Wellbeing program helps students develop new skills and focus

It is estimated that half of all mental illnesses experienced by adults emerge before the age of 14, with a recent Australian finding that 1 in 7 children and adolescents had experienced a mental illness in the previous year.

Mental health issues can affect education, achievement, relationships and employment, making early intervention programs critical to preventing issues, or reducing the severity of them.
The World Health Organisation says school-based programs that promote social and emotional learning are ‘among the most effective promotion strategies for countries at all income levels’.

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)  focuses on wellbeing as an important element of student development. We undertake several evaluations of school-based programs in Australia, as well as research with a focus on teachers and international collaborations to increase wellbeing.

We recently conducted 2 evaluations of Australia’s Smiling Mind primary school program, which provides an online social and emotional learning curriculum and training to deliver it in the classroom.

The first evaluation examined the effectiveness of the program in 461 regional and rural schools, from 2021 to the end of 2022.

The second examined how students responded to the program in 2023, and how well teachers were supported in delivering it. The evaluation involved survey responses and data from educators and students in 733 primary schools.

The findings are promising; students in both evaluations reported that the Smiling Mind program helped them to focus on schoolwork and to calm down when worried.

Children who engaged with the program in regional and rural areas were reported to be showing traits that, in older students, can contribute to maths achievement. These traits that ACER has found, included a sense of belonging, resilience and perseverance.

The larger scale evaluation also showed that children who enjoyed Smiling Mind classroom activities experienced better wellbeing while those who disliked them experienced lower levels.

What Smiling Mind brings to the classroom

Primary schools using the program for students in years 1 to 6 can access 120 lesson plans supported by the Smiling Mind app that cover 20 topics, including mindfulness, optimism, managing emotions, empathy, a curious mind and resilience.

Resources from a learning hub, including self-paced learning, take-home worksheets and a parent resource guide, are intended to be shared as part of a whole-school approach.

How regional students and teachers responded

ACER’s report on the experience in regional and rural primary schools found older students and female students were ‘proportionally significantly more likely to report negative sentiment or distress than younger students’.

Overall, 75% of students reported finding Smiling Mind helpful, with their responses linked to improved focus on schoolwork; they found  it easier to calm down during times of worry and found play time more enjoyable.

Students who enjoyed Smiling Mind activities regularly in the classroom were more likely to be mindful, feel connected to school, engage and persevere in their learning, and were happy and optimistic about the future.

While 75% of educators agreed that their students benefitted from the program, the greatest enthusiasm came from those leading its implementation, known as ‘mindful champions’.

Of this group, more than 90% were overwhelmingly positive about the six-week intensive training. Although effective, this delivery method implemented during the first evaluation was discontinued because the training and the role of ‘champion’ was too demanding for some educators.

However, compared with classroom educators, mindful champions who did commit to the role, more strongly agreed from the outset about mindful practice being important as an effective tool to support mental health and promote positive classroom culture.  

What the large-scale evaluation found

The 2023 evaluation drew on 8,981 surveys from students in years 3 to 6 and 2,654 surveys from educators.

Two in 3 students (67%) reported at least one helpful aspect of the program, with many of these children reporting they were now more focused when doing schoolwork (32%) and were more able to calm down when worried (30%).

Most educators reported improvements in their class or school because of the program; 62% reported learning environments were more positive and 57% reported the development of social and emotional skills among their students.

As one principal from Western Australia said, ‘Students can talk about how they are feeling and use skills to quieten their minds.’

Additionally, 75% of educators reported that the training they undertook to deliver the program had supported their own mental health and wellbeing.

Both evaluation reports include recommendations for strengthening the program.

Learn more

Smiling Mind is a not-for-profit organisation.  The federal Department of Health and Aged Care funded the regional and rural school program in disadvantaged communities from 2021, to ‘ensure more children can access mental health supports which will keep their education on track’.

Read the reports

Smiling Mind evaluation 2021-2022: Effectiveness of the Smiling Mind Primary School Program

Evaluation of the Smiling Mind Primary School Program 2023