In recent years, there has been a growing recognition that schooling is much more than just about academic outcomes. Equally crucial in contributing to a child’s positive schooling experience is his or her well-being. Overall well-being can help to enhance intrinsic motivation and improve school satisfaction, amongst many other benefits. In this article, NIE Research Scientist Dr Munirah Shaik Kadir, who is currently leading a research study that focuses on the well-being of at-risk students in Singapore, sheds some light on the definition of student well-being and how it can impact their learning.

How would you define student well-being and why is it important for teachers?

There are various well-being frameworks in literature with some that says there are four types of well-being: physical, emotional, mental or intellectual, and spiritual. There is hedonic well-being, which focuses on happiness, positive emotions, attaining pleasure and avoiding pain. Then there is eudaimonic well-being which focuses on one’s sense of meaning and purpose, self-realization, the degree of full functioning or fulfillment of one’s potential, and connection in the real world.

So when we talk about student well-being, it generally encompasses student’s health, sense of purpose in life, sense of belonging, personal and social fulfilment, happiness, satisfaction, and purposefulness. Rooted in positive psychology, the importance of student well-being has, in recent years, gained enormous attention from policymakers and practitioners.

Student well-being is important as it is known to impact student mental health. Studies have shown that those with high well-being and positive mental health tend to enjoy good quality of life, have high energy levels, build and maintain better relationships, develop coping skills for life, and have the resilience to soldier on in times of difficulties. On the contrary, low levels of well-being and associated mental health problems can have adverse consequences for the health and development of students, and are usually the precursor to difficulties in adulthood.

How does student well-being impact learning?

There has been convincing evidence for links between well-being and academic achievement drawn from research carried out internationally, including from China, Germany, Chile, the UK, Australia and Mexico. Students with higher well-being are healthier and happier, and tend to be more engaged in learning activities, have better concentration, and a higher motivation to learn. These students also tend to overcome difficulties successfully, possess academic resilience, and engage in lifelong learning.

As well-being impacts all learning, initiatives related to it should be integrated across curriculum domains and a whole-school approach should be adopted to include all staff and students. Studies have indicated that interventions yield the most successful outcomes when they are integrated into daily practice and school culture. Schools should ensure that there is an acceptance of emotion and vulnerability along with celebrating and embracing student differences.

One example of a well-being initiative is to develop a supportive school and classroom ethos that builds warm relationships and a sense of connectedness with focus and purpose. Creating a school ethos that promotes well-being, resilience and positive skills has been shown to improve individual and school performance.

Could you briefly describe what your research project (Examining Well-Being, Interest, School Engagement, and Life Stressors of At-Risk Children: A Profile Analysis) is about?

The prevalence of low academic achievement, high absenteeism, misbehaviour, low motivation, and low well-being is high among at-risk students (i.e., students who are at risk of academic failure and dropping out of school), resulting in poor school engagement.

However, few studies have focused on the stressors, well-being, interests and school engagement of primary school students identified as “at-risk” or “high-needs”. Early intervention and support are crucial for these students to halt the escalation of existing problems. Some schools have organized after-school programmes for at-risk primary school students. These programmes include sports activities to engage these students after school but sustaining the students’ interests in the activities and having them attend the after-school programmes regularly are some of the challenges faced by the schools.

A possible reason could be because the programme is not a good fit for the students. “One-size-fits-all” types of programmes are ineffective, so it is desirable that programmes are tailor-made to cater to the different needs of the students.

How do you think teachers and students may benefit from the finding(s) of your project?

The aim of the proposed study is to develop a profile of at-risk primary school students in terms of their well-being, interests, school engagement, and key stressors. Having such a profile will be useful in guiding the design and development of programmes for these students. The methodology could be replicated in the years to follow to find out students’ profiles before designing programmes for them. The project is being carried out in a primary school in Singapore and my team and I are in the process of analysing the data.

The findings from this study could shed light on the key stressors of at-risk primary school students, their well-being, interests, and school engagement, so that programmes can be designed to provide them with the support that they need. It would also help educators explore ways of providing these students with the opportunities to engage in their domains of interest which could help them flourish in life.

What drew you into this area of research in education?

I choose to venture into this field of research because it is close to my heart. I was a teacher, so I understand what the job entails and am familiar with students’ school experiences and challenges. I venture into this field of research because I want to find out the psychosocial factors that can help make teachers’ and students’ lives better. I want to make a difference in their lives.

Research has substantiated that if well-being is ignored, it could lead to burnout and other negative outcomes over time. So, I venture into this field with the desire to raise awareness of the importance of well-being and show how we can nurture teacher and student well-being in schools.

When I was in Australia for research work, I had the privilege to work on Well-Being and Positive Education projects and see the positive impact it has on students, teachers, and principals in Australia. Now that I have returned to Singapore, I would like to implement those strategies in our local schools to help teachers and students here in my hometown enhance their well-being for positive outcomes.