Balancing the curriculum: teaching gratitude, hope and resilience

Lea Waters

“Today’s youth face many challenges, including pressures from school, peer groups, parents, marketing, and incessant ‘digital connectedness’ promoted by social media. Current research shows that many Australian adolescents suffer from sleep deprivation, drug and alcohol abuse, insecurity, poor diets, insufficient exercise and family upheaval. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one quarter of young Australians are suffering from symptoms of mental illness. Now more than ever, it is critical that we equip our young people with the skills and mindsets that counteract mental illness and prepare them for a ‘life well lived’ …”