Recently in Books Category

This is a very generous offer from Nikki Harre, an academic in New Zealand.  You can download a PDF copy of her book Psychology for a Better World from here. Having dipped into it quickly it makes a good case for what we are all trying to do in Wellbeing Australia in promoting a sustainable, ethical world for the future wellbeing of our children. http://www.psych.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/download-the-book

'Be Brave' is a book of encouragement for kids (from senior primary school age into senior high school) to help them disclose that they have been or are being hurt by another person.

Red Chocolate Elephants is an educational DVD and book resource for children and families bereaved by suicide. "The text speaks directly to children, and is simply illustrated with the drawings and quotations of children who have lost a father to suicide. Even better, the accompanying DVD offers these same youngsters speaking their words aloud as we also see their beautiful and moving drawings of their experience." A review on ABC News website is here.

Our focus is on how to build friendly and safe school communities rather than addressing the problems of individual bullies and those that are bullied. Wellbeing Australia takes the view that bullying will only be properly addressed when whole school / whole class policy and practice support students (and others in the community) supporting each other. 

The focus is on children, education and developing resilient communities.

These texts either outline theory or look at ways in which social and emotional literacy might be put into practice. You are invited to submit reviews / comments or suggestions for inclusion.

Planting the Peace Virus

Robyn Hromek

This book describes a systematic whole-school approach to creating an ethos of non-violence in primary schools. It is based largely on a program implemented at Byron Bay PS for which the school received an anti-violence award. Evaluation of the program indicated that violence and harassment declined and after several years was rare. The 'peace virus' had grown.

Review of Roslyn Arnold (2005) Empathic Intelligence: Teaching, learning, relating. Sydney: UNSW Press