Annie Ryan Creator of the MMI Journal's 1 Non- Negotiable for Promoting Wellbeing in the Classroom!

BEFORE I BEGIN… I am deeply committed to wellbeing in my own classroom, and while I’m eager to share my experiences, I’m in no way claiming to be an expert. I absolutely do not have all the answers surrounding this topic, and that’s why I’ve kept this as practical as possible—no facts or stats, just insights that I hope you’ll find helpful.

Wellbeing has become a poignant topic in education recently, and rightly so. We all know children’s mental health is an issue globally, and while there are countless methods, strategies, and theories being developed to improve wellbeing, today I want to bring it back to one fundamental basic, and that is relationships.

If you were to walk into my classroom, you’d see practical examples of my commitment to wellbeing- a calm corner, a mindfulness table, daily feelings check-ins, and students practising self-regulation techniques like breathing exercises. These visible classroom features offer choice and opportunity to access effective tools to promote wellbeing. These tools are all effective, but only because they’re rooted in something even more important: the relationships we’ve established within our class community.

So, here’s what I want to ask you:

1. Do you make time in your day to check in with each pupil?

2. Do you know what makes each child tick—their likes, dislikes?

3. Do your pupils have time to talk to each other every day?

4. Do they know they’re your priority, even when things get busy?

5. Are you modelling good relationships with your colleagues?

If your answer to any of these is ‘no,’ ask yourself why. The reason will often be ‘lack of time’—and I totally get it! The jam-packed curriculum and endless to-do list make it hard to find moments for relationship-building. But if we’re serious about wellbeing, we must make time for it. Prioritising the importance of wellbeing in our classrooms is an investment for life. Positive mental health is a journey, not a destination and as educators, we must make it our responsibility to guide our learners on this journey.

Building meaningful connections isn’t about setting aside a “wellbeing” or “mindfulness” slot on Thursday afternoon. Instead, let’s embrace flexibility. Give children the space to share their feelings, thoughts, and challenges when they need it, with people they trust. This allows for a natural, ongoing development of positive relationships.

Having seen the power of relationships in developing positive wellbeing, and the need for a resource to support this in various settings, I have recently created a positivity journal called Me, Myself and I, for children aged 3-11. Filled with activities based on key themes around emotional and social wellbeing, the journal promotes open conversations, suitable for use either at home or in school. The journal-based activities build on and support the positive relationships already in place, offering consistent support as children navigate life.

If you’re interested in learning more about the journal or just enjoyed this post, please follow on Instagram @mmi_journal. And remember, taking small, everyday steps toward relationship-building can truly transform the atmosphere in any classroom. The strategies that will work best for this are the ones that suit you and your learners, there is no one size fits all or a right time or place. Keep the conversation about relationships and wellbeing going by sharing this blog post or as Nadine says, chatting about it over a cuppa tea in the staffroom!