Noah Webster Educational Foundation

Month: July 2024

Do Private School Teachers Actually Have More Freedom?
Do Private School Teachers Actually Have More Freedom?

Being a teacher in today’s world is undeniably challenging. More and more teachers are being fired because they got “caught in the culture wars,” says The Washington Post. On top of all the duties involved with having a classroom full of children to teach and nurture, teachers are pressured by government-run unions to teach things like Critical Race Theory and gender ideology.

Sometimes it feels like the cards are stacked against public school teachers’ freedom. Between intrusive unions, the lack of structure, and the low academic standards in the public school system, there’s a lot to be desired. There are teachers who want out.

Maybe you’re one of those teachers. And perhaps you’ve also thought about the potential of moving to a private school, a place where the government isn’t so involved.

The idea sounds good. But there are specific obstacles that come along with being a private school teacher, and some of them are things that public school teachers never even have to think about.

Today, we’re going to talk about those drawbacks, as well as the benefits of being a private school teacher. And we’ll answer the question: do private school teachers actually have more freedom?

Unions and Teacher Support

Many believe schools aren’t focusing on education anymore. Rather, today there is overwhelming evidence that the focus is on teaching ideology, and teachers’ unions are at the helm. Often, teachers’ rights are squashed by big unions who push them to teach a certain agenda in their classrooms. And it’s hard, if not impossible, to say no. Unions have benefits, like insurance and pensions.

Financial security is a wonderful freedom, and public school teachers do often have more benefits compared to private school teachers.

Big unions such as the AFT aren’t found in the private school setting. In fact, “Some independent schools have internal teacher associations but there is no independent school teachers’ union,” says the NAIS. The NAIS (or The National Association of Independent Schools) itself is a nonprofit organization that provides many resources for schools and teachers across the U.S.

Many private schools are affiliated with a private school association and have access to financial benefits, although these benefits may not be as appealing as the ones offered to public school teachers. Yet, private school teachers still have the opportunity to get the support and resources they need even if they are not part of a school union.

Private School Teacher Involvement

Do you want the freedom to have a closer relationship with your students? Then you might appreciate the environment a private school offers.

Private schools have enrollment limits, since they are usually working with a smaller budget and smaller groups of staff. That means smaller classes, which means you’ll have more time one-on-one with your students and getting to know them as individuals.

Speaking of which, tailoring curriculum and lessons to each child’s needs is something most private schools take seriously. Yes, that does mean that you’ll have more responsibilities when it comes to lesson planning, but there’s an upside. If you enjoy teaching but are frustrated with the tendency to “teach to the test” in public schools, you’ll find a lot of freedom in that many private schools are not required to follow state mandated testing. School of Education observes that, “This means private school instructors have more freedom when creating their lesson plans, allowing them to implement more creativity and stray from the test-driven priority that is common in state-mandated curriculums at public schools.” This doesn’t go for every private school, of course—prep schools, for instance, need to focus heavily on test scores. The level of attention that is given to this subject varies, so keep that in mind when you’re looking for a job in the private school arena.

And don’t forget, being a private school teacher means collaborating with parents. Private schools encourage parental involvement and cultivate their authority over their child’s education, and that can be a good thing! Parents want to know their child’s teachers and that gives you a great foundation for understanding a child’s home environment, parental concerns, and their goals for their child’s education.

Education Requirements For Private School Teachers

You’re a dedicated educator, and wish to be one, but maybe you don’t have the traditional teacher experience or a college education. It can be hard, in that case, to find a job in a public school setting.

But that’s one of the great things about private schools. You can find many private schools that don’t require certification, a license, or even a specific degree. “Many private schools value degrees in related fields, work experience, knowledge, and natural teaching abilities over a certification. It’s true that it does vary from school to school, but many private schools look beyond the teaching certificate or degree in education,” says ThoughtCo.

You may just have a passion for children or education. You might even have great experience in some field you think may be unrelated to education, but has given you skills that you want to utilize. Don’t discredit yourself! Private schools are looking for people like you to fill their teaching roles.

Aligning Your Career With Your Faith Or Values

If you have specific religious beliefs or core values that you stand by, looking into becoming a private school teacher is an awesome choice. While many people are concerned that the influences on public schools are making them increasingly adverse to Christian or conservative values, on the other hand, many private schools seem to swing the other way and even advertise that religious or traditional values are their goals.

The Council for American Private Education reports that 78% of private school students go to a religiously affiliated school. Since the majority of this percentage is composed of Christian schools, if you are a Christian, that gives you a good chance of finding a school that is connected to your denomination or has similar values.

But what if you aren’t religious? Does that mean you won’t get hired at a Christian school? Not necessarily, but every school is different. Some have strict requirements, and others have loose rules. You may even be able to opt out of teaching certain classes or subjects if you can’t teach them with conviction. Explore each school’s requirements individually.

And if you don’t wish to be affiliated with any faith in particular, there are still many secular private schools out there. But private schools are almost always very conservative, take a traditional approach to education, enforce strict discipline, and have certain core values, so bear that in mind.

Restrictions Private School Teachers Must Consider

The freedom private school teachers have is tempered with some restrictions and challenges. For instance:
- Private school teachers have to chip in. “Private schools don’t receive the state and federal aid that public schools do, so tuition and advancement (fundraising) are cornerstones of the private school budget process,” says HeyTeach! That means you’ll be asked to help with fundraisers and other marketing activities, things that public school teachers don’t have to worry about.
- There are monetary benefits to working at a public school and being part of a teachers’ union which private school teachers cannot access. Private school teachers usually get paid less and have restricted access to insurance benefits, retirement plans, and legal support.
- It may go without saying, but there are less jobs in private schools available for teachers. Plus, the variety of jobs and demand for teachers within the private school sphere is also smaller.
There are some things that need to be thought about long and hard before you can come to a decision. Weigh the pros and cons. Every job has them, and it all depends on your personal preferences, needs, and concerns.

Freedom…or Not?

Do private school teachers have more freedom? It seems that there are two sides to the coin. What’s important to you? What do you value and where do you see your career headed? Are you happy with that, or would you like to change? All of these questions and more must be considered when you compare teaching in public school to teaching in private school. There’s no easy answer; really, it’s all in the way you look at it.

If you’d like to learn more about teacher’s freedoms, check out our article on public school teachers’ religious freedoms. Or listen to our podcast episode on freeing teachers from usurping unions.
July 2, 2024
What’s the Fuss About SEL (Social Emotional Learning)?
What’s the Fuss About SEL (Social Emotional Learning)?

