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Mental Health and Well-Being - Coggle Diagram
Mental Health and Well-Being
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is being able to bring our full attention to our experience in the present moment (Murphy, 2020).
Mindfulness impacts on teachers provides increased levels of caring, enhanced relationships with their students, and strengthened resilience (Murphy, 2020).
Mindfulness practices with students improves their attention, executive functioning, kindness, compassion, empathy, and perspective-taking. Students practicing mindfulness will do better in school and have increased SEL (Murphy, 2020).
There are 4 tips for including mindfulness in the classroom which are to begin with ourselves, ensure mindfulness practices are introduced in secular ways, offer mindfulness practices that are sensitive to trauma, and into a culturally responsive and inclusive teaching approach (Murphy, 2020).
I implemented deep breathing exercises with the students to prepare them for when they are being filmed for the classroom's virtual tour.
Mental Wellness
This balance is enriched when individuals have a purpose in their daily lives, hope for the future, sense of belonging and meaning (Health Canada and Assembly of First Nations, 2014).
Mental health and substance use are the main priorities for First Nations communities (Health Canada and Assembly of First Nations, 2014).
Mental wellness is defined as having this balance of the mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional (Health Canada and Assembly of First Nations, 2014).
Supported by First Nations culture, language, Elders, families, and creation (Health Canada and Assembly of First Nations, 2014).
Outlines 5 themes for essential mental wellness services (Health Canada and Assembly of First Nations, 2014).
Integrate culturally specific interventions
Enhance First Nations mental wellness
Access to quality care supports
Collaborate with partners to provide mental wellness services
Flexible funding
Teacher self-care
Experiencing teacher burnout
Important to practice mindfulness such as yoga, deep breathing exercises, and movement and stretch breaks throughout the day. For instance, my practicum provides three recesses in different zones of the school yard which allows them to be outdoors for majority of the school day.
Teachers are experiencing stress and excessive use of empathy and emotional resources within the teaching profession causes us to become exhausted (Palmer, 2020).
Factors that lead to teacher burnout are precarious work, heavy workloads, students' demands, lack of planning time, support and resources (Palmer, 2020).
Self-care is not an indulgence, but it is necessary in the work we do. As teachers, we need the skills and strategies to maintain our personal, emotional, and spiritual needs while also attending to the needs of other at the same time (Palmer, 2020).
Workplace well-being in which teachers feel that they are being supported in their role, experience less stress, and are equipped with skills to take care of their own well-being (Palmer, 2020).
Shift in mindset, move from self-sacrifice to self-care (Palmer, 2020).
Self-regulation
Everyone has mental health. Necessary that schools help students develop self-regulation strategies.
In my practicum, my AT helped the students learn various self-help strategies especially during the pandemic where all the desks are spaced apart. Students learned to work independently.
The ability to manage energy expenditure in response to stressors and then can recover from the effort (Shanker, 2017).
In my practicum, students are seated at their own desks and are unable to work with others. Students are learning to self-regulate and find quiet activities to do while they wait for myself or my AT.
The five R's of self-regulation as ways to address stressors: reframe, recognize, reduce, reflect, and respond (Shanker & Hoffman, 2015).
Stress
Impact of trauma on the brain and signs of stress. Students in heightened stress states will seem to be sad a lot, develop a hair-trigger, see neutral facial expressions as threats, etc. (Shanker, 2017).
Five key strategies for addressing trauma-related stress include providing the greatest possible feeling of safety and security in the home, helping students learn and become aware of how it feels to be calm, and helping them become aware of and express their emotions (Shanker, 2017).
Support students in managing and coping with stress. Through instructions and modelling, teachers can help students practice coping strategies ("Everyday Mental Health Classroom Resource", n.d.)
One of the students experienced stress during math and language periods. I learned to be patient and also provide one-on-one support for the student in order to support him with understanding the concepts.
Caring and Supportive school environments
All students require a caring and safe environment and individualized support to help them learn and stay in school (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2010).
Students who are experiencing positive school culture feel supported and accepted by peers and school personnel. Thus, feelings of belonging enhance students' self-esteem which can contribute to their academic functioning and mental health (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2010).
A caring and safe school culture is a place where students, staff members, parents, and community members are treating each other fairly, and with respect and kindness (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2010).
I established positive relationships through building rapport with each of my students in order to meet their needs and learn about their interests. For example, I learned that one of the students who has ADHD enjoys activities that allow him to cut and paste.
I supported a student to help them stay focused on their work by using a behaviour log and provided him with incentives.
There is a "shared space" which is a small resource room that connected both Grade 2/3 classrooms together which is provided for students if they feel that they need a break from the classroom.
Social and emotional learning
Positive outcomes of SEL programs shows improved academic achievement, attitudes toward school and education, improved mental health, and improved social behaviours (Shanker, 2014).
Reduction in anxiety, depression and emotional distress (Shanker, 2014).