Mental Health in Education

 Mental Health is a rising topic in the education field. Mental health concerns both the well-being of both students and teachers within a school. Addressing mental health is important for the social, emotional, and physical safety of all in the classroom, or school as a whole. According to NAMI, about one in six children have some type of mental health issue, however only 50% of those students receive any type of help. This is an issue that is very prevalent in our world today and should be address. In an educational setting, most schools have some type of counselor, social worker, therapists or coaches that work with

Elementary students talking with guidance counselor

students experiencing some type of mental health issues. Students can experience many different things in their home life or school life that could effect their mental health. For example, some students might have issues of an abusive home which could cause depression and others might have test anxiety which can worsen their stress and anxiety overall. As teachers it is important that we can be a proper resource in the classroom that is able to talk about these issues and help address them.

I think that mental health is one area the the school system are really lacking in currently. I would love to see a push in the advocacy of support for mental health in our schools and classrooms. Personally, in my school it was looked down upon to "have to" go to the guidance office. The resources we underutilized in my schools growing up. I think that by having programs within a school day that advocate for mental health awareness and really work towards removing the stigma around things like anxiety and depression would be beneficial for all within the school systems. I think teaching students to use the resources of therapists and counselors is important. I would love to include exercises of self-love and mental health advocacy in my classroom one day. I think this is a great way to create community in the classroom and show your students that you support them and are there to help them.

Poverty in the Classroom

 Poverty within the education system is very prevalent and an issue that is not discussed enough in our current date and age. According to research by the NASSP, around 20 percent of students under the age of 18 live in levels of poverty in the school year 2015-2016. Poverty has many effects on a child's education. Poverty can often be linked to physical health and mental health as well. Students can have a hard time concentrating in class or even completing homework. Poverty effects students' lives more than just financially. Students can struggle from a lack of sleep, neglect, hunger, and lacking basic necessities. This overall effects a students school readiness, and how likely they are to continue education. Poverty can effect a student in the classroom in many ways. Some students might see school as a safe haven away from an abusive home, while others may fear the social and educational stress of the school day as they don't feel prepared with materials. 

Students in a classroom,
working on a writing assignment.

I think that poverty is a topic that is not addressed enough in education. Poverty effects many children in our school systems all over the United States. Understanding how poverty at home might effect a child in the school academically, mentally, socially, and physically is very important for educators to be aware of. Personally, I went to a magnet school as a child. So I grew up in an area that was well off and did not have much poverty, especially in our school system. However, I when I moved to Knoxville for college I began to volunteer at a local after school program. This program takes place in an area with high poverty rates. Many of the students speak English as. their second language was well. This experience really opened my eyes to new perspectives. I started to realize how important it is to work intentionally with these children that experience poverty of any level. By providing children with support and really listening to them and their experiences, we are able to guide their education and really focus on the students. By knowing their situation we can work with their parents, the administration, teachers, and other students to provide the best educational experience possible for each student. Creating a personalize experience for students, especially those struggling in their home life, will create an association of positivity and encouragement in schools, which will hopefully allow students to pursue higher education. Overall, poverty effects many students, whether we are able to recognize it or not, we should treat our students with kindness, encouragement, and intention in order for them to have a maximal educational experience. 

What is a "Flipped Classroom"?

A flipped classroom is known as a way to pursue "active learning" in a classroom. This classroom structure has the students doing lectures and other types of instruction outside of class time. Therefore, class time is used for discussion of materials and applying critical thinking skills. The students do all of the assigned work as "homework" outside of class time and then they come in to class prepared to discuss or do an activity that relates to the content that was read or watched. This is an amazing way to have deeper class discussions and allow for peer collaboration. The students are given the materials beforehand, so the teacher has to be organized and on top of the schedule, in order for no one to fall behind! This approach allows for many benefits in a classroom. Harvard University lists benefits of flipped classrooms as being flexible, having student's being able to pursue the materials at their own pace, and student responsibility is increased. The students are able to access materials and learn the content before the class; they can also reach out for help or come to class with questions prepared. It allows for a more student directed and deep-diving in-class conversation. 

I have had a flipped classroom in many of my college classes. I have really enjoyed the atmosphere that a flipped classroom has created. It allows the student to go about the materials in their own way. Personally, I am a slower reader and note taker, so this approach allows me to take my time and really digest the lecture, videos, and other reading materials that are assigned. My in class experiences have been less stressful as well. I have felt more excited to go to class and really learn by having discussions with my

  A classroom discussion, where students can
 ask clarifying  questions from the materials
they learned outside of the classroom.

peers and relate the content to the real world, instead of sitting and taking notes on a lecture. Additionally, it creates responsibility and independence for the student, which are both important life skills. The in class discussion becomes much more rich and student led as well, because everyone is already aware of the content. I think that during this time of COVID-19 this approach is ideal because if a student is sick or having to quarantine, then they will not miss out in the content of the course. The student would only miss the deeper dive of discussions, but no content. I think that this approach would be harder for elementary and middle school students. The younger students need the one on one teacher contact, which comes with in class teachings. However, when students gain the skills of good note taking, then they will no longer need the one on one connection with the teacher to take successful lecture notes. Overall, this approach is a great technique that should be integrated in upper high school classrooms or college courses, because they are self-sufficient.