The PROSPER School Pathways for Student Wellbeing

Noble, T. & McGrath, H

Unit’s St Joseph’s School teach:-

• Core values: developing positive and pro-social values
• People Bouncing Back: developing strategies for coping and bouncing back
• Courage: finding courage in both everyday life and difficult circumstances
• Looking on the bright side: teaching optimistic thinking
• Emotions: amplifying positive emotions and managing negative emotions
• Relationships: skills for building and maintaining friendships
• Humour: as a coping skill
• No bullying: skills for countering bullying

What is the Bounce Back program?

• Bounce Back! is an award-winning wellbeing and resilience class-based program for children and young people from Kindergarten to Year 6.
• Bounce Back! offers practical strategies to help children and young people function well at school and in life.
• A whole school social and emotional learning curriculum program.
• Promotes positive mental health, wellbeing and resilience for students and teachers plus safe and supportive class and school learning environments.

The Key Features of Bounce Back!

It is a long-term, multi-year, multi-faceted whole-school program  and not just an ‘add-on’. 

It  is a universal program taught to all students, not just selected students. However concepts and skills from the program can also be further consolidated in individual or small-group sessions.

The components and teaching strategies in the program are all evidence-based

It is taught by classroom teachers and based predominantly on children’s literature (especially younger and older picture books) and follow-up language/literacy activities. 
There is a strong focus on circle time, cooperative learning approaches & educational games to build positive relationships, positive emotions and teach social-emotional skills. 

The social and emotional knowledge, skills and concepts in Bounce Back! are integrated with academic content wherever possible. Many aspects of the program can also be integrated with History, Social Studies, Health, Maths, Science, Music, Art & Drama
The psychological content of Bounce Back! is predominantly drawn from two core models: Cognitive Psychology and Positive Psychology 
Parenting notes are provided on the Bounce Back topics so parents can be supporting the key messages in the home.

The Bounceback program focuses on encouraging Positivity, building Relationships, facilitating Outcomes and a sense of competence, focusing on Strengths, fostering a sense of Purpose, enhancing Engagement and teaching Resilience.

Each unit draws on both the principles of positive psychology and the educational research that identifies the impact of each pathway for student learning. The benefits of a school-wide focus on student wellbeing for student engagement in learning and their success in school and in life are taught in each unit