Before introducing a robust mental health curriculum into the classroom, teachers and education support staff must ensure they understand the mental health curriculum, effective coping strategies, and that the methods of delivery are accurate and age appropriate. With such a delicate topic, teachers must understand their role as educators only--not as trained mental health professionals.
Therefore, teachers should consult these resources before getting started with teaching mental health in the classroom.
Consult the Ontario Health Curriculum—Like any subject matter, the curriculum should always be consulted to better understand what the main goals are for that age group. Not only will this help teachers narrow down what to focus on, it will also give an age appropriate framework and terminology that can be used in the classroom with confidence.
Supporting Minds—This resource is a mental health document issued by the Ministry of Education. This resource thoroughly unpacks mental health and explores the concepts of mental wellness and mental illness on a spectrum. This resource is an excellent tool to better understand mental health, and provides useful examples and concrete facts that highlight how to teach and identify it in the classroom (Ministry of Education, 2013, p. 10).
Ophea—This online resource showcases how to teach mental health holistically. While Ophea offers other health strands as well, the mental health program outlines the importance of delivering a holistic learning experience. Specifically they state:
“The revised, elementary (2015) and secondary (2015) H&PE curricula recognize and reflect the complex and interconnected nature of mental health by weaving mental health topics and discussions through all grade levels and across all content in the Healthy Living strand. This integration not only supports students to better build and maintain their mental health over their teenage years, but also provides them with strategies, skills and knowledge to use well into adulthood.” (Ophea, 2016).
This approach therefore aims to do more than just educate—instead, its focus is on providing students with the knowledge and skills through the experiential learning methods to holistically understand what mental health is, and how it should be cared for.
Consult Education Support Staff—When in doubt, ask your principal, school psychologist, school social worker, or guidance counsellor. Whether regarding a specific topic, or sharing a concern about a student, reporting and documenting is key. Keep ongoing communication with parents is also key.
While teaching this delicate topic can be daunting, taking the time to research, reference resources and consult trained professionals will provide you with the much needed tools to get started!
