Mental Health by Caroline Holtz

Bullying (Mental Health)

choltz816 — 2024-04-23 20:00:07 UTC

This article on bullying from BBC talks about a mom who has a 12 year old son who is bullied at school for the color of his skin. The bullies would receive punishments time after time again that were far too lenient. The school claimed that all forms of bullying were not tolerated, however the bullying continued. The students would call this boy racial slurs and the school didn't do much about it. In a pre-k-4th grade classroom, teachers could teach students that no bullying is ever tolerated. They could teach them to always speak up when they witness bullying and to tell an adult. The students can practice scenarios in the classroom and practice what they would do if they witnessed bullying.

School Racism: Mom angry over soft punishments for abuse

(2024, March 13). BBC News. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-68545275

Online Safety (Mental Health)

choltz816 — 2024-04-23 20:19:23 UTC

This article on online safety from Biometric discusses the risks children and teenagers take when they use social media and online apps. Several websites and apps lead to the risk of children interacting with hackers over chats. They could easily be influenced to being hacked or being exploited to inappropriate material. In a pre-k to 4th grade classroom, teachers can teach their students the importance of being safe online and why it is important. Teachers can show their students information about this topic by sharing stories about children who have been negatively affected by this manner to show how serious it is.

Protecting minors and businesses-age verification for online safety (2024, April 21). Biometric. Retrieved from https://www.biometricupdate.com/202404/protecting-minors-and-businesses-age-verification-for-online-safety

Child Sexual Abuse (Mental Health)

choltz816 — 2024-04-23 20:31:26 UTC

This article discusses child sex abuse from CDC and the affects of it. Child sexual abuse is a significant health problem. Many children wait to or do not report sexual abuse. Consequences of child sexual abuse include depression and post traumatic stress disorder. In a pre-k to 4th grade classroom, teachers can teach what sexual abuse looks like and how important it is to speak up and report it. They could incorporate it into their health curriculum by dedicating lessons to child sexual abuse. Teachers can teach the students that if they know a classmate or a friend who is experiencing sexual abuse, they need to report it to an adult. Teachers need to be educated about this topic so they can help their students and know the signs if they are experiencing this abuse.

Preventing Child Abuse (2022, April 6). CDC. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childsexualabuse/fastfact.html

Depression and Anxiety (Mental Health)

choltz816 — 2024-04-23 20:39:48 UTC

This article discusses depression and anxiety in children from CDC. Children normally feel anxiety, such as when their parents goes away. However, some children do not outgrow their fears like others do, and it gives them anxiety. All children feel sadness and hopelessness at times, but some children feel this way all the time. They lose interest in things they used to love and enjoy. In a pre-k to 4th grade classroom, teachers can teach their students the importance of mental health. They can teach them the signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety so they can ask for help when they think they may need it. Teachers should be educated on this topic so they know how they can help their students who may be suffering with depression and anxiety.

Anxiety and Depression in Children (2023, July 25). CDC. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/depression.html

Social and Emotional Learning (Mental Health)

choltz816 — 2024-04-23 21:02:34 UTC

This article on social and emotional learning from wmur discusses that some lawmakers in New Hampshire want to ban social and emotional programs. Students and teachers protested against the bill fighting to not ban social and emotional learning that helps with mental health and educational outcomes. A first grader testified against the bill. She stated that she loves social and emotional learning and it helps her make decisions when she is mad or sad. In a pre-k to fourth grade classroom, teachers can show students the importance of social and emotional learning and that it teaches them so much about handling their emotions in and outside of the classroom. Teachers can show that it is important to stand up for what you believe in. It's important for teachers to be educated on this topic because this could happen at their school, and they need to be prepared to fight for what they believe in. They also need to continue to teach social and emotional learning no matter what is going on in other states.

Students, educators testify against bill to ban social and emotional learning programs. (2024, February 5). wmur. Retrieved from https://www.wmur.com/article/bill-ban-social-emotional-learning-new-hampshire/46652803

Mental Health and Academics (Mental Health)

choltz816 — 2024-04-23 21:11:29 UTC

This article on mental health and academics from The Conversation discusses the importance of the mental health of our students. Teachers should support mental health and academic achievement because they go hand in hand. Studies have shown that a student's academic achievement can predict good mental health, and vice versa. In a pre-k to 4th grade classroom, teachers need to teach their students the importance of mental health. They can do exercises with their students to check in with them. Teachers ca do restorative practices such as meditating to keep their students relaxed because school can be very stressful for children. Teachers need to be educated on this topic so they can prevent their students from falling into depression and anxiety due to academic stress.

Concerned about student mental health? How wellness is related to academic achievement (2024, January 8). The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/concerned-about-student-mental-health-how-wellness-is-related-to-academic-achievement-220360

Social Media (Mental Health)

choltz816 — 2024-04-23 21:21:02 UTC

This articles on social media from Yale Medicine discusses the growing evidence that social media is causing harm to children and teens. The factors that go into this are how much time they are spending on social media, the media they are consuming, and the degree to which social media is affecting their health. Social media has led children and teens to grow more depression and anxiety symptoms. In a pre-k to fourth grade classroom, teachers can teach their students that social media can be highly addictive and that it can be a very dangerous place. Teachers could talk to them about how it can take kids away from being outside and spending quality time with their families. Teachers should be educated about this topic because social media is growing more and more, and most children have some type of access to technology and social media. They must be aware of the type of social media that is out there so they can hopefully prevent their students from misusing it.