The education world is very familiar with controversy. In recent headlines, hot-button issues included CRT (Critical Race Theory) and Common Core. School reform, vouchers, and standardized testing spark wide debate. Educating the country’s children has long-standing implications, and everyone has an opinion.

A relatively new controversy has entered the scene—Social Emotional Learning, or SEL. Technically, SEL has been around for decades, yet there has been little to no outcry against SEL. While some have questioned the prudence of the government forcing its version of social and emotional norms on American school children, thanks to recent updates to the curriculum, the debate’s heated up to controversial levels and joined the adversarial arena as a contester for controversy.

So, what’s all the fuss about social emotional learning, and should American parents be concerned?

What Is It?

Social Emotional Learning is defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), a leading authority on SEL, as “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.”

SEL teaches children the appropriate way to interact with their inner being and others. At its core, Social Emotional Learning teaches good character, moral values, and self-esteem.

SEL in education is not an invention of the 20th century. American public schools began with religious schools, which uncompromisingly combined academia with religion, morality, and an emphasis on good character. Character training for students is a widely accepted aspect of their education. Even the U.S. Department of Education emphasizes the necessity of teaching students these essential attributes. For children, character development is foundational to who they become as adults. Psychology Today defines good character as traits that “lead us to think, feel, and act in certain ways.”

Frederick M. Hess presented an article for the American Enterprise Institute. In his explanation of the SEL controversy, he wrote, “‘Since the dawn of the republic, teachers and schools have been tasked with teaching content and modeling character.’ Pursued responsibly, SEL can help with all of that. In fact, while SEL can seem like a new idea, it’s more of a variation on a historical theme—that educators cannot focus only on academic mastery but must also develop the ‘whole child.’”

While it’s not new, social emotional learning has become a clearly defined, specific educational discipline. Rather than merely encouraging character, morality, self-esteem, and good citizenship, these have been combined under one unifying theme and labeled SEL.

If we want children to learn how to “think, feel, and act” in ways that benefit them and those around them, we must integrate moral training into their everyday learning. SEL attempts to do just that.

The Famous Five

SEL focuses on five key attributes:
- Self-awareness: The ability to understand your own inner being. Recognizing that your emotions, thoughts, values, and experiences influence those around you. Understanding that your internal attributes also impact your own actions and affect your ability to master other key competencies.
- Self-management: The ability to identify and manage your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors for your own good and the greater good of others.
- Social awareness: The ability to empathize with and relate to others based on perspective, background, and broader historical and social norms.
- Relationship skills: The ability to connect with others and maintain those relationships. To do this, you learn to communicate effectively, listen to others, learn diplomacy to cooperate with others, work with others to solve problems and negotiate conflict constructively, etc.
- Responsible decision-making: The ability to consider yourself and others in your decision-making. Learning to act deliberately and constructively, making appropriate choices about your personal and social interactions.
These five attributes are valuable skills that every child should learn from a young age. However, concerns remain, such as:
- Should the government teach children topics like self-awareness and social awareness?
- Can a government facility effectively communicate these attributes to a diverse group of children collectively?
- Can political entities, such as the federal and local governments, effectively teach SEL without allowing the influence of political and social agendas to corrupt their efforts?
An Impossible Endeavor

“…as with so many well-meaning education reforms, SEL has a Jekyll-and-Hyde aspect…SEL can be reasonably described both as a sensible, innocuous attempt to tackle a real challenge and, too often, an excuse for a blue, bubbled industry of education funders, advocates, professors, and trainers to promote faddish nonsense and ideological agendas.”

Frederick M. Hess hits the bulls-eye with this astute observation. While social emotional learning has a valid basis, the root of the issue remains that agendas and politics inevitably sneak in when the government is involved. Education has never been a neutral ground, and it never will be. The secret has begun to leak out.

Education Week published an article titled, ‘Educators Must Realize That There Is No Neutral Position on Issues of Racial Justice.’

Connected Learning Alliance admitted the neutrality lie in their article Power On!: Why CS Education Can No Longer Pretend to Be “Neutral.”

The cat is out of the bag, and we cannot reasonably deny it.

The National Education Association addressed this in their article ‘Education is Political’: Neutrality in the Classroom Shortchanges Students. Here, they explore the opinion of Alyssa Hadley Dunn, Assistant Professor of Teacher Education at Michigan State University. Dunn notes, “Everything in education—from the textbooks to the curriculum to the policies that govern teachers’ work and students’ learning—is political and ideologically informed. Both what is taught and how it is taught is shaped by the cultural, social, political, and historical contexts in which a school is situated. We can’t pretend that teachers can leave these contexts at the door.”

Education is never neutral, and Americans have increasingly seen specific agendas and ideologies infiltrating government schools.

The Evolution of SEL

As if SEL wasn’t a complex undertaking on its own, activists are now working to change social emotional learning to include the political and ideological spin skeptics have feared all along.

This evolution has been dubbed “Transformative SEL.”

IGI Global defines the term as: “Transformative Social Emotional Learning (TSEL) expands the SEL framework to address social justice and disenfranchisement of underprivileged groups by examining the additional acquisition of knowledge and skills in identity, intersectionality, agency, and belongingness.”

T-SEL has a specific flavor of political and ideological spice to it. Transformative social emotional learning includes distinct social justice vibes that rub many parents and educators the wrong way. Even parents who agree with the ideology often prefer to address the issues at home instead of having their children exposed to the ideas and concepts at school.

Rising Concerns

As the culture war in the U.S. continues to build, attentive parents have begun scrutinizing every area of our world, especially where it relates to their children and education. Already mobilizing against CRT and some sex education approaches, American parents have now set their protective sights on T-SEL and SEL.

Many parents believe that social and emotional skills should be taught at home and not at school. The Hechinger Report notes that, among other findings, the Fordham Survey found that “Parents of all political stripes see SEL as primarily a family responsibility, and nearly half of all parents strongly or somewhat agree that schools should focus on academics and leave SEL to parents….”

The most recent uproar about SEL, and the flashpoint for parents rising en masse against social emotional learning programs, was the introduction of T-SEL by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning.

Lisa Logan, a wife, mother, and self-proclaimed patriot, is on the front lines of the T-SEL issue and is “Exposing the sinister agenda behind Social Emotional Learning Programs.” In an interview with PragerU, Logan explained her passion for this issue and the dangers associated with SEL.

“…in 2020, they [CASEL] changed their definition of social emotional learning and five core competencies to be transformative social emotional learning….” Logan noted, “It’s a completely different way of teaching social emotional learning theory through a racial and equity lens. So their aim is to…’redistribute power to promote social justice through student engagement in school and civic life.’”

