Emotional Development is a practice, not just a program

Accepted Answer

Guiding educators toward a personal and sustained practice first, sets the stage for a successful and long-term adoption of a program.
 • Micro Moves: Little things go a long way.
    • Ex: Instead of saying “I can’t do this” say “I haven’t figured it out yet.”
 • This is not a quick fix, it's a long-term solution
 • Adults model and teach through their own examples.
 • In a school setting, teacher choice is helpful to motivate teachers to develop habits/skills.
 • Ultimately, developing well-being in “teachers” (teachers/parents/caregivers) first, helps students because students mirror adults.

Question 6

Humans need authentic connections for well-being

Accepted Answer

There are many habits that contribute to one’s well-being, but human connection stands out as a strong need and an impactful entry point into habits development.
 • Connection can mean connection to self (self awareness), connection to others (relationships), or connection to world (communities).
 • Learning happens through relationships. For 0-12, the most important relationship is the parent/caregiver(s). At the beginning of adolescence, this changes to peers.
 • Human connection works best in person (i.e. Circles, retreats). It also might happen within online communities.

Question 7

Positive experiences lead to mindset shifts

Accepted Answer

A positive experience can be the impetus to a mindset shift that can motivate an educator to develop habits, which in turn can lead to a practice.
 • Fredrickson’s “Broaden and Build Theory”: Positive emotions broaden and open up the mind to novel experiences, thoughts, ideas, which in turn build up one’s psychological resources over time.
 • Sometimes a mindset shift comes from one catalyzing experience, and sometimes from a series of smaller multiple experiences.
 • Stages matter: For new teachers they might need a "big and novel" experience to ellicit change. For experienced teachers, they might not want a "big and novel" experience. They might already know what they want to refine, and a more subtle experience will get them there.
 • Environment matters: The “experience” needs to fall somewhere between novel enough (so positive emotions are felt) and familiar enough (so it doesn’t feel overwhelmingly different than home).

Question 8

The debate over whole-school VS. teacher choice needs to shift to a conversation about how to balance BOTH.

Accepted Answer

Integrated whole-school approaches help create sustainability and support; teacher choice helps create motivation and empowerment. Both are needed for success.
 • It’s important to take a look at what already exists in the environment- the strengths and the gaps.
 • We’re not yet sure which comes first- aligning on a vision or giving choice to teachers- but at some point, both should happen.
    • If you start with a schoolwide approach that not everyone is aligned with, then you could run into teacher resentment and de-motivation.
    • If you start with all teacher choice and no schoolwide approach, it’s hard to figure out what is working and students may not actually develop any habits.
 • Different teachers will have different social and emotional well-being needs at different times and so differentiation and choice is important. This is true for students too.
 • A movement cannot take off if not everyone is aligned on the vision.

ROOM TO

BREATHE

PROJECT

Mental illness- especially as seen in depression and suicide rates- is hitting our youth hard. There are serious physical, academic, and economic repercussions for all.

Our mission is to give organizations and innovation projects “room to breathe” so that they can equip ALL members within a school community with the knowledge and practices to grow their social and emotional well-being (SEWB).

For more information on our research process and which organizations we talked to: