Well-being and Deep Learning – What we know

The Global Competencies for Deep Learning, or the 6 Cs, are the skill sets each and every student needs in order to flourish in today’s complex world. Building these competencies forms the foundation of our work.

The New Pedagogies for Deep Learning Global Team recently collaborated with Dr Jean Clinton, a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, and her colleague, Stephen De Groot.

Together we identified what’s happening in a young person’s brain when it’s engaged in learning and then considered how fostering conditions, environments and practices that promote deep learning can support mental health and well-being.

Three themes emerged from our collaboration:
• First, students need to feel safe: emotionally, physically, socially, and mentally
• Second, they need to feel significant – that they are worthy and their ideas are worth listening to
• Lastly, students need to feel a sense of purpose, knowing why they are here and that their contributions can make an impact
Deep Learning experiences aim to bring these three conditions to the fore and help children become their best selves.

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New Pedagogies for Deep Learning is a Global Partnership of over 1300 schools in 8 countries. We work with clusters and networks of schools to build knowledge and practices that develop deep learning and foster whole system change. We are joined by families, teachers, school leaders and policy makers worldwide who are seeking ways to transform pedagogies and strengthen the conditions that enable deep learning.

5 replies
  1. Susan Rose
    Susan Rose says:

    I am so intrigued by the Deep Learning approach and love the outline here of the three themes that emerged from your collaboration about the mental wellbeing of children. As a (once) kindergarten educator, I can see the importance of instilling the idea of safety in sharing and feeling significant. So often students come to school not having those feelings of belonging and importance. Students are sometimes fearful of ridicule but if they see that asking questions and sharing connections are encouraged by their teacher and classmates, then they are more inclined to share. They will thrive if they believe their ideas are valid and important. The philosophies of Deep Learning are important for all children! Great post!
    Susan Rose

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