Mental health is something to be very aware of as an educator as having a classroom of 20-30 students can be a lot to manage and make sure that everyone is doing okay, so it is important to be aware of the signs that someone may be going through if they are struggling with their mental health. As mentioned in some of the articles it should always be the first step if you see someone struggling is to take action and do something about it as an educator, whether that means talking to the principal or talking to a parent about maybe some of the signs that have been brought to your attention in the classroom. Sometimes researching different mental health disorders can help you as an educator become more knowledgeable so that you can better adjust and fit the needs of the students. This will also make them feel more comfortable and that they matter. There are many mental health disorders that can make a student feel less than but this should be brought to their attention that it will only make them stronger as something. Maybe as an educator you help them find the tools they need to overcome it and make a difference.
References
Mental health diagnosis. (n.d.). National Alliance On Mental Illness https://naminycmetro.org/diagnoses-mental-health/bipolar-disorder/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5-uuBhDzARIsAAa21T_PonvlMtvbsj5z6YOJ3VSkGudKNJJajqY28lS7TWWOgBeBQimasboaAmWbEALw_wcB
Anderson, M. (2020). Here’s How Schools Can Support Students’ Mental Health.https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/09/20/459843929/heres-how-schools-can-support-students-mental-health
We Are Teachers Staff. (2017). What To Do When A Student Self-Harms. https://www.weareteachers.com/student-self-harm/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1660357871
https://flip.com/s/PRWqh9y-1gMH
Erin Wilkey . (2019, March 25). Teachers’ Essential Guide to Cyberbullying Prevention. Common Sense Education; Common Sense Education. https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/teachers-essential-guide-to-cyberbullying-prevention
TELUS. (2020). TELUS | Dark Cloud: the high cost of cyberbullying. On YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrnoElVEUTA
Affairs (ASPA), A. S. for P. (2019, September 24). Tips for Teachers. StopBullying.gov. https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/tips-for-teachers
Vogels, E., (2022). Teens and Cyberbullying 2022. Pew Research Center https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/12/15/teens-and-cyberbullying-2022/
As someone who wants to be a kindergarten teacher, gun violence as well as school violence can be a tricky topic to deliver to children who are 5-6 years old and may not fully understand this concept yet. I believe that it is definitely important to educate children on this topic and ensure their safety in the classroom. When I think about school violence there are unfortunately a lot of things that fall under that category, some more than others and the first thing that I thought about was bullying. With younger kids I feel as though it is more common and some students are usually doing it because of an underlying issue, whether it be something going on at home or in school this issue is very important to talk about.
School violence contains many aspects such as bullying and cyberbullying, fighting, weapon use, gang violence, and sexual violence. It is important as an educator to be aware of all types of school violence and make sure to have good relationships with students so that if something were to happen they know they can come to you and discuss the situation further.
“All students have the right to learn in a safe school environment. The good news is that school violence can be prevented. Many factors contribute to school violence. Preventing school violence requires addressing the factors that put people at risk for or protect them from violence.”
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Preventing School Violence. Center for disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/schoolviolence/fastfact.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fviolenceprevention%2Fyouthviolence%2Fschoolviolence%2Findex.html
Having healthy relationships with your students is very important because you will be able to tell if something is off on the way they are acting and be able to talk to them privately to see what is going on for them and if they need someone to talk to.
“It can be helpful to ask questions and get your kids talking about their social situation. For instance, find out which friends they are getting along with and which ones they’re not.” “Establishing good communication should start well before the kids are having bullying problems,” says Dr. Pastyrnak.”
Broadwell, L., Colino, S. (2023) How To Deal With Bullying in Schools
https://www.parents.com/kids/problems/bullying/bully-proof-your-child-how-to-deal-with-bullies/
Making sure to keep an I on how children behave is also important as an educator, this will make sure that as a teacher you can see when something is off with a child and when they need some comfort.