Logan and Stacie Clayton, another concerned mother from the district, first began their deep dive into SEL research when a teacher from their children’s school quit over SEL requirements.

Together, the two women invested their time into discovering the ins and outs of SEL in their district, culminating in a twenty-five-page report. The report details concerns with the Second Step curriculum, including “an undercurrent of social justice, critical race theory,

race and gender power and privilege, gender fluidity, collectivism, sexualization and other

disturbing ideologies flowing throughout this curriculum. In addition, generally, the lessons

steer students away from (or don’t mention) their family.”

Logan’s outspoken views on SEL have encouraged other parents nationwide to investigate the issue for themselves. The SEL controversy is still relatively new and isn’t likely to dissipate soon.

Are There Upsides?

Presuming one overlooks the potential for harm and SEL is used in its purest, most successful form, research indicates many positives to social emotional learning.

SEL prepares children for adulthood. When students have the knowledge and skills to tackle real-life problems constructively, they can effectively navigate the pressures of adult life. This is beneficial on a personal level and professionally.

A report by the AEI/Brookings Working Group on Poverty and Opportunity explains, “Increasingly, economists, employers, and corporate leaders are recognizing how vital ‘soft skills’ are to succeed in the labor market and to the nation’s productivity…These and other characteristics influence people’s educational attainment, employment, and earnings as much as or more than academic achievement as measured by standardized achievement tests. In education policy and practice, these soft skills go by many names, most commonly social-emotional learning (SEL) or character development.”

Long-term, effective SEL programs have the potential to influence the rest of a student’s life.

CASEL compiled data from a large number of studies examining the short-term benefits of SEL for students. They found that if schools added a SEL program:
- 27% more students would improve their academic performance
at the end of the program;
- 57% more would gain in their skills levels;
- 24% more would have improved social behaviors and lower levels of distress;
- 23% more would have improved attitudes; and
- 22% more would show fewer conduct problems.
A Good Concept, Questionable Possibilities

Social emotional learning has deep historical roots with a solid foundation in education. Traditionally, this process was family-based and reinforced through education. Today, these life skills are taught less at home and more at school. This trend concerns many parents.

The evolution of SEL fails to reassure American families of its neutral status and vital presence in the schoolroom. Will social emotional learning survive the culture war? Only time will tell.
July 2, 2024
Domestic Violence: How Does It Affect Schools, Students, and Teachers?
Domestic Violence: How Does It Affect Schools, Students, and Teachers?

Did you know that it’s estimated that 1 in 15 children are exposed to domestic violence every year?

According to Futures Without Violence, “15.5 million U.S. children live in families in which partner violence occurred at least once in the past year.” Domestic violence shelters house many children who are in serious danger of witnessing abuse or being abused themselves. Teen dating abuse is prevalent, with “nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experienc[ing] physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year,” says Love Is Respect.

The statistics are staggering and concerning. If so many children and teens are exposed to domestic violence, how many walk into school every day carrying that burden on their shoulders? How many of their teachers deal with the same problems in their own homes? After all, the CDC estimates that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men experience partner violence once in their lifetime.

What if domestic violence is creating underlying issues within your classroom or your child’s school? What should parents, grandparents, and teachers do?

What We’re Up Against

Domestic violence takes many forms and each affects kids profoundly.
- Intimate partner violence damages many homes across the U.S. Intimate partner violence can be between a child’s mother and father, although commonly, children experience partner violence if their parents are divorced or if they have a chronically unstable home life. For example, if their mother has remarried or their father has a girlfriend. And if a child’s parents plan to divorce, the risk of domestic violence occuring during the separation process is much higher.
- Witnessing intimate partner violence is as harmful to children as direct abuse to themselves, says USA Today. Depression, anxiety, isolation, and guilt are some of the common results of this kind of abuse. Some children even become violent to their peers, since they see it at home and know no other way of coping with emotions, and may repeat abusive behavior in their own relationships as adults.
- Children may also be abused at home, especially if they live with intimate partner violence already. Many different types of child abuse exist; this category of domestic violence can include physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, or all of the above. Child abuse can have devastating results, including death, suicide, brain damage, and physical issues such as stomachaches or headaches, breakdowns, behavioral problems, and much more.
- Children can also be exposed to elder abuse, especially if their family includes a grandparent or another older relative. Again, just witnessing abuse perpetrated on a family member can cause long-term mental challenges such as PTSD or anxiety.
- Teen dating violence, though not addressed as often, may be equally harmful. Dating violence especially impacts schools, because it often happens right on campus. If a teen experiences abuse from a girlfriend or boyfriend, they may have trouble knowing what to do about it if they’ve never been exposed to partner violence before, and particularly because they are as yet emotionally immature. Like all other abuse, teen dating violence can lead to many psychological problems, substance abuse, and even suicide. Plus, one study reveals that teen dating violence “results in poor health and mental health, lower academic achievement, truancy and drop out.”
The Effects Of Domestic Violence In Schools

Consistent violence and abuse impacts every corner of a child’s life. It affects mental well-being, prevents them from having a healthy emotional balance, and manifests itself, sometimes, in physical discomfort.

Children’s stability and mental health play a big part in his or her school life and ability to learn. A compromised school can affect a student’s friends, teachers, and class.

It’s more likely for young children who experience domestic violence to have trouble in school, such as getting bad grades and failing to develop their social abilities. They may become a bully or be bullied. They may “act out” in class, have trouble focusing, and fail to create close friendships. As they become teens, they risk developing substance addictions, which present a whole new slew of problems. They may become acutely depressed, miss classes, and even drop out of school all together. Science Daily says one out of five teens drop out of high school, and they’re more likely to do so if they’re abused.

Children and teens exposed to domestic violence don’t feel safe and can become disruptive to their classes and schools. Children in broken households also tend to move often to live with different relatives or caregivers, which can greatly impact their success in school. Teachers who deal with disruptive, aggressive, or depressed children cannot give their full focus to all the students in their class. Teachers and students alike will have trouble engaging with learning.

Schools may be held responsible for a negative situation (such as low grades, disciplinary issues, or truancy) that links back to domestic violence. This can put a lot of pressure on schools and teachers, not to mention the students themselves.

Domestic Violence Laws That Impact Schools

Let’s talk a little about domestic violence laws and policies that schools may face at one time or another.

Dating abuse is such a prevalent problem in our schools today that states have passed legislation to address it. Many of these laws require schools to incorporate dating violence education into their curriculum. A few require that schools provide for the educational and other related needs of dating violence victims.

