I'm a bit later with my post today than usual, which I apologize about. However, I've been really reflecting on what I want to say today. I have been surfing the web all day for stories and other interesting tidbits, but I think that I will stick with mostly my own experience today.
Although the media has begun to address children's mental health in some profound ways, as I showed in yesterday's post, I really feel that schools (at least the ones that I've worked in/ been educated in) are not doing a good enough job of addressing these issues.
I'll give you some examples:
Flash back to 1996 and before. I was in high school. Upon reflecting back, I was in the throws of my mental illness long before it was diagnosed. I had an undiagnosed eating disorder, I was extremely anxious and depressed, however, I really didn't know a thing about mental disorders. Why wasn't there education in my school on this subject?
Jump ahead a decade. What my student teaching taught me was that not much has changed. While working in a school in NYC, I asked the guidance counselor what the middle school's philosophy was on suicide prevention. She looked at me and said: "We believe that if we talk about it, we will give the kids ideas, so we don't talk about it." Now there's a solution.
The next couple of years during my teaching experience in New Jersey, I saw even more of this. I remember when one of my sixth grader's older brothers committed suicide. Not a word of it was discussed, and the kids were left to wonder and try to figure out what happened on their own. How confusing for them. How sad that a real conversation wasn't had in our school about suicide.
I once had a discussion in my class about the word "emo." The kids were obsessed with calling each other this. For those of you who don't know, "emo" is short for emotional. Kids label other kids this for all kinds of reasons- what they wear, how they act, etc. I explained to my students about the stigmatizing nature of such a label. I told them that if they ever were truly struggling with their emotions, they should see a guidance counselor and speak to them about it. Well, guess what? Kids actually went to see the counselors. Amazing, isn't it? And then, I got called down to the principal's office and reprimanded for having such a conversation. Kids actually went to the guidance counselors, and they were not prepared for this. What? Prepared to do their job?
Is it ironic that in three separate schools, in two different states, there was such a lack of insight and education about children and adolescent mental health? I really don't think so. Administrators, teachers, and guidance counselors are on the front lines in terms of dealing with these issues. Yet, no one wants to talk about it. If we don't educate children about their mental health, how are they going to know how to help themselves? How are they going to know that there is hope, that they can get better?
I'll give you one more scenario. One of the adults that I treat at my mental health center abuses his wife. When I gave him new skills on how to handle conflicts with her, he was amazed because no one had ever taught him this before. He spent his whole life abusing and being abused because he didn't have the skills to handle conflict without his fists. Why don't schools educate children about how to manage their emotions, so that they don't end up hurting themselves or each other? It's a conversation that needs to happen.
Be Well~
Emily
Although the media has begun to address children's mental health in some profound ways, as I showed in yesterday's post, I really feel that schools (at least the ones that I've worked in/ been educated in) are not doing a good enough job of addressing these issues.
I'll give you some examples:
Flash back to 1996 and before. I was in high school. Upon reflecting back, I was in the throws of my mental illness long before it was diagnosed. I had an undiagnosed eating disorder, I was extremely anxious and depressed, however, I really didn't know a thing about mental disorders. Why wasn't there education in my school on this subject?
Jump ahead a decade. What my student teaching taught me was that not much has changed. While working in a school in NYC, I asked the guidance counselor what the middle school's philosophy was on suicide prevention. She looked at me and said: "We believe that if we talk about it, we will give the kids ideas, so we don't talk about it." Now there's a solution.
The next couple of years during my teaching experience in New Jersey, I saw even more of this. I remember when one of my sixth grader's older brothers committed suicide. Not a word of it was discussed, and the kids were left to wonder and try to figure out what happened on their own. How confusing for them. How sad that a real conversation wasn't had in our school about suicide.
I once had a discussion in my class about the word "emo." The kids were obsessed with calling each other this. For those of you who don't know, "emo" is short for emotional. Kids label other kids this for all kinds of reasons- what they wear, how they act, etc. I explained to my students about the stigmatizing nature of such a label. I told them that if they ever were truly struggling with their emotions, they should see a guidance counselor and speak to them about it. Well, guess what? Kids actually went to see the counselors. Amazing, isn't it? And then, I got called down to the principal's office and reprimanded for having such a conversation. Kids actually went to the guidance counselors, and they were not prepared for this. What? Prepared to do their job?
Is it ironic that in three separate schools, in two different states, there was such a lack of insight and education about children and adolescent mental health? I really don't think so. Administrators, teachers, and guidance counselors are on the front lines in terms of dealing with these issues. Yet, no one wants to talk about it. If we don't educate children about their mental health, how are they going to know how to help themselves? How are they going to know that there is hope, that they can get better?
I'll give you one more scenario. One of the adults that I treat at my mental health center abuses his wife. When I gave him new skills on how to handle conflicts with her, he was amazed because no one had ever taught him this before. He spent his whole life abusing and being abused because he didn't have the skills to handle conflict without his fists. Why don't schools educate children about how to manage their emotions, so that they don't end up hurting themselves or each other? It's a conversation that needs to happen.
Be Well~
Emily
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