Mental Health is a common reason why students struggle with keeping up academically. It has become a more common and bigger issue in teens now. Adults can tend to realize that a teen is off or different especially if the adult is around them a lot. That is where teachers can help students since teachers can play such a big part in a teens life. Research has shown that students who feel supported by their teachers are able to be more active and engaged, participate in class, feel safe in their classrooms, and will likely be more willing to reach out if they are struggling or need help.
Teachers can play a huge part in by listening to students, creating safe spaces, connecting students to counselors, and trying to simply understand a student. Two students, Kiarra Ramirez and Gabby, as well as two teachers, Martha Choi and Jennifer Green, were asked questions about how teachers can help students with mental health. Their answers were later compared.
“ I feel like checking up on students and asking how their day is going is a good way to help understand where students are at, not only in school but in life in general. I feel this way because sometimes life as a teen sucks and it can be tricky to tell the difference between bad mental health and just being a teen,” said Gabby.
“Its kinda hard for teachers because if you ask someone if they’re okay, most of the time kids will say lie, but just giving kids a break in class to catch up in life and assignments in general. And if some teachers would stop pressuring students to prioritize school, because even though teachers might do it unintentionally, you never know what someone’s going through outside of school,” said Kiarra Ramirez.
This shows that students feel like it is possible for teachers to support students, and it suggests that there are little ways that teachers can support students such as just asking how their day is going. When talking to teachers they were able to provide more answers and a different perspective.
“I think offering a safe, non-judgemental environment is key. Small things like check ins, being approachable, and providing flexibility with deadlines are some ways teachers can help students feel more supported,” said Ms. Green.
While there are ways to help students, there are also issues that can complicate and interfere with the communication between teachers and students.
“One challenge is that we aren’t trained in mental health, so sometimes we don’t know what the best way to help is. Another issue is balancing support with maintaining academic expectations,” said Ms. Choi.
While there are ways that teachers can help students with mental health problems, there can be complications and challenges faced throughout the process. Teachers are not trained professionals when it comes to mental health, but since they are such a big part of students’ lives, there are ways to help and provide a safe environment with mutual understanding. So, yes, while there may be complications it would also be beneficial to have a mutual understanding between students and teachers when it comes to mental health and the impact it can make on a student and teacher relationship, the student’s mental health, and making sure that not only is everything okay mentally but academically as well. Overall, based on studies and research, it is found that teachers can help students with mental health and it can be beneficial to both the teacher and students. Teachers can help students with their mental health and development or improvement of their mental health.