Children sometimes find themselves without a home due to domestic violence situations. Homeless children are protected under The McKinney-Vento Act. This law “ensures children and youth who have lost their housing can attend school. The law covers things like the right to transportation and the freedom to attend school without harassment or being separated in any way from their classmates.

Similarly, The Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act allows schools to release private information to various authorities or caregivers without a parent’s permission in the event of a domestic violence situation.

Schools may also be impacted by restraining orders, particularly when it comes to teen dating violence. If a teen gets a restraining order on his or her dating partner who attends the same school, the school may be required to make accommodations for that, such as removing the abuser from certain classrooms or programs. They could even be required to transfer the abuser to another school.

What We Can Do To Help

Many schools are already knee-deep in raising awareness among students and teachers about domestic violence. And we know that domestic violence is a devastating and all-too-common theme today in America.

But stopping domestic violence doesn’t start at school; it starts at home. Strong families make strong students.

Schools and teachers still have a great deal of influence over children, however. Teachers and staff should be always on guard. Teen dating violence often happens on campus, and a school’s failure to report such behavior, if it’s known, can lead to consequences.

Sometimes abusive parents have restraining orders to keep them from harming their children. It’s a good thing for teachers to know about this and plan for it. It’s also important for teachers to understand a student’s home life. Does he have a blended family? If a child’s parent is living with another adult unrelated to the child, the risk of domestic violence increases dramatically. Find out if domestic violence insidents have occured in one (or both) of the student’s homes. Who will you contact if domestic violence comes to light?

Since teachers spend long hours with their students it’s important for them to look out for signs of trauma and seek ways to help, including contacting their parent or guardian.

Teachers, you may want to consider keeping a domestic violence hotline stored on your phone for quick access for yourself or your students. If you’ve experienced domestic violence previously in your own life, you’re in a unique position to help and offer understanding to your students who deal with the same.

And remember, every teacher has the power to create a safe, healthy culture in the classroom, which promotes good conduct and healthy morals.

Whether you’re an educator, parent, or guardian, if you’re a safe adult in a child’s life, talk to them about these issues. It’s the best way to protect them from domestic violence, as well as teaching them to think critically and use wisdom.

Domestic violence is destructive both at home and in school. Let’s be sure we know what we’re up against and fight hard for our students’ safety!
July 2, 2024
Helping Kids With Mental Health: Tips And Resources

Helping kids with mental health: tips and resources

Resources That Might Help

Communication is hard. Your best resource is a motivation to build the trust needed to communicate well with children. That might mean wading through hurt and conflict.

But you can also use activities to your advantage.

If you’re a parent, an activity might look like setting aside a time every week to get lunch or ice cream with your child. If you’re a teacher, that might be mentoring them as they write an essay or complete an art assignment. Create time for discussion, even if it seems uncomfortable at first.

Reading aloud is an awesome activity that not only gets you both into one room sharing a good story, but reading is also critical to mental health. So even when she becomes a teen, that love for reading may take root and give her a resource to draw from that relaxes her and puts her into someone else’s shoes for an hour.

Books can also be a catalyst for discussion. Sharing a read story can lead to sharing our own real life stories.

There are many books for children about mental health, such as My Monster and Me by Nadiya Hussain (for little ones) and the award-winning Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (for older children). We recommend vetting mental health books before letting your children or students read them, and choosing stories that don’t preach but tell a good story that children will empathize with.

Give Them Structure

Children need a certain amount of structure in their lives.

First, children need structure in their everyday lives. And not just things like getting up in the morning or getting back in class on time after recess, though those are essential to a sense of security, but disciplinary structure and boundaries, too. Whether a child is at school or at home, he must adhere to his parents or teachers wishes when it comes to his behavior. He needs to know that bad behavior has consequences, while good is praised and rewarded.

Every family will have slightly different rules and expectations as will every classroom. These boundaries make sure that everyone is living in harmony and accomplishing their tasks.

Children and teens need to be held accountable for their behavior, how they’re using technology, and who they’re hanging out with, to mention just a few examples. For instance, bullying is never all right. Staying on their tablet far into the night or looking at porn is unacceptable. Mom and Dad need to know who your friends are.

Resources That Might Help

For parents and teachers, researching or reading books on how to structure your days and help kids thrive in a healthy, happy, safe environment is a good place to start.

When it comes to accountability, make sure you’re present and involved in your children or student’s activities, as his media consumption and the people he is around can negatively or positively affect his mental health. Maybe that means watching movies as a family instead of letting your children view content alone in their room. As a teacher, you might realize you need to set down clear rules about name-calling.

If you’re a parent, accountability apps can be a huge help. To keep your kids safe on the internet, you might consider using an app that sends reports of internet activity to your email, like Accountable2You or Bark. Or an app that tracks your child’s phone, such as Life360.

To be even more certain you kids can’t find inappropriate content on the internet, some apps can lock internet browsers from displaying inappropriately violent or sexual images. Many of these apps are free, making it easier than ever to protect your kids.

Model Good Mental Attributes

Strive to create a healthy atmosphere in your classroom or home where you are the role model. Praise your child or student. Praise his character rather than simply his physical appearance or accomplishments. Show him what it means to truly love and appreciate someone.

Model forgiveness. Be more joyful. Point out others’ good character traits (both in real life and fiction). Be an example of positivity instead of negativity.

Help them think in a healthy way about sexuality. Teens are especially vulnerable to the LGBTQ movement. In fact, 42% of LGB youth “seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth,” Youth.gov says. Kids need parents and educators who stand up for traditional values and model good marriages and healthy thoughts on gender and sexuality.

Healthy children should have healthy eating habits, so, if you’re a parent, consider your example to your children in this area. Do you model good diet habits? Do you encourage them to drink lots of water?

Exercise is also crucial to mental health and an excellent way to burn off toxins that negatively affect the brain. Plus it gets your child or student’s nose out of his device for a while.

And don’t forget, parents: set a healthy sleep routine for your entire family. Rest is a critical element for a healthy mind.

Resources That Might Help

There are plenty of great videos on YouTube with workouts (like this one by Fitbit), stretching exercises, and guided meditation. Or, for fun, get your kids moving with a dance exercise video, such as this one inspired by Disney’s Encanto.

There are also a ton of great mental health apps that you might consider trying, such as a sleep or exercise app.

Focus on the Family has some good resources on teaching children about marriage. iMom has a fantastic article on how you and your spouse can shape our kids understanding of marriage.