How social media affects your teens' mental health: A parent's guide (2024, January 8). Yale Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/social-media-teen-mental-health-a-parents-guide

Covid and Mental Health (Mental Health)

choltz816 — 2024-04-23 21:35:43 UTC

This article from American Psychological Association discusses the mental health crisis of children in the United States. During the pandemic, children were isolated from having social interactions with their friends from school. A lot of children had a parent that lost their job during the pandemic and were victims of child abuse. In a pre-k to fourth grade classroom, teachers can discuss with their students the outcomes of the pandemic and what the students felt during those times. It's important for teachers to have an open relationship with their students about mental health and what they were feeling during the pandemic. Teachers need to be educated about this topic because the pandemic was only 4 years ago and children may still be experiencing the affects of the pandemic.

Kids' mental health is in crisis (2023, January 1). American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/01/trends-improving-youth-mental-health

Death/Grief/Loss

choltz816 — 2024-04-26 21:47:25 UTC

This article on death, grief, and loss from Whyy PBS discusses the state of New Jersey approving a bill that would

require schools to teach a class about grief and coping. This recognizes the importance of prioritizing mental health and coping strategies for students who lose loved ones. The curriculum would include a class that includes healthy coping mechanisms for grief, what loss is, and what grief is. In a pre-k to fourth grade classroom, teachers could try to touch on teaching their students about grief and how to cope in a healthy manner. They could hold weekly class meetings and talk about the topic during the meetings in a comfortable and relaxed setting so the students feel safe. Teachers need to be educated non the topic of grief so they know how to help their students who may be suffering with at home problems. Teachers should understand that grief does not always look the same and students could go through grief during a divorce of their parents, or moving schools or homes.

N.J. legislature approves a bill that would require schools to teach a class about grief, loss, and coping (2023, December 21). Whyy Pbs. Retrieved from https://whyy.org/articles/new-jersey-schools-grief-education-requirement-legislature/

Safety and Preventing Injury

choltz816 — 2024-04-27 15:50:23 UTC

This article from Hackensack Meridian Health discusses the safety and prevention of injuries on playground. About 200,000 children go to the hospital annually due to playground injuries. Children may not be experienced enough to know what they are capable and incapable of on the playground, which can lead to injury. Falls are the most common cause of injury which can lead to much more serious injuries, such as concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and broken bones. In a pre-k to fourth grade classroom, teachers can teach the importance of being careful while playing on the playground and tech them to be aware of how serious injuries can be. They can go over playground rules at their own school during a classroom meeting or assembly so the students can be apart of creating the playground rules. Teachers need to e educated on the topic of playground safety so they can prevent not only injuries at the school playground, but hopefully teach the students the importance of playing safe at any playground they go to.

Playground Safety: Preventing common injuries and ensuring child's well-being (2023, August 28). Hackensack Meridian Health. Retrieved from https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/en/healthu/2023/08/28/playground-safety-preventing-common-injuries-and-ensuring-childs-well-being

Healthy Eating

choltz816 — 2024-04-27 16:08:48 UTC

This article on healthy eating from CDC discusses that schools need prioritize teaching young students about nutrition and healthy eating. The article states that research shows nutrition education can teach students how healthy eating affects emotional and mental health. Although schools and teachers already have many demands, school staff needs to somehow fit teaching nutrition into their curriculum. In a pre-k to fourth grade classroom, teachers can teach about nutrition in the classroom by using fruits and vegetables to count or do math problems. They can also provide health snacks to the students if they have the funds to do so. Not all students may have access to healthy food at home, so teachers can do what they can to provide that for them. Teachers can show videos and play songs that provide facts about nutrition and healthy food. Teachers need to be educated on the topic of healthy eating and nutrition because our country has a serious obesity problem and teachers should do all they can to prevent children from getting this disease. Healthy eating strongly affects students in their academics and emotional wellness.

Healthy eating learning opportunities and nutrition education (2023, January 10). CDC. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/school_nutrition_education.htm

Physical Activity

choltz816 — 2024-04-27 16:37:51 UTC

This article on the benefits of exercise for children from Simone's Kids discusses the importance of exercise for children. Getting children to exercise can set up students for success for the rest of their lives. Exercising does not only improve children's physical health, but it also supports self-esteem, mind and body coordination, it reduces risk of chronic disease, and it reduces the risk of children getting into bad habits and participating in risky behavior. In a pre-k to fourth grade classroom, teachers can incorporate exercise into their curriculum by going outside and creating lessons that involve moving their bodies. They can also do things in the classroom to implement the students getting out of their seats so they are not sitting at their desks all day. Teachers should be educated on the topic of exercise because they need to know the importance of children exercising and moving their bodies because it can have a significant impact on their academics and well-being.

Benefits of Kids Exercise (2023, May 16). Simone's Kids. Retrieved from https://www.simoneskids.org/the-physical-benefits-of-extracurricular-sports-for-kids/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxLKxBhA7EiwAXO0R0EvraJWag7YfbQ8PJgZ0WjXEtKm4XgcDY9OD3MPGMeNyIq2KPJfuhxoC-nYQAvD_BwE