Wellbeing

Cultivating Attention and Awareness for Thriving Learners

At Kinross Wolaroi School, our ongoing partnership with Professor Lea Waters’ Visible Wellbeing program continues to shape the way we nurture student resilience, learning, and personal growth. Our students have recently been engaging with another vital element of the SEARCH framework: Attention and Awareness.

In a world full of distractions, helping students learn to focus their attention and increase self-awareness is more important than ever. Attention and Awareness refers to the ability to be fully present in the moment—aware of one’s thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and surroundings. As Professor Waters notes, this capacity not only supports wellbeing but enhances learning, decision-making, and relationships.

This term, our students have explored attention and awareness through both structured Wellbeing activities and everyday classroom practices. They’ve been encouraged to slow down, notice what’s going on around them and within them, and reflect on how their focus affects how they feel and function. Whether through short mindfulness exercises, silent reflection time, or guided journaling, students are learning that where they place their attention matters.

One key learning has been recognising the power of the present moment. When students become more aware of their thoughts and emotions in real-time, they are better equipped to regulate their responses, avoid reactivity, and re-centre themselves during stress. This supports not only emotional regulation (a skill explored earlier through Emotional Management) but also improves concentration, classroom engagement, and confidence.

For example, students have practised strategies such as “anchoring” their attention using their five senses—touching an object, listening closely to a sound, or focusing on their breathing. These seemingly simple strategies have a powerful impact. They help calm the nervous system, sharpen focus, and allow students to shift out of auto-pilot and into conscious, intentional thinking.

Another benefit of attention and awareness is that it supports perspective-taking. When students are more aware of their own mental and emotional states, they become more attuned to the feelings and experiences of others. This deepens empathy and strengthens relationships—another key pathway in the SEARCH model.

Throughout the term, we have also revisited earlier wellbeing themes—such as strengths, emotional regulation, coping, and goal-setting—through the lens of awareness. Students have reflected on questions like: What helps me stay focused? What distracts me? What do I notice about my emotions or habits in different settings? These reflections build self-knowledge and empower students to make thoughtful choices aligned with their personal values and learning goals.

We encourage families to support this journey at home. Asking questions such as “What did you notice about your focus today?” or “How did you bring your attention back when you got distracted?” can help your child deepen their awareness and apply these insights across all areas of life.

As we continue our Visible Wellbeing journey, we remain committed to equipping students not just with academic knowledge but with lifelong skills to help them flourish. By nurturing attention and awareness, we are helping students build a solid foundation for resilience, presence, and purpose—in school and beyond.