By Dr. Caelan Soma, Chief Clinical Officer
As students and educators start back to school this year, it is essential to remember that they bring more with them than their backpacks and tote bags filled with books and supplies. Educators are currently the most burnt-out profession in the United States, and there is a National Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (Benton et al., 2021). Educators cite their emotional investment in students, responsibilities, pressure, work-life balance, administrative responsibilities, and changes in policy and curriculum as factors weighing them down (Doan et al., 2023). For children and adolescents, there has been a continued rise in the number diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. Students report their emotional load is due to challenges at home and in their neighborhoods, expectations at home and school, and worrying about their families and friends (Fortuna et al., 2023).
Acknowledge and Validate
When schools acknowledge that educators and students carry emotional challenges and validate their presence, academics improve, negative social behaviors are reduced, and positive classroom climates are more likely to be experienced.
Provide Professional Development and Resources
Educators and students both benefit when provided with new opportunities for training and learning. Increasing knowledge, skills, and effectiveness with teachers and learning results in excellent outcomes and helps with collaboration and connection-building.
Offer Emotional and Mental Health Services
Consider integrating emotional and mental health services into your school district. Access to services is a considerable difficulty for both educators and students because of time, scheduling conflicts, transportation, and practitioner availability. Integrated services reduce the barriers associated with these common challenges.
Engage and Communicate
Communication helps build relationships between administration, educators, students, staff, parents, and the wider school community. It also increases overall engagement. When educators and students are more engaged, academic achievement improves, students and educators feel more connected to their school, and they have more fun and a greater sense of hope for the future.
Create a Culture of Well-being
Overall, staff and student wellness is only possible when all stakeholders in the school community are engaged. A comprehensive approach that addresses physical, mental, and emotional well-being is most effective. A focus on wellness can improve mental and physical health, leading to job satisfaction, school enjoyment, enhanced performance, and reduced absenteeism.
Be curious about your students and educators. Consider the emotional loads they carry and what they bring into the school setting. Are you acknowledging and validating their experiences? Do they have access to training and learning opportunities? Can you bring emotional or mental health support or services to your district? Ask questions, send out surveys, and communicate your desire to support them. Creating a culture of well-being starts with leadership prioritizing wellness and modeling a desire to help.
If you want to prioritize school connectedness, relationships, mental health support, and the prioritization of social and emotional skill development and practices, please visit starr.org.
References
Benton, T. D., Boyd, R. C., & Njoroge, W. F. (2021). Addressing the global crisis of child and adolescent mental health. JAMA pediatrics, 175(11), 1108-1110.
Doan, S., Steiner, E., Pandey, R. and Woo, A. (2023). Teacher well-being and intentions to leave. Findings from the 2023: State of the American Teacher Survey. American Educator Panels. Rand Corporation: Santa Monica, CA.
Fortuna, L. R., Brown, I. C., Woods, G. G. L., & Porche, M. V. (2023). The impact of COVID-19 on anxiety disorders in youth: coping with stress, worry, and recovering from a pandemic. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, 32(3), 531–542.