Making well-being a priority can be a challenge for educators, yet it is critical and makes a positive difference in the well-being and happiness of children and youth. Chris Wejr, the principal of James Hill Elementary School in Langley, shares his journey of finding well-being at work and at home.

We are excited to welcome Dr. Patricia Jennings, M.Ed., Ph.D. to our upcoming Heart-Mind 2018 conference. Dr. Jennings is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of social and emotional learning and mindfulness in education, with a specific emphasis on teacher stress and how it impacts the social and emotional context of the classroom.

Heart-Mind 2016: Cultivating Resilience took place October 21-22 at the Bell Centre for Performing Arts in Surrey, British Columbia. As a conference dedicated to helping the adults who teach and care for children, this year was focussed on one of the key positive human qualities that promotes Heart-Mind well-being: resilience. Over the two days, over 650 attendees from all over the BC and from as far away as Brazil and the Netherlands - the largest audience to ever attend a Heart-Mind conference - participated in keynote presentations, workshops, musical performances, Connect and Reflect breaks, and mindfulness activities.

Eli Puterman is a health psychologist and assistant professor at the University of British Columbia in the School of Kinesiology. He has advanced an innovative model of resiliency that suggests that physical activity and other healthy behaviours can mitigate the negative biological impacts of life course adversities. He has published extensively on how stress can affect us and the benefits of living an active life — and demonstrates how this can help us to be more resilient.

What first inspired you to focus your research on the topic of resilience?

Based in Vancouver, Canada, Shelley Moore’s research interests integrate the theory and practice of inclusive education, special education, curriculum and teacher professional development. She is particularly interested in how students of all abilities can be included meaningfully while also contributing to the learning of their peers.