When I was going through school, mental health was NOT a priority. We had guidance counselors but their main objective was to help us get through school and keep up with our records. Growing up through the beginning of the 21st century was difficult. Mental health is a taboo that has so many negative connotations that it leads children who struggle feeling isolated and abnormal.
 |
| artwork of a student with emotional distress |
There were many times in my schooling where myself or a friend needed guidance with their mental health and there weren't many resources for us to use. We grew up in a society where everything we valued was on our phones, televisions, or in the media. Up until the end of high school, mental health wasn't something I thought I could talk about in school, or ask for help with. Recently, mental health advocates like NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness), or NASP (National Association of School Psychologists) have been trying to reduce the negative stigma of talking about mental health and illnesses in school systems.
I believe that noticing ones mental health is one of the most important, if not, the most important thing a teacher can do for their students. We all know that if a student is not physically well/able to do their school work, there are many things schools and teachers can do to accommodate for that child, but why do we have to stop there? If someone is not mentally well/able to do something, it is going to inhibit them from successfully finishing a task in the same way a physical disruption is.
I believe that schools need to prioritize the mental health of their students and staff going forward, especially in the times we have had recently. It is detrimental to the well being of human beings.
