Students Mental Health and the School's Role in Supporting it

By Neeti Sarkar,
Primary Student Counsellor

anxiety and stress associated with going to school (either for the first time or after a very long duration of virtual learning), wearing masks, being socially distanced from their friends, not having their parents around during the school day, drastically reduced screen time, having to remain in specific play bubbles, following new timetables and routines, and of course, making friends and managing conflict, among other possible stressors.

Here are a few simple yet significant tried-and-tested ways in which schools can better cater to the mental, emotional, and social needs of students:

Take It Slow

As much as we’d like for our students to settle in quickly, we know that giving them time to readjust, recalibrate, and recenter, is not just essential for their emotional wellbeing. Once learners feel safe and comfortable in their new learning space, teaching and learning will be more effective and successful. There will be some days that are extremely hard, packed with tears, tantrums, and tummy aches. However, better days will follow. The key is to be patient.

Check-in Daily

One of the routines we continue to follow is our daily check-ins. These check-ins happen during our morning circle time and at the end of the day in each homeroom. This is when learners share their academic or personal feelings and concerns with their teachers and peers. This helps students know that they are cared for, that they are not alone, and that they always have a safe space to talk about their feelings and have them validated.

Set Expectations

Ahead of reopening, the leadership team worked on easy-to-follow mandates and protocols for parents to understand the school’s expectations. Students, therefore, already came into school with a fair understanding of what was expected of them, especially in terms of safety protocols, play bubble groups, pick-up and drop schedules and routines, etc. As is customary, every homeroom, comprising the teachers and the students have put together their class-specific essential agreements. These include but are not limited to taking turns to talk, cooperating and collaborating, taking care of one’s own and school property, and using kind words and actions.

Build and Follow Routines

We know that children are creatures of habit. When they have routines in place, whether at home or at school, they feel safer and more in control of their minds and bodies. At this point, it would be wise for schools to ensure consistency in routines - specific meal and play times, designated pick-up/drop-off points and play areas, etc.

Explicitly Teach and Provide Opportunities for Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

From helping students identify stressors/triggers in order to regulate their emotions to providing them strategies to resolve conflicts with their peers or problem-solve as a team, now more than ever, the time has come to embed SEL into everyday learning environments. Children learn by modelling and consistent practice and teachers/counsellors can utilise opportunities to explicitly teach different coping skills and strategies to successfully navigate challenging situations or emotions. Providing a “calm corner” in the classroom/breakout space/counsellor’s office, taking brain breaks, and practising mindfulness regularly are other ways to prioritise SEL.

Foster a Sense of Belonging 

There has been a considerable amount of stress having worked independently through the long pandemic. Therefore, it is vital for schools to curate authentic opportunities to create a sense of belonging or oneness as a school community. Dealing effectively with the possible “cave syndrome” (as a result of the pandemic) could include celebrating special days or festivals together. It could even be as simple as embedding a grade-level community time into the timetable once a week.

Provide Staff Development/Support/Training

Before the new becomes normal and before children can embrace a different way of doing things in school, schools would do well by equipping their staff with the necessary support and training they need as they work with children. Be it child protection workshops, first-aid training, fire/lockdown drills, or even explicit training on working effectively with students with cognitive difficulties, behavioural challenges, or domestic concerns, a teacher’s role in bolstering the emotional wellbeing of a child cannot be undermined. 

Focus on Teacher Wellness

During remote and distance learning, teachers found it difficult to strike a balance between work and home. Many had to radically upgrade their tech skills. And all of us had to find new and innovative ways to teach students from behind a computer screen and still make learning fun and interesting, all while ensuring students were emotionally well and their parents' concerns were also constantly being addressed. 

With the government’s decision to reopen schools, a hybrid learning format is being followed by some, and with it comes the challenge of engaging students in-person and online simultaneously. Therefore, now more than ever, schools need to prioritise teachers’ wellness. We cannot expect our students to be emotionally resilient if we are not supporting our teachers in this regard.

We continue to have a weekly Teacher Wellness Circle. Teachers are encouraged to attend these group sessions dedicated to doing something meaningful for their own well-being. The School Counsellor and the Head of Student Support Services are also available for group and individual sessions with teachers on a weekly basis. 

Last year, our school signed up with one of India's leading Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providers to offer professional psychological counselling and comprehensive wellness solutions that help employees deal with various work-life challenges like stress, anxiety, parenting, relationship issues, work-life balance, etc. This service has been made available free of charge to all employees at Stonehill.

Communicate Regularly with Families

Families play a significant role in contributing to a child’s wellbeing, as does the school. Therefore, it is important to keep the lines of communication open between the two. We offer parents a weekly drop-in hour with the School Counsellor. This time is set aside for parents to share their concerns related to their child’s social and emotional needs and navigate these issues with professional support. Additionally, every last Friday of the month, a 30-minute workshop is hosted for parents. Each time, a different topic of relevance is discussed, such as building independence, time management, dealing with school refusal, and supporting children’s interests, to name a few.

This apart, parents of each grade level are also encouraged to connect with each other to share experiences and build relationships. Families are updated with all the necessary information from the school administration frequently. This helps build trust between families and teachers, and in turn is beneficial for the child too. 

Getting back on campus can be overwhelming and with all the planning and protocols schools have in place, there is still bound to be sufficient trial and error. However, adopting a growth mindset through this transition is vital in helping us support our students' mental and emotional health effectively.