Mental wellness matters during COVID-19
There is a growing need for mental health support for youth. From anxiety to depression, which can be compounded by issues like bullying, trauma, and lack of access to basic needs, 20 percent of children and adolescents will experience a mental health concern during their school years.
This year, that need is even more pressing. The pandemic has meant closed schools, financial insecurity, and a decrease in social connection — all things that uproot teens' lives. A recent survey found that in 2020 the proportion of teens age 11 to 17 who searched for help with mental health was up 9 percent.
At some point during an educator's career, the classroom and the relationship a teacher has with these young people can be a powerful force in helping them to feel safe and important, and to provide the one stable place in their lives. But not all teachers know exactly what to do, or how to do it, in order to help support these students.
Understand unique challenges
Like most kids, students don't want to be singled out. Encourage teachers to understand that the lives of youth aren't like most average students — students are pulled in a million different directions, so it's extremely difficult for them to just jump into a new classroom and feel a part of it all.
Teachers can make the classroom feel like an open environment. They can let the entire class know that it's a safe place where students can come if they need to talk. It would go a long way to opening the discussion for those much-needed mental health check-ins — there is a growing need for mental health support for youth, similar to the general population, with 20 percent of children and adolescents experiencing a mental health concern during their school years.
Make mental health part of the daily check-in
Teachers are in an important position to support students' mental health. It can be as simple as helping students see the connection between their mental health and academics — available for students when they are in need, not just during classroom talks.
Thoughts, behaviours, and emotions influence each other in positive and negative ways. Helping students identify when they or a peer may need help for their mental health, how to get help, and what to expect when seeking treatment gives them strategies to turn a negative cycle into a positive one — understanding the impact of stress, the brain's influence, and the impact our environment can have on our mental health.
Self-awareness
Self-awareness is the ability to see yourself clearly and objectively through reflection and introspection. While it may not be possible to attain total objectivity about oneself, there are certainly degrees of self-awareness — it exists on a spectrum. Although everyone has a fundamental idea of what self-awareness is, we don't know exactly where it comes from, what its precursors are, or why some of us seem to have more or less than others.
Self-management
Self-management is about preparing for the future, owning your present, and taking care in what you do — as well as learning how you could do better next time. It's a really important way to grow as a person, not just in the workplace. From managing your time to prioritising tasks, being organised will help you improve your employability and also your life.
Self-management skills in school and education
- Show initiative by starting a project or activity on your own — for example, if you've always wanted to start your own blog, go for it.
- Volunteer for charity events and come up with ideas to make them even more successful, whether it's creating eye-catching display stands for a school fair or offering your unique skills (like designing flyers and leaflets).
- On a group project, build your teamwork skills while learning from someone else and contributing your own ideas so you both grow.
- Volunteering at a charity shop, or reading with a younger sibling every week, shows initiative and the value of service to others.
- Getting homework out of the way leaves you stress-free and with more free time on your hands.
- Staying organised helps you keep your timetable secure so you attend classes and lectures on time.
- Making lists and study notes in advance helps you keep to a revision schedule and leave enough time for trickier subjects.
- Breaking big chunks of revision into smaller, bite-sized pieces helps you revise more productively and feel in charge during exams.
- Preparing for big events like exams usually means less stress, and a better balance of work, study and relaxation.
Relationship skills
Most of us aren't relationship experts — we make mistakes, we do and say things we regret, and our relationships subsequently suffer. This isn't just about relationships with significant others, but with friends and family too. In every case, there are expectations and standards that must be met to maintain healthy, loving bonds. Mental health professionals point to eight keys to doing just that: honesty, self-awareness, understanding, empathy, support, time, open-mindedness, and shared experiences.
Social awareness
Social awareness is the ability to take the perspective of, and empathize with, others from diverse backgrounds and cultures; to understand social and ethical norms for behaviour; and to recognize family, school and community resources and supports. It's a crucial component of appropriate classroom behaviour, contributing to an environment conducive to learning, and it's widely established as an important factor in workforce success — one employer survey found that four of the five most important skills for high school graduates entering the workforce are linked to social awareness: professionalism, collaboration, communication, and social responsibility.
We must resist thinking in siloed terms when it comes to social-emotional learning, academics, and equity — these elements of our work as educators and partners go hand in hand.
Why this matters
Positive classroom climate. Students with strong social awareness can more easily adapt to their environment, empathize with others' perspectives, and engage in fewer disruptive classroom behaviours — creating an environment where students can focus on learning.
Better relationships. Students who demonstrate strong social awareness can engage in constructive communication with peers and resolve conflicts when they arise, benefiting from peer learning and knowing how to take advantage of social supports.
Fewer risky behaviours. Students who can adapt to new environments, understand others' needs and perspectives, and know where to get support when they need it are less prone to emotional distress and less likely to engage in risky behaviours that interfere with school success.
Responsible decision-making
Responsible decision-making is defined by CASEL as "the ability to make constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on ethical standards, safety concerns, and social norms." To make responsible decisions effectively, students need to build competency in a few key areas.
Identify the problem
Students must be able to accurately recognize when they have encountered a problem — from difficulty meeting classroom expectations, to choosing whether to complete homework, to deciding whether to engage in unhealthy behaviour. For some, recognizing that they're in a difficult situation can be challenging due to language-based difficulties or social communication weaknesses.
Analyze the situation
Once students identify a problem, they need to analyze it from a variety of angles, including how and why it arose. Educator guidance can help students fully understand their role in the developing situation.
Solve the problem
After identifying, analyzing and considering the problem, students need to develop and practice methods for solving it — identifying possible options and exploring the potential consequences of each. Educators can guide the practice and implementation of these methods, and individual students may need to be creative in fitting solutions to their own profiles.
Consider ethical responsibility
Beyond the natural or identified consequences of a decision, students must also consider any ethical or moral obligations they feel or are held to — for instance, weighing the potential ethical repercussions before choosing to look at someone else's test.
Evaluate and reflect
Evaluating and reflecting on what happened is almost as important as the decision-making process itself. Taking the time to evaluate how successfully a problem was identified, analyzed and solved helps students note necessary changes and incorporate them into their next decision.
Physical activity
Physical activity can have a big positive impact for the rest of a student's life. With more freedom in choosing physical activity after school, students should make the best use of it by opting for activities that are enjoyable and give a good workout. Aim for a level that's comfortable at the start — even a small amount of physical activity each day brings benefits, and just ten minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a day makes a difference.
A good target is two and a half hours of vigorous activity, or five hours of moderate activity, a week — spread across as many days as needed, with a minimum session time of ten minutes. Not all activities count as a workout: brisk walking counts, but casual walking while shopping doesn't. Options include walking, biking, swimming, dance classes, aerobics, various sports, and gym workouts.
If using equipment, know and follow the necessary safety precautions, and stretch before and after exercise to help stay active and pain-free. Proper nutrition is key to getting the most out of workouts too.