Category Archives: Podcast

Q: How can schools reflect the bicultural nature of Aotearoa? In this interview, Nathan and Denise discuss strategies, ideas and ways to ensure Māori students in our schools feel they belong in an education system based of Eurocentric values. The Treaty of Waitangi guarantees participation, protection and partnership for Māori in all important areas of…

What’s right with people? In this interview, Adrienne and Denise discuss strengths – defined as things we do well and enjoy doing. Engagement, performance, collaboration and relationships are all positively influenced by strengths. Humans are better at recognising threat than reward which is why we need to practice spotting strengths in ourselves and others. Denise…

How do different schools address wellbeing? In this interview, Clive and Denise discuss harnessing ‘positive deviance’ in schools to move towards Flourishing. Clive explains why it’s important to acknowledge teachers who are already doing a lot to grow student wellbeing, and to help staff understand the research around wellbeing and resilience. Engaging staff and students…

How will your school encourage educators to explore and invest in their own wellbeing? In this interview (which follows Stephen’s earlier interview Exploring Different Wellbeing Models), Stephen and Denise discuss the use of Inquiry and Design Thinking as tools to help explore and implement wellbeing in a school setting, specifically for staff. Learn how creative…

Why does educator wellbeing matter for students? In this interview, Stephen and Denise discuss his staff’s wellbeing journey where they explored the underpinnings of wellbeing and adapting wellbeing models to their school context. Rāroa School wanted a model that was easily understood by the community and reflected the school’s values. Learn how Rāroa gave their…

In this interview, Denise and Adrienne discuss the Mental Fitness Program Adrienne designed and taught to Year 10 boys in Dunedin, NZ. The language of mental fitness is used to appeal to teenage boys and echoes the familiar language of physical fitness. Students found MenFit a practical, collaborative and fun course which helped improve their…

What does embedding wellbeing look like further down the road? In this podcast, Denise and David talk about the challenges and successes St Peter’s faced in implementing positive psychology in boys’ education, working alongside staff, students and families. David shares lessons learned at his school over a decade of wellbeing work – and starting with…

How do schools actually get started and build buy in? In this podcast, Denise and Sonya discuss implementing a Wellbeing Agenda at Taipei European School to address student wellbeing concerns and enhance school culture. Working with UK-based executive coach Clive Leach, the school designed a three-year plan to address Whole-School Wellbeing. Year 1 was dedicated…

How do leaders build whole-school wellbeing? In this podcast, Denise and Lucy introduce Season 2 of BWTL, talking about education, research and the lessons learned while writing their book ‘The Educators’ Guide to Building Whole-school Wellbeing: A Practical Guide to Getting Started, Best-Practice Process and Effective Implementation’. They wrote this book in response to requests…