People First, Students Second

Abstract

The L.E.A.D. program involves teacher candidates collaborating with schools in the delivery of leadership programming for at-risk youth. Compulsory to their learning throughout the program, teacher candidates learn about various topics regarding support for at-risk students' wellbeing. This chapter presents an intervention for supporting at-risk youths' overall wellness which could be integrated within a L.E.A.D. practice. Previous interventions targeting social-skills and self-regulatory behaviour for at-risk elementary students increased academic achievement. Given the interrelationship between emotion and cognition, a “metawellness” intervention that employs metacognition and metaemotion, directed to the six domains of wellness (i.e., physical, emotional, social, intellectual, occupational, spiritual) is proposed for educators to apply to at-risk learners. Hypothetical cases are examined to illustrate potential pathways for, and benefits of, implementing the intervention with at-risk learners. Limitations and recommendations for the present intervention are included.