Look For Signs Of Bullying

“Nearly one-quarter of tenth graders who reported being bullied also reported having made a suicide attempt in the past 12 months, according to a Washington State Healthy Youth Survey,” says Very Well Family.

Bullying has, at best, a negative effect on children’s self-image. But not only are children more likely to commit suicide, they are at a higher risk for eating disorders, depression, loneliness, and sometimes increased violence.

And don’t forget cyberbullying, which is becoming more and more of a threat as children have greater access to technology. In fact, Very Well Family says that “cyberbullying caused kids to consider suicide more than traditional bullying according to a study in JAMA Pediatrics.”

Resources That Might Help

The CyberSmile Foundation has a list of helplines to call if cyberbullying is taking place. You may want to give your child or student one of these numbers to have on hand.

You can visit the US government’s anti-bullying website and find out how you or your child/student can get help if bullying is going on.

Crisis Text Line also has a lot of information about what bullying is and a phone number you or your child can text to get help.

Get Help

Sometimes it’s necessary to get outside help, especially when your child or student becomes suicidal or shows signs of thinking about suicide.

If you have more immediate concerns, don’t hesitate to call up a friend or family member who has had experience, talk to your school’s counselor or principal, or call a hotline. You could save a life. Talking to someone else can give you the courage to take the next step in preventing a suicide. And if you don’t know which way to turn, the person you call can help you come to a decision on what to do.

If you’re a parent, it might be time to get professional counseling, both for yourself and your child. Or in the most serious situations, you might consider therapy or taking your child to a doctor.

Resources That Might Help

There are dozens of resources out there for suicide prevention.

First, don’t forget that you can easily call 911 to get immediate help. Another great hotline is the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline where you or your child can get free support and counsel. They even have crises centers around the country.

You can also find information and resources on websites such as the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention.

Supporting Kids In An Age Of Instability

Kids need adults in their lives who love them. Life is daunting, worrying, and confusing. Suicide and mental health disorders are rampant in today’s children. And the world isn’t getting any easier to cope with.

Learn more about the concerning trends in mental health among students, here.

And if you’re a teacher, you’ll want to check out our tips on warning signs to look for if you think your student is struggling with mental health.

We, both parents and educators, can come alongside our kids. We can support them with love, care, and resources. They’ll notice our efforts, and that, above everything else, will give them hope.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the student mental health crisis to skyrocket. Depression, anxiety, gender dysmorphia, self-harm, and suicide have become themes for school-aged kids.

It’s important that these children get the counsel and love they need. First and foremost in a child’s life is his or her parents, and parents have the ultimate responsibility to ensure their child is safe, happy, and loved.

But sometimes a child doesn’t have a stable family life or authority figure they can turn to. Or maybe he hides his mental health struggles when at home. That’s where a teacher can be a huge help in the life of a child.

You have a specific role to play in your child or student’s life, and you don’t want them to be counted as bullied, depressed, or suicidal. But where to start? How can we prevent mental health crises in our kids? Let’s look at a few essential resources and tips you should always have on hand to support the kids in your care.

Keep Communication Open

Strong attachments and good communication are two of the most important things in a child’s life. They are critical for a child or teen to be mentally healthy.

Develop a strong attachment between you and your child or student by communicating well. Parents, your child should be able to come and talk to you about any issue! So be honest with him, show him that you’re willing to discuss things that are happening in your life, or let him know that you’re not perfect either and have struggled too. Pretty soon, he’ll start reciprocating. Make sure you follow up on discussions you have. Ask how she’s doing; if she’s been feeling down, has that worsened since last you talked, or the opposite?

July 2, 2024
Cyberbullying: What It Is & How We Can Protect Our Kids

Cyberbullying: what it is & how we can protect our kids.

Pew Research Center reported back in 2020 that “two-thirds of parents in the U.S. say parenting is harder today than it was 20 years ago.” Why? Many said the struggle is due to technologies like social media or smartphones.

Keeping children safe and mentally healthy is harder than ever now that screens are literally at our fingertips. There is a whole new set of dangers in the online world. Four or five decades ago, parents and teachers contended with traditional bullying and the occasional playground fight, but now, on top of that, they are coming to realize the prevalence of cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying began back in the 1990s as soon as computers became a household item. It began on messaging platforms with people harassing teens under pseudonyms. Now cyberbullying can happen on dozens of other apps and websites such as multiplayer games like Call Of Duty, or social media platforms like Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, or Facebook. Not surprisingly, Instagram is the number one platform for cyberbullying.

Social media isn’t going away, and many parents aren’t going to go so far as to ban devices altogether. So how do we make sure our kids are safe?

What Is Cyberbullying?

First, we must understand what cyberbullying is and how to identify it. The National Library of Medicine defines cyberbullying as an “aggressive intentional act carried out by a group or individual, using electronic forms of contact, repeatedly and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself.”

If a child is bullied at school or in his neighborhood, there’s a chance that he will be bullied by the same people online. A bully only has to do a quick search for his victim on social media. According to this Google survey, teachers believe that cyberbullying is the top online issue for kids in the classroom. It can be very hurtful for a child to be bullied publicly online for the rest of her school to see.

Cyberbullying can also be done anonymously by total strangers or by someone your child knows personally who is using a fake or secondary account.

Bullying is harassment, and harassment is more than just a joke or a single solitary incident. According to these stats, “mean comments” are the leading form of cyberbullying, followed by spreading rumors, sexual remarks, and sharing private communications or photos without consent. Many kids are bullied about their appearance or disabilities. Some kids even receive outright threats from bullies online.

Cyberbullying incidents can even go viral, which opens a can of worms no teen should have to cope with. Or a child could even be “doxed,” a term often used to refer to exposing someone’s address or school.

The Effects Of Cyberbullying On Kids

Very Well Family points out that today cyberbullying has surpassed bullying as the most common type of harassment. But just like traditional bullying, cyberbullying has a negative mental effect. Cyberbullying is closely linked to suicide attempts and can lead to substance abuse, like any other trauma. But the more common effects are depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

Since bullying is often perpetrated by a child’s peers, your child or student could suddenly stop enjoying going to school or being with his friends. If a child doesn’t want to go to school anymore, or attend certain school or social events, it could be a sign that she’s being bullied online.

If a child stops enjoying their screen time or avoids scrolling on social media, there’s a good chance she’s experiencing negative treatment. A teen might even start blocking a lot of his friends on social media or delete his profiles altogether. Be on the lookout for signs like these.