My Good Brain (October 7th). Bullying prevention
https://www.mygoodbrain.org/blog/bullying-prevention
This infographic is a very helpful way on how to prevent bullying as well as what steps you can take to make sure that everyones mental health is okay and that if someone needs to talk you know how to be their for them.
In the documentary Bowling for Columbine, it goes over a lot of how guns are supported by many people as there are organizations to make more laws approve the use of guns. Many people feel as though they need to have one at all times for their protection rather than relying on the police. This then leads to more violence as not everyone with a gun knows when the right time to use it is. The school shooting at Columbine High school is absolutely devastating and has happened more in recent years. Gun management needs to be better as guns are being provided to the wrong people and end up devastating innocent people’s lives.
References:
WatchDocumentaries. (2002, October 11). Bowling for Columbine (2002). WatchDocumentaries.com. https://watchdocumentaries.com/bowling-for-columbine/
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Preventing School Violence. Center for disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/schoolviolence/fastfact.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fviolenceprevention%2Fyouthviolence%2Fschoolviolence%2Findex.html
My Good Brain (October 7th). Bullying prevention
https://www.mygoodbrain.org/blog/bullying-prevention
Broadwell, L., Colino, S. (2023) How To Deal With Bullying in Schools
https://www.parents.com/kids/problems/bullying/bully-proof-your-child-how-to-deal-with-bullies/
Gender diversity is becoming more intertwined with the education system as well as diversity in general and it is important to take a deep dive into the facts of diversity as new educators.
As we have seen the Genderbread person, and the concepts of understanding each part of gender, this chart outlines gender identities and what exactly each of them stand for. It is important to understand each of these gender identities so that everyone can feel respected, especially when in the classroom.
As we take a look into the American Psychological Association (APA), we can see all that it offers about learning the correct language and explaining what each of the gender identities are. The section “What can teachers do?” is a really effective way of helping new educators become more aware and better learners of this information so that they can help their students when needed. One takeaway from this list would be the first set of rules “Don’t categorize students by binary gender (e.g., line up by boys/girls).” It is very important to be aware of how we are addressing the students, and make sure they are addressed as a whole and not into groups.
The Respect Online Course is “a really good way of letting more people become aware of the responsibility of sexual health as well as preventing various sexually transmitted diseases from spreading such as HIV as well as pregnancy among the LGBTQ.” This course helps educators become more knowledgeable on this topic so that they can help address any issues that may come their way.
The Pronoun Guide is a really good tool to have as well. This is important to understand as when having a conversation with someone, you want to make sure the correct pronouns are being used. Especially when it comes to a student who is still exploring gender diversity and is maybe unsure what pronouns best fit them. It is important to learn gender diversity as it shows the students that you care for them and accept them for who they are.
Personal thoughts
In recent years there has been more talk about diversity and making sure that everyone is included especially when it comes to being in school. It is very important that as teachers we become aware of all the factors that students may be going through and make sure that we are showing them respect just as we want them to respect us. Gender identity has been made more aware to educators as this is something important to know about in the classroom as well as outside the classroom, so that everyone can feel comfortable in their own learning space. In a school setting it is very easy for students who are still figuring out their identity to feel out of place or that they are different from everyone else and that they may not be socially accepted by their peers or educators. It is important as educators that everyone feels safe in school as well as in their own skin.
References:
Feminist Elizabethan. (n.d.). For the iron lady- A blog that discusses and analyzes pop culture and social issueshttps://feministelizabethan.com/feminist-memes/gender-identities/
Students Exploring Gender Identity. APA mental health primers (n.d.). https://www.apa.org/ed/schools/primer/gender-identity
The Respect Online course. Preventing health risks and promoting healthy outcomes among lesbian gay bisexual transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) students. (n.d.). https://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/programs/safe-supportive/training/respect-online-course
Pronoun Guide. (n.d.). https://www.glsen.org/activity/pronouns-guide-glsen