Open Parachute lessons are designed to teach core mental health skills that equip students with the resilience they need to overcome challenges (both academic and personal).
Each lesson thoughtfully and seamlessly incorporates the skillsets from one or more sections of the Being Well Model.
The more these skills can be role-modeled and reinforced for students, the more they will learn to use them regularly. (See our Help Article Scaffolding Opportunities for more ideas on how to reinforce these skills.)
The Being Well Model contains four sections:
1. Feel
Listen to and accept current feelings without trying to change or shift those feelings.
This section of the being well model is explored in the First Year implementation of our Fidelity checklist.
This means students are building self-awareness by noticing exactly how they are feeling in a current moment. When they identify their true feelings, they are able to understand the root cause so they can address and resolve any challenge they are facing. In the classroom, building FEEL skills could look like a daily mental health check-in, or facilitating an Open Parachute lesson that teaches students to identify their stress reactions.
2. Pause
Intentionally take a mindful moment to breathe and focus our attention without distractions.
This section of the being well model is explored in the Second Year implementation of our Fidelity checklist.
This means students are promoting and building self-management skills through the use of purposeful pauses. These pauses allow students to focus on the present moment and connect to their current thoughts and feelings without thinking of past events or future worries. This means they are more able to respond in a helpful way rather than react in an unhelpful way when under stress. In the classroom, building PAUSE skills could happen by giving students a moment to rest their brains after a challenging academic exercise, or facilitating an Open Parachute lesson that teaches specific grounding activities.
3. Think
Observe and question thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.
This section of the being well model is explored in the Third Year+ implementation of our Fidelity checklist.
This means students are practicing responsible decision-making and critical thinking skills by thinking and reflecting before they act when a challenge arises. This promotes and encourages problem-solving, and means that students are more able to understand all sides of a challenge, in order to find the best path forward. In the classroom, THINK skills can be built by implementing an independent reflective journal, or by facilitating an Open Parachute lesson that teaches students to reflect on the impact of their actions on others.
4. Act
Make healthy and safe choices, and respectfully share personal needs and feelings.
This section of the being well model is explored in the Third Year+ implementation of our Fidelity checklist.
This means students are practicing helpful and respectful decision-making skills and building healthy relationships through caring actions. When students are able to make helpful choices and reach out for support when navigating a challenging situation, they build long-term resilience both in academics and in their personal lives. In the classroom, working on ACT skills can look like utilizing a student choice board, or facilitating an Open Parachute lesson that teaches students how to ask for help when they are struggling.
If you would like to explore each individual section of The Open Parachute Being Well Model, refer to our Creating Resilient Classrooms Modules. (Please note: You must be logged in to your Open Parachute account to access this content.) These Modules provide tools and strategies for embedding these core skills into your regular classroom routines.