Cyberbullying creates feelings of vulnerability in children. After all, it’s almost like having a bully with you in your home, all day, every day. Being bullied is a big burden for children and teens to bear. Cyberbullied kids need the comfort and protection of an adult. And they especially need their parents and teachers to take action.

How We Can Protect Our Kids

Reach Out says “Only around 1 in 10 young people inform a parent or trusted adult of cyberbullying. Some reasons for this low number include embarrassment, fear of not being believed, fear of having the issue trivialized, or losing access to technology.”

Kids should be able to trust their parents, of all people, to be on their side when cyberbullying is happening. So start establishing that trust. Talk to your child early on about the risk of cyberbullying and have her report any bullying behavior she experiences (either aimed at herself, or other people) to you right away.

Then take steps to stop bullying before it happens. Maybe that means not allowing your child to have a personal smartphone before he’s 16, or restrictions on what apps, social media, and games he is allowed to have.

Also, consider installing a parental control app, which can help alert you to any harmful activity on your child’s devices or restrict your child’s device in any way you feel is necessary. There are also apps that can educate you and your kids about cyberbullying and offer helpful resources if cyberbullying is occurring.

Know your state’s laws and your child’s school’s policies on cyberbullying. Cyberbullying.org has a great interactive map and other resources to help you find this info quickly.

As a parent, internet safety can seem like a daunting goal. But, remember that you are your kids’ best safety net, and there are actually many things you can do to prevent cyberbullying from affecting your child’s life.

Cyber Safety In The Classroom

Schools and teachers may choose to teach internet safety in the classroom by incorporating it into the curriculum. Common Sense Education has an entire lesson plan created for just that purpose. You can also find worksheets at Cyberbullying.org. Schools can also move toward safety by creating strict anti-bullying policies that address cyberbullying as well as traditional bullying, and striving to create a positive school culture.

Most importantly, get parents involved. PTA meetings, school board meetings, and school events are good places to raise awareness for cyberbullying. As parents learn to raise their kids in a technologically saturated world, they need to know there are teachers out there who are concerned and ready to cooperate to find solutions.

And if you find out that a student is being bullied online, you can take action. Just keep in mind that “school, district, and/or state policies might dictate what actions you take once you’ve verified that cyberbullying has in fact occurred,” says Common Sense. “Sometimes the recommended response is different depending on whether the bullying occurred on a school-issued device or not and whether it happened outside of school hours or during the school day.”

Safety In A Connected World

Kids are online more than ever before. According to one study, during the COVID-19 pandemic cyberbullying increased by 70%. And online education is only becoming more popular. We’re just beginning to understand the dangers and consequences that come along with our children’s screen-filled lives. Many of these pitfalls seem to be linked to mental health. And as we’ve seen, cyberbullying is one of the biggest hazards to kids’ mental health in our day.

Kids can’t battle cyberbullies on their own. They need support and protection from people who love them and who are willing to step up and take action on their behalf.

July 2, 2024
Is Teaching Wearing You Out?

Is teaching wearing you out? Learn how to take better care of yourself as a teacher.

All teachers know how stressful the classroom can be. What’s really difficult is knowing what to do about it. It’s 2023, and you’re probably wondering how you can start taking better care of yourself.

With all the work and stress that teaching brings, especially in today’s world, it’s no wonder you’re a little tired. Relax. If you’re one of those worn-out teachers fighting to keep your head above water, we have a few tips for you.

Help! Why is Teaching so Exhausting?

“Teacher burnout.” You’ve heard the phrase. Maybe you’ve used it to describe your own mental state. If so, you know that teacher burnout is no joke! It really happens… quite often actually. Gallup News did a poll last year which revealed that “More than four in ten K-12 workers in the U.S. (44%) say they ‘always’ or ‘very often’ feel burned out at work, outpacing all other industries nationally.”

The first step to fixing a problem is admitting that there is a problem. Stop pretending like everything is going well if it isn’t.

Almost everyone experiences work-related stress at some point, and this can sometimes lead to burnout. “Burnout,” Very Well Mind says, “is a reaction to prolonged or chronic job stress,” and “if you feel exhausted, start to hate your job, and begin to feel less capable at work, you are showing signs of burnout.”

So, with this information in hand (i.e. burnout is real, and teachers are the most susceptible) we can ask the big question: Why is teaching so exhausting?

Well, the classroom environment is probably one problem. Many teachers feel they do not have time to take the breaks they need. They are in charge of so many different things: lesson planning, child care, discipline… not to mention the biggest responsibility of all — educating their group of students. And on top of these everyday demands, schools today are “maxed out”: many teachers are handling multiple classrooms, trying to teach larger and larger groups of kids, doing piles of paperwork, and more. This all means you, as the teacher, are constantly pouring out yourself, your knowledge, and your resources. Every single weekday.

The National Education Association points out that most exhaustion and burnout happens when “[A]n educator has exhausted the personal and professional resources necessary to do the job.”

Are you making sure you fill up what you pour out? Are you taking care of yourself before and after work?

Ways Teachers Can Take Better Care of Themselves This Year

Good habits — at home and at work — are essential to managing stress and curing burnout.

Changing our lifestyles, habits, and behaviors can be so difficult. However, it’s so worth it! Not only will it help us in the here and now to cultivate rest, productivity, and connection with others, but it can improve our lives long-term as well. One Harvard study found that simply exercising for 3.5 hours a week, eating well, maintaining a healthy body weight, not smoking, and keeping alcohol to a minimum can add up to 10 years to a person’s life-span!

What will ensure we’re following these simple steps to a healthier and longer life? Good mental health and good habits. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you’re not being worn down by your work and forgetting to take care of yourself.

So, with that said, here are several ways teachers like you can take better care of themselves this year!

Spend Time With Friends and Family

Spending time with others is probably the most important thing on this list.

We know. You spent all day with people: dealing with them, teaching them, laughing with them…maybe you just want some alone time.

Alone time is very beneficial and even necessary. However, alone time will only get you so far. Your work environment is saturated with people, but, although you probably have wonderful connections with your students, that can’t replace the strong and loving connections you have with your kids, spouse, parents, and friends.

After a long day or week you probably feel like curling up on the couch with your cat and watching Netflix. Ask yourself: is there someone I can include in my evening or my weekend?

Your tribe is your support team. They love you and being with them will cheer you up, help you see things from a different perspective, and hopefully get you out of the house. Piedmont.org says that spending time with friends and family helps you cope with stress, which in turn helps with your psychological well-being, improves cognitive function, and is even good for cardiovascular health.

Don’t discount the power of connection with your loved ones!

