Mahitahi for Wellbeing

Overview

This 60-minute introductory session launches a ten-week Year 9 wellbeing workbook. Ākonga explore wellbeing through Te Whare Tapa Whā, focusing on taha whānau and mahitahi: learning and working together to strengthen coping, connection and emotional wellbeing. They apply the model to a challenging but age-appropriate situation, then record a practical strategy and personal affirmation.

The workbook will be revisited weekly to build understanding, reflection and self-management. Students may choose not to disclose personal experiences; fictional or general situations are encouraged.

Learning intentions

• WALT explain wellbeing using the four dimensions of Te Whare Tapa Whā.
• WALT describe how mahitahi and supportive relationships can strengthen wellbeing.
• WALT work with a partner to develop a practical coping strategy.
• WALT create an affirmation that supports positive, realistic self-talk.

Success criteria

• I can name and explain the four walls of Te Whare Tapa Whā.
• I can identify how a challenging situation may affect different areas of wellbeing.
• I can contribute respectfully to a pair discussion and listen to another viewpoint.
• I can record one safe coping strategy and an affirmation I could use.

Curriculum links

• Health and Physical Education — Self-care: reframing, setting boundaries and building supportive relationships to strengthen emotional wellbeing.
• Health and Physical Education — Health Education: understanding stress responses and managing challenges through reframing, boundaries and supportive relationships.
• Health and Physical Education — The four dimensions of hauora, including taha whānau and wellbeing through relationships.
• Key competencies: managing self; relating to others; participating and contributing; thinking.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Safe opening. Teacher welcomes students, explains that the class will discuss everyday challenges rather than require personal disclosure, and establishes agreements: pass is allowed, listen without judgement, protect privacy, and seek adult help when safety is involved. Students complete a silent 1–5 check-in for how ready they feel to learn.

2. 5–13 min · Hook and prior knowledge. Open the wellbeing hook and learning intentions and display the question, “What helps a person stay steady when life feels difficult?” Students think independently, share one general idea with a partner, and contribute words or phrases to a class brainstorm. Teacher links responses to coping, relationships and wellbeing.

3. 13–23 min · Teach Te Whare Tapa Whā. Use the Te Whare Tapa Whā teaching slides to introduce the whare as a model of hauora. Explain taha tinana (physical wellbeing), taha hinengaro (mental and emotional wellbeing), taha whānau (relationships and belonging), and taha wairua (values, identity, meaning and connection). Emphasise that the walls support one another and that wellbeing can change over time. Students sketch or label the four walls in the first workbook page and write one example of what supports each wall.

4. 23–38 min · Paired situation mapping. Distribute the ten-week wellbeing workbook and ask pairs to choose one fictional or general challenge, such as preparing for an assessment, friendship tension, being left out, a busy week, online conflict or trying something unfamiliar. Students map the situation across the four walls: What might be affected? What could help? What support might be needed? Teacher circulates, checks that situations are safe and prompts deeper thinking with questions such as, “Which wall could be strengthened first?” and “Who could help?”

5. 38–49 min · Coping strategy and affirmation. Pairs select one practical, safe strategy and record it in their workbook. Strategies might include breaking a task into steps, taking a breathing or movement pause, asking a trusted person for help, setting a respectful boundary, using a sleep or study routine, or challenging an unhelpful thought. They write an affirmation that is believable and specific, such as, “I can take one step at a time and ask for support.” Students identify which wall or walls the strategy supports and explain why.

6. 49–57 min · Respectful sharing circle. Teacher reminds students that passing is acceptable and that comments should respond to ideas, not people. In a circle, pairs share their situation in general terms, their strategy and affirmation. After each contribution, the class may offer one respectful response: “That could strengthen wellbeing because…” Teacher records examples of mahitahi on the board, including listening, encouraging, including, cooperating and seeking help.

7. 57–60 min · Exit reflection. Students complete the final section of the ten-week wellbeing workbook: “One thing I understand about wellbeing is…”, “One way mahitahi can help is…”, and “My next small step is…”. Collect or photograph the first completed pages to monitor progress and remind students that the workbook will be developed over the remaining nine weeks.

Ten-week workbook pathway

Use the same workbook throughout the unit, adding one dated section each week:

• Week 1: What is hauora? Te Whare Tapa Whā and mahitahi.
• Week 2: Recognising stress responses and body signals.
• Week 3: Reframing unhelpful thoughts.
• Week 4: Affirmations and realistic self-talk.
• Week 5: Coping strategies: breathe, pause, move and ground.
• Week 6: Setting boundaries and communicating assertively.
• Week 7: Supportive relationships and asking for help.
• Week 8: Problem-solving difficult situations.
• Week 9: Creating a personal wellbeing plan.
• Week 10: Reviewing growth, strategies and next steps.

Resources

• the ten-week wellbeing introduction deck
• the ten-week wellbeing workbook
• Whiteboard and markers
• Pens or pencils
• Timer
• Optional calm music for individual reflection
• Teacher safeguarding and pastoral support information

Assessment

• Listen to pair discussions and question students about how the four walls connect to the chosen situation.
• Check workbook entries for accurate use of Te Whare Tapa Whā, a safe and practical coping strategy, and a realistic affirmation.
• Use the exit reflection to identify misconceptions, students needing follow-up support, and themes to revisit in Week 2.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank, illustrated four-wall model, sentence starters and a completed example for students who need literacy or processing support.
• Allow students to draw, bullet-point or dictate responses, and offer a quiet alternative to the sharing circle.
• EAL learners may discuss ideas in their strongest language first and use bilingual dictionaries or a peer language partner.
• Challenge students to explain how one strategy strengthens more than one wall, or to consider when a strategy may not work and what adaptation could help.
• Reinforce that coping strategies support wellbeing but do not replace help from a trusted adult or professional when a situation involves harm, ongoing distress or safety concerns.