Better Mental Health in Schools recognises the value of school staff in supporting mental health in children and young people and introduces new skills for enhancing the therapeutic benefits of environments and relationships in schools.
This book discusses and links to provision in schools and to supporting good mental health in pupils across four key areas for enhancing mental health and wellbeing — Cognition, Compassion, Containment, and Connection. Based in relevant and timely research it provides an accessible insight into practical ways to change practice. Rather than prescribe one programme, or suggest one curriculum design, the book shows how strengthening knowledge and understanding of some basic underpinnings of good mental health will scaffold the development of better mental health in schools and offers illustrations of how that could look in everyday practice.
Written for practitioners and based on many years of experience in classrooms across a variety of education provisions, this book reflects the lived, experiential perspective of a teacher and school therapist. Through paying attention to these four key areas of daily life in school, staff can create an environment that supports mental wellbeing, while not depleting their own mental health.
Author(s): Alison Woolf
Publisher: Routledge/Speechmark
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 129
City: London
Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
Terminology
References
Chapter 1 The role of schools in addressing mental health and well-being
The prevalence of mental ill health in children and young people
The stigma of mental health in schools
Schools as primary sources of mental health support
External support services
Filling the gap
Supporting mental health in schools
Responding to the pandemic
Preparing for the future
Conclusion
References
Chapter 2 Cognition
What is cognition?
Why does cognition matter for teachers’ practice?
Understanding the causes underlying the behaviours of pupils
Understanding the causes underlying the behaviours of teachers
Cognitive approaches to better mental health in pupils
Loan your adult brain
Normalising
Theory of parts
Cognitive approaches to better mental health in school staff
Theory of parts
Staff supervision
Conclusion
References
Chapter 3 Compassion
What is compassion?
Be kind: the kindness of compassion
Why does compassion matter for teachers’ practice?
What does compassion look like in teachers’ practice?
Being with
Giving full attention
Staying in the here and now
Creating a sense of safety
Curiosity
Self-awareness
Staying power
Compassion as a route to better mental health for teachers
Compassion as a route to better mental health for pupils
Conclusion
References
Chapter 4 Containment
Holding it together
Window of tolerance
What is emotion?
Mixed emotions
Thinking about parts
What is emotion regulation?
Attachment relationships and emotion regulation
Relationships in school and emotion regulation
Enhancing emotion regulation in the classroom
Acknowledging feelings
Conclusion
References
Chapter 5 Connection
Connection is key to human health and well-being
Attachment: a template for connection
Attachment behaviours
Attachment and loss
Being good enough
Therapeutic relationships in schools
Therapeutic skills
A sense of belonging in school
Developing a sense of belonging
Create special traditions for your class
Be a person as well as a teacher
Offer enduring relationships
Offer a variety of activities which encourage working in groups or teams
Allow for and recognise the value of play
Creating change for a sense of belonging
Conclusion
References
Chapter 6 What are schools for?
What is the point of education?
Safeguarding knowledge for individual and collective benefit
Social progress for pupils and the nation
Economic growth of the nation
Personal development of each pupil
What are teachers for?
Professional expectations of teachers
Being a reflective practitioner
Self-awareness in the role of teacher and worker in education
The golden rule
School as a safe space and safe spaces in schools
Conclusion
References
Conclusion
References
Index
