Teaching Students To Thrive

Amplify Engagement. Elevate Wellbeing. Unlock Potential.

AUDIENCE: Educators
TIME: Keynote with the option to expand into a workshop
DEIVERY MODE: Onsite or virtually via zoom
KEY FOCUS: Wellbeing, resilience, personal leadership, meaning, relationships, positive emotions, accomplishment, growth mindset.

OVERVIEW

When students thrive, schools flourish. Yet today’s educators face mounting challenges – from mental health pressures to disengagement and competing demands. Teaching Students to Thrive equips them with strategies and renewed inspiration to unlock every student’s true potential.

This high-impact keynote blends Daniel’s signature Get the Monkeys Off Your Back® framework with compelling storytelling, humour, and evidence-based strategies, empowering educators to:

Identify and remove the “5 monkeys” that limit student potential
Build strong connections and inspire trust and engagement
Apply practical tools to boost student focus, motivation and performance.
Cultivate learning environments that foster wellbeing and long-term growth.

FOR SCHOOLS

Teaching Students to Thrive can either be delivered as:

A stand-alone EMPOWER HOUR (for wellbeing days, staff PD sessions, teacher appreciation days, staff conferences)
A dynamic and fun WORKSHOP (for professional development days or staff retreats)

FOR CONFERENCE ORGANISERS

Teaching Students to Thrive is an ideal keynote for:

Education Conferences
Wellbeing Events
Educator Development Days
Association Conferences
School Leadership Events

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Hear What People Are Saying

National Education Summit 2022 | Teaching students to THRIVE | Daniel Merza

Deputy Principal @ Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown | WELLBEING | Testimonials for Daniel Merza

Head of Middle School | THRIVING WELLBEING | St Luke’s Anglican School QLD

Raha International School – Abu Dhabi, UAE | LEADER OF YOUR LIFE | Testimonials for Daniel Merza

“You came to my school today and I just wanted to say thank you. I had a really stressful and overall bad year last year. I really needed to hear what you said. My brain hasn’t been able to keep up with everything and I need to get those damn monkeys off my back so bad. Because of your speech, I can finally figure out a way to breathe. Thank you so much.”

Narooma High School, NSW

Year 11 Student

“I just want to say a huge thank you for doing what you do. I’m going through some bullying at the moment and your talk really helped give me another perspective. I also hope that the bullies were touched by your words just as much as I was.”

St Michael’s College, Adelaide

Year 8 Student

“Thank you for your day with us yesterday with our students and staff. Such a great message and I have already had some great experiences with students since with talking about which monkeys they need to get off their back”

Prescott College Southern College, SA

Deputy Principal

“I loved it, especially how the ‘baggage’ has now become ‘the monkeys’ and relatable on every level. I’d definitely recommend this to other schools”

Jericho State School, QLD

Principal

“Thank you once again for today. Your fantastic wisdom and inspiration was wonderful for the year group. I know they would have found today really valuable. I know I did.”

Magdalene Catholic College

Year 9 coordinator

“Highly relevant material that caused much discussion and reflection. Very positive feedback from all who attended.”

Hunter Valley Grammar School

Head of Senior School

“The tools provided were excellent. I’d thoroughly recommend Daniel’s work to other schools”

One School Global, QLD

Principal

“Daniel’s “monkeys” are a great way of framing a lot of wellbeing / positive psychology / mental health theory and strategy. A must for other schools.”

Orange Anglican Grammar School, NSW

Secondary Pastoral Care Coordinator

“Two really fantastic days with Daniel, working with our students, staff and parents. Highly engaging, relevant and relatable. Thoroughly recommend.”

Prince Alfred College, SA

Dean of Students