Strategies to Support Mental Health & Well-being in The Classroom

Whether online or f2f a safe supportive learning environment is an essential prerequisite to successful school experiences for all students. It is important to regularly check in with students one on one to see how they are doing and if there are any ways you can better support them.  One strategy is to have students fill out a Google Form as a mental health check-in. On this form you can give students the option to check off a box requesting a follow up conference if they need more support. 

Students perform better when they understand what is expected of them, both academically and behaviorally. Clear classroom routines or procedures related to common tasks can provide additional structure and predictability that most students find comforting. Posting and reviewing the class schedule, announcing schedule changes, and reminding students of desired behaviors prior to starting activities help to build a consistent environment and can help to decrease anxiety as well as improve performance.

Well-designed classroom layouts are positively correlated with increased academic engagement and less disruptive behaviour. If teaching f2f, having a "calm corner" for students to take a break can be a positive addition to the classroom. Alternatively, if teaching online, you can have website or choice board with resources when students need a break. Examples of what can be found in a calming area include; drawing or writing materials, tactile stress objects, books, music, or other items and activities that students find calming.

Expressing belief in their ability to learn, offering assurance, recognizing strengths and contributions, and commending efforts are strategies for supporting students’ well-being. These types of positive statements also model language that students can use for self-talk to assist themselves in stressful situations. Little comments that acknowledge and reinforce students' positive behaviour can go a long way.

Educators can help individuals with emotional challenges to be more successful by increasing their engagement in instruction and class activities. Offering students more opportunities to respond. For example, consistent use of community circles can serve as an opportunity to build community and allow for student voice. For students that are experiencing anxiety, choral responding where all students respond in unison to a predetermined teacher cue can be highly efficient and effective. 

Student voice and choice should be implemented throughout all subjects and activities in the classroom. Offering students chances to express their opinions on class matters, provide input on certain decisions, and make choices are additional ways to acknowledge student strengths and to provide student control in classroom settings. For example, students may be given a choice of preferred greeting (e.g., smile, wave, elbow bump, or bow), ways to demonstrate their learning (e.g., writing, drawing, or oral reporting), work partners, reading and writing selections, tools for information gathering, order of assignment completion, or type of reward.