All students have unique strengths and needs that vary over time and are expressed differently. This year, persistent disruptions to learning, systemic racial oppression and the collective trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic have deeply affected the well-being of young people everywhere. To help educators assess student well-being directly, quickly, and frequently, both in-person and virtually, Turnaround for Children has developed a free new tool: The Well-Being Index.
The Well-Being Index is a brief self-assessment designed to capture a holistic view of each student’s sense of their own physical, emotional and social health. Consisting of simple, positively-worded statements, the tool measures how a young person is feeling and functioning through an assets-based lens, contributing to a proactive and integrated approach to support that does not stigmatize students.
The toolkit offers well-being surveys for both elementary (grades 3-5) and secondary (grades 6-12). In addition, an educator guide introduces teachers to the purpose and use of the Index and provides detailed instructions on how to review and reflect on the data and next steps to consider upon data reflection.
To access the Well-Being Index, see: https://turnaroundusa.org/well-being-index/
For more commentary, see Turnaround for Children’s blog post here: https://turnaroundusa.org/why-assessing-well-being-is-important-in-schools-introducing-the-well-being-index/