Improve Your Sleep

“It is estimated that sleep-related problems affect 50 to 70 million Americans,” The American Sleep Apnea Association says.

Sleep loss is one of the biggest problems in the U.S., and it’s probably because people don’t understand the negative effects of it. Again, the Sleep Apnea Association says “Sleepiness affects vigilance, reaction times, learning abilities, alertness, mood, hand-eye coordination, and the accuracy of short-term memory.” As a teacher, you’re drawing on all of these faculties every day.

So are you getting enough sleep? It’s recommended that even adults get 7 hours of sleep a night, wake up at the same time every morning, and go to sleep at the same time every night.

There are many things you can do to get better sleep (such as taking a walk early in the morning), but the most simple way to start is to get to bed at an early hour (probably 9 or 10pm, depending on when you get up). Turn off your phone, or leave it in another room. Read until you get sleepy, then switch off the lights and doze away. Try it! Your productivity and mood will improve right away.

Create an Effective Morning Routine

Next, work on your morning routine. If you’ve fallen into the habit of waking up at the last minute and immediately checking your phone, it’s time for a change!

Wake up at the same time every morning, even on weekends. Start keeping a water bottle next to your bed, and start drinking right away when the alarm rings. Get up, get dressed, and make your bed. If you have a skin or makeup routine, it might help to get that done right away, or maybe you like to wait until after your morning coffee.

Spend quiet time eating breakfast and reading a book, doing a stretch routine, or having coffee. Whatever your favorite relaxing hobby is!

And don’t forget, starting with a healthy night routine, getting enough sleep, and keeping your phone out of reach the night before will go a long way in helping create a solid morning routine. So much of what makes a morning routine go smoothly actually starts with the night before!

Keep Moving

Teachers, it is really important that you keep moving! Most of your time is spent at a desk or standing. Both can be a big strain on your back — plus that doesn’t give you much leg or arm movement.

Begin with a strategy for exercising on your days off, or, if you’re feeling adventurous, start exercising before breakfast. You only need to start with three days a week.

Then, of course, start thinking of how you can keep moving at work. Does that mean taking a five minute walk in the parking lot at break? Or doing stretches at your desk? Getting your class to do some movements with you to revitalize energy, theirs and yours? If you do a little brainstorming, you’re sure to come up with something.

Eat Better

Now’s the time to make those eating ideals into real habits. Eating better can be overwhelming, especially for teachers. Many teachers don’t get breaks for lunches or snacks, so it’s often a matter of grabbing what you can.

And so many of us grab junk food when we’re in a hurry, right? That’s not a good habit to get caught up in! Besides trying to eat better in general, begin planning meals and snacks to take to school that are healthy. Pack more raw foods such as vegetables, nuts, fruit, and meat you prepared beforehand. Then when you’re feeling hungry, you’ll be grabbing healthy foods that actually make you feel full and satisfied.

Break Up With Social Media

Social media can be a wonderful outlet: it can generate creativity and give us support groups we never would have had otherwise. This is especially true for teachers.

But there’s a fine line. Social media can be pretty destructive, as we all know. For one thing, it keeps us glued to our screens. For another, it draws us into loops of comparison and even depression. Bad mental health in America is strongly linked to social media.

Maybe you’ve come to a point in your life where breaking up with social media sounds like a good (but scary) idea. If so, then do it! Try it for a day, a week, or a month. It’s okay if you get back on after your little “social media fast,” but consider making this a regular habit. Block out days or weeks that are social media free. And who knows, maybe you’ll decide to break up for good.

Stop Taking on Too Much & Start Taking Breaks

It can be hard for teachers to say no! There’s so many needs, so many opportunities to help out and shoulder the responsibility. But it can be too much.

Remember that life is much more than work or being the most helpful teacher in school. You can say no to a new responsibility, even if the only reason is “because I’m tired.”

Start taking breaks. Your class will survive a day or even a week with a substitute. It’s time to take those vacation days you’ve been saving up for some future day. And when you can’t take days off, start looking for moments in the school day when you can slip off and do some deep breathing or take a short walk.

Get Ready For Your Best Year Yet

Teachers, this is going to be your best year. You can make it that way, because you’re committed to taking care of yourself and not working so hard that you get burnt out.

Start small. Pick one or two things on the list above to start with. Maybe you’ll just begin taking celery sticks and peanut butter to work instead of buying those Doritos from the vending machine! Habit formation doesn’t happen when we take on too much and overwhelm ourselves even more. Work your way up to the big goals slowly, and you’ll be well on your way to taking better care of yourself this year.

July 2, 2024
Are Your Students Struggling With Mental Health?

Mental health in America is at an all-time low. And adults aren’t the only ones suffering from mental disorders; many children exhibit signs of poor mental health and have also become increasingly depressed, anxious, or suicidal.

In fact, the CDC estimates that between 2016 and 2019, about 6 million children were diagnosed with ADHD, 5.8 million with anxiety, and 2.7 million with depression. Not only that, but diagnoses of “either anxiety or depression among children aged 6–17 years increased from 5.4% in 2003 to 8% in 2007 and to 8.4% in 2011–2012.” Furthermore, suicide is the third leading cause of death in ages 15-24 years old.

This increase is cause for concern for many, not the least of which are teachers. As a teacher, you spend almost entire days working with children. Many of those children are struggling mentally and emotionally. Some may have home troubles, identity challenges, or personality and behavioral issues. The mental health of one child can affect both the teacher and the other students, so it is critical that a teacher identify the problem and handle it appropriately for the wellbeing of the children.

For teachers, poor mental health in students is a challenge that is not going away anytime soon. So it’s important to know the warning signs.

9 Warning Signs That Your Student Is Struggling With Mental Health

“Mental health includes children’s mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being. It affects how children think, feel, and act,” the CDC says. “It also plays a role in how children handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.” The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention says “in 2020, adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 24 had a suicide rate of 14.24,” per every 100,000 individuals.

If a child has bad mental health or a mental disorder, it can cause a change in the way they learn and behave. And, in the worst case scenario, it can be life-threatening, leading to suicide. Here are nine signs that you, as a teacher, can look for in your students to help you evaluate their mental state and help them heal.

1. Not completing school assignments

Sometimes a student will fail to complete homework or other assignments if he or she is struggling with depression or anxiety. Particularly, if in the past the student never missed an assignment, this can be a strong indicator of mental distress. Often, especially in teenagers, this can be the result of a lack of motivation, stemming from depression; some even begin to believe school is a waste of time. It could be a sign that all is not well at home. Or it may simply be a case of perfectionism and overthinking, which can lead to extreme anxiety if not addressed.

