According to the World Health organization mental health is defined as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” (as cited in Meldrum, Venn, & Kutcher, n.d., p. 3). Additionally many studies show that 14-25% of children and youth (800,000+ in Canada) deal with significant mental health issues (SBMHSA, 2013).
In my 21st centuries Class (EDUC4P27) which I mentioned in my last post, we learned all about the different types of literacies in the classroom. One that sparked my interest the most was Mental health literacy, which is essentially teaching students about recognition, management, and prevention of mental health problems (CAMIMH as cited in Whitley, Smith, & Vaillancourt, 2013). Due to its growing prevalence in children I think it is a very important topic to talk about in regards to eduction. According to SBMHSA (2013), because children spend such a large amount of time each day in a educational setting, it makes schools a natural place for mental health service delivery. Therefore teachers who are directly working with students all day, also play a huge role in impacting students health and well being. For more detail on incorporating Mental health literacy into schooling please look at the video below:
In the video Dr. Stan Kutchar talks about the importance of Mental health literacy in schools and how certain strategies work better than others (e.g. mental health walks V.S. mental health curriculum). He also talks about the importance of the teacher and their mental health knowledge. Finally, he argues that age level/grade can also change what kind of things mental health literacy needs to focus on: for elementary schools a focus on socioemotional learning, for junior-high and high schools a focus on curriculum-embedded mental health information, and for post-secondary a focus on resources that students can access themselves. These are some of the important aspects to consider when implementing mental health literacy. Another important factor to consider is stigma.
One of the biggest obstacles preventing children and adolescents from going to get help for mental illnesses is the social stigma against it (Meldrum, Venn, & Kutcher, n.d.; SBMHSA, 2013). However research has proven that early intervention and screening for mental health issues is crucial to prevention and teachers can play a huge role in this. According to Meldrum, Venn, and Kutcher (n.d.) teachers have four main roles in advancing mental health in schools: policy reform, curriculum, support system, and teacher training. To support these roles there are many activities and school programs have been developed.
School based anti-stigma activities help improve the understanding of mental health and create more positive attitudes towards mental illnesses (Meldrum, Venn, and Kutcher, n.d.). These types of programs could help student feel more comfortable sharing their struggles with their peers and encourage them to seek help from teachers and other adults. Another specific education program is “Understanding Adolescent Depression and Suicide Education Training Program” (www.teenmentalhealth.org) which helps identify the symptoms of depression, risk factors for suicide, and appropriate referral practices for at-risk children and youth (Meldrum, Venn, and Kutcher, n.d.). Finally a campaign in partnership between Ontario Shores and the Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health, is meant to bring mental health awareness into high schools and communities. For more information about this please follow this link (www.ontarioshores.ca/education/highschoolandelementary/adolescent_mental_health_literacy_program/)
 |
| Promotional poster for campaign |
With all that being said Mental health literacy is a super important literacy in todays classroom as children are increasingly being diagnosed with mental health disorders. Although I have never personally battled with a mental illness, I have a few close friends who have, so I know the tremendous impact it can have on not only home life but also school life. Like any disorders whether it’s physical, intellectual, learning, or mental health, they all impact that individual person in varying ways and it is important as a future educator to be able to help students who may be struggling with any one of these and let them know they are not alone. That is why I feel so strongly about this literacy and I will definitely incorporate this in my future classroom!
- Meldrum, L., Venn, D., & Kutcher, S. (n.d.). Mental health in schools: How teachers have the power to make a difference. Retrieved from http://www.ctf-fce.ca/Research-Library/Issue8_Article1_EN.pdf
- SBMHSA (2013). School-based mental health in Canada: A final report school-based mental health and substance abuse consortium. Retrieved from http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/system/files/private/document/ChildYouth_School_Based_Mental_Health_Canada_Final_Report_ENG.pdf
- Whitley, J., Smith, J. D., & Vaillancourt, T. (2013). Promoting mental health literacy among educators: Critical in school-based prevention and intervention. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 28(1), 56-70.
No comments:
Post a Comment