If your student regularly fails to hand in school assignments, he may even begin to show up late for school or skip school altogether. This can be an additional, and more serious sign, of depression or anxiety.

2. Isolation

Even if your student shows up for classes everyday, if he’s struggling, he may become increasingly isolated from other people. If you notice he is spending the majority of his time alone, stays mostly on the sidelines, or doesn’t show up for events, keep an eye out for other signs of a mental health disorder. Although it’s okay to be a bystander, sometimes these signs point to something bigger than just introversion.

3. Unhealthy eating habits

A critical sign that a child is dealing with a mental health issue is if he or she has an eating disorder.

The most obvious sign of an eating disorder is weight loss, weight gain, or both within a short period of time. Your student may also skip meals, throw away their food, or take frequent bathroom breaks. Take note if a student seems preoccupied with their weight or body image. Is she often distracted by food or an unhealthy amount of exercise? Has he ever been bullied about his weight in the past?

You may also want to keep an eye out for isolation, high levels of negative emotions, or a lack of emotions/numbness if you suspect your student has an eating disorder.

4. Changes in appearance or interests

You’ll notice, especially as your students become teens, that their interests and the way they dress and talk begin to change. Often these changes can be positive as your students come to understand themselves better and start to grow into young men and women. But sometimes, drastic or negative change could be indicative of an underlying mental health issue.

For instance, if a child suddenly loses interest in keeping up personal hygiene, that could indicate depression. Or maybe a teen begins to dress in a way that suggests moodiness or a disinterest in how she looks that leads to a sloppy appearance. Maybe he becomes more and more interested in morbid subjects, and has trouble maintaining a healthy sleep pattern, causing him to under-preform at school.

All of these can be an indication that the student is depressed and may eventually lead to suicidal thoughts or actions.

5. Negative responses to home life

Problems at home can be a key ingredient in children’s struggle with mental health. No matter what their age, kids can be profoundly affected by their home life, both positively and negatively.

If a child’s parents are going through a divorce, or the child has an unstable parent or guardian, that child is at more of a risk for developing mental health problems “including academic difficulties (e.g., lower grades and school dropout), disruptive behaviors (e.g., conduct and substance use problems), and depressed mood,” says the National Library of Medicine. This is especially true if she is being sexually, verbally, or emotionally abused. It’s a good idea to try to understand what your student’s family status is and look out for clues in the child’s behavior and attitude. The biggest indicator to you as a teacher may be things your students say about what’s happening at home and how they feel about it. If there are troubles at home, you can be sure that your students will be struggling, on some level, with those challenges.

6. Self-condemning comments and notes

Child and teen suicide just keeps rising year after year. U.S. News notes that “There has been a 4.5-fold increase in suicidal ingestion cases among children between the ages of 10 and 12 since 2000.” And it’s even worse for teens. “Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year old Americans,” according to Save.org. What can teachers do about it?

One of the best preventatives is knowing the signs. “Although many suicidal children and adolescents do not self-refer, they do show warning signs to their peers, parents or trusted school personnel. Never ignore these signs,” says the state of Nevada’s suicide prevention website.

Some of the most common signs are suicide notes and threats.

If you find a suicide note or a darkly dangerous doodle in your student’s notes that seem to indicate violence or self-harm, be sure to take the problem to someone in your school who will deal promptly with the situation. Or, if you overhear a conversation that implies the same, then take steps to make sure your student will be safe.

7. Substance use

Self-medication using drugs and alcohol is a sure sign that a student is struggling. If a teen turns to substances because of depression, anxiety, family or school problems, it can lead to much worse mental health issues down the road.

If a student is abusing substances, his grades may suddenly drop, or he might be late to school, act tired, moody, or violent. Young people can become addicted to drugs and alcohol much faster than adults, especially if they have a mental health disorder in the first place. So watch out for drug and alcohol use in your students. It could indicate a much deeper problem.

8. Bullying other children

We know that bullying can lead to mental health struggles in children. If a child has been bullied in your class, you should keep an eye out for the negative effects and try to curb them if you can.

But what about the bully? Could one of your students be a bully? What does that say about their mental health?

Some bullies actually lash out at others to compensate for their low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. Many children who were bullied in the past become bullies themselves. Pay attention to your students’ behavior. Bullies usually exhibit what are called “gateway behaviors” such as derisive laughing, eye-rolling, stalking, or prolonged staring at their victim. Noticing and dealing with these behaviors in that student, or group of students, can stop bullying before it starts.

9. Identifying as gay or transgender

An increasing number of children and teens are identifying as transgender today. In fact, the amount has doubled in the past five years, a UCLA study found. Even more intentify as gay or bisexual.

And with this spike comes some concerning mental health stats. Medical New Today reports that transgender teens are 7.6 times more likely to attempt suicide. Even after surgery and hormone theropy, kids are likely to have mental health struggles and try to commit suicide. The Daily Wire points out that gender and sex confusion “corresponds to higher depression and attempts at taking one’s own life.”

If a student in your class identifies as LGBTQ, they may already be struggling and run a high risk of becoming increasingly depressed and anxious, feeling uncertain about themselves and their emotions, and being bullied by classmates.

What’s The Next Step?

If you’ve identified a serious mental health issue, discovered a suicide note, or have questions about a student’s behavior, your next step is to talk to someone on your school’s staff. That may be the school counselor or nurse, or principal depending on the institution. Learn who handles these situations at your school and always report suicide notes to that person.

You can also call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which will provide resources, support, and counsel you on what you should do next. Learn how you should approach your student and his or her parents to talk about the issue by talking to a school counselor or Googling suicide prevention websites such as To Write Love on Her Arms, Save, or American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. We also have a series of videos that touch on mental health, especially around the topic of bullying, particularly recognizing and preventing bullying.

Improving Mental Health in America’s Students

As a teacher, it’s your job to make your classroom a place to foster learning. As a teacher, you are trusted by your students, some more than others, but all to some degree rely on you as an authority figure. You can’t deal with every student’s attitudes, thoughts, feelings, and whatever challenges they’re dealing with in their personal lives. And you shouldn’t. But sometimes, when a child needs adult intervention, you can be one of the first ones to recognize it.

Take steps to deal with each individual kid with compassion. Let your students know you care about them and you’ll help them if you can. Try to reach out to their parents and discuss the situation with a school official who can give you sound advice.

Mental health has declined so much over the past few years. It’s time to step in and get children the support they need from adults who love them.

July 2, 2024