Genius Hour Reflection #1: Mental Health and Mental Wellness - What You Need to Know!

Hello World and Welcome Back!

Last week you would have seen that I completed my Genius Hour proposal which consisted of me narrowing down my topic of choice. This left me with my guiding question regarding the ways in which we, as teachers, can promote Mental Health and Wellness within the classroom (not only for students but for teachers as well). With this in mind, I started off researching some facts about mental health and mental wellness in order to build a solid foundation of these concepts so I can begin researching possible strategies. This provided me with the groundwork for my guiding question as it allowed for me to learn about the information that I need to consider when creating a 'toolbox' of strategies and techniques that I can implement within my own classroom! 

McKay, M. (2018, July 18). Adult mental health first aid course to be held late July, August | The Journal Pioneer. Retrieved from https://www.journalpioneer.com/community/adult-mental-health-first-aid-course-to-be-held-late-july-august-227180/

     When it comes to building a 'toolbox' of strategies and tools that we can use within our classrooms it is always important to start of with knowing what you are trying to tackle - in this case, it is necessary that I know more about Mental Health and Mental Wellness. 

     The first step in my research was looking into mental health to develop a better understanding of what this often refers to, especially within our current society that is heavily promoting and emphasizing the need to talk about Mental health. While I was investing my time in reading through several different articles and foundations, I was able to come up with this short summary detailing the importance of being aware of our mental health, especially with the rise in mental illnesses today.

     In Canada, it has been revealed that 1 in 5 Canadians in their lifetime will experience a mental illness. This experience can be experienced directly or indirectly through family, friends, colleagues, peers, and so on. (“About Mental Illness”, 2017). Mental illness, in this case, refers to a range of mental health conditions, which are also referred to as disorders, known to affect an individual’s perception, thinking and character. With this, it is important to recognize that mental illnesses are able to present themselves in different forms, similar to how physical illnesses can also appear differently, and these developments can lead people into positions where they feel as though they are unable to control aspects of their everyday life (“About Mental Illness”, 2017). Since mental illnesses can present themselves in different ways, it can be difficult to understand what the individual is going through. If we are not looking out for our friends, family, coworkers, or even ourselves our mental health can severely impact how we feel about ourselves and even our lives, which can result in this confusion, and even these feelings of hopelessness, loneliness and even these voids in emotion and feeling, all of which results in this perception of not knowing who they are as a person. The Government of Canada has stated, 

“Mental illness is not the same as feeling distressed from normal reactions to difficult situations… most of us are able to regain control of our lives after a difficult situation. But those with a mental illness feel distressed regularly. They may feel powerless to regain control” (“About Mental Illness”, 2017).

Thus, understanding mental illness is crucial as this can be felt directly or indirectly, and as a result, emphasizes the importance of having these conversations to help people feel as though they can take control of their lives and work through anything they are faced with. 

     Knowing this further emphasizes the importance of being aware of mental health and mental illness as it clearly has an impact on all aspects of our lives. Not only can it affect the students that are walking in and out of our classrooms, but it can also impact ourselves directly and indirectly. Through being aware of how mental health and illnesses can be experienced broadly, this only further promotes the need to open up these discussions to ensure that we are considering the needs of others, while also ensuring that we are working to promote the health and wellbeing of our students, friends, family and even our own at the end of the day. We want to be able to build a strong and healthy mindset and mind-space that works to comfort not only our students, but ourselves too! 

"Student Voice." (N.D.). Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/students/speakup/premsac.html

     The second step in my research was looking more into Mental Wellness, as I need to know more about this in order to promote this within the classroom. Below is what I have come to realizing throughout my research on Mental Wellness.

     

     I have come to this understanding that Mental Wellness refers to the steps in which we take towards self-care in order to prevent stressors and potential dangers from occurring (especially those that are linked to mental illnesses). Even when building off this understanding of self-care, it allows for us to recognize how wellness involves the complete wellbeing of a person - it is this balance of the emotional, physical, mental/psychological and spiritual well-being. This further emphasizes the importance of considering and taking care of not only our physical health, but also the importance in taking care of our mental/psychological health too. Since our mental health has the ability to impact our everyday lives, it is important that we are working to enjoying a balanced and rewarding life because this is what we all want - we not only want this for ourselves, but for our students too! Through encouraging this focus on our students and our own mental health and wellness will, as stated by Rogers Behavioural Health (2013), "lead to prevention of mental health conditions and promote societal features like greater academic achievement by our children...". Living with a strong and positive outlook will not only allow for us to realize and work towards our full potential, but we will also be able to cope using our strategies, work productively and build meaningful connections with our communities, family and friends (MentalHealth. N.D. Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health).  

     In this case, Mental Wellness refers to not only this consideration for our mental wellbeing, but for this balance consisting of all the components that go into the shaping of our identity - we must ensure there is a balance of our physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual health. Through working towards building and developing a strong balance of all components that shapes our being will help us in not only maintaining a strong and healthy life, but will also help us in finding ways to cope with any external stressors and/or pressures that we are faced with in our everyday lives. As a result, this balance is what leads us to reaching our full potential!

"Mental Wellness." (5 March, 2018). Retrieved from https://www.3ts.ie/blog/mental-wellness/

In conclusion, this first week of my Genius Hour research has been extremely useful in developing this solid foundation in understanding more about mental health and mental wellness. Not only have I become more informed about these topics, it allows for me to feel prepared being in a classroom and ensuring that I am on the look out - what I mean is that I am constantly looking out for my students wellbeing as I always want them to succeed and reach their full potential! Throughout my research I will now be able to find and develop strategies that I can build into my classroom and even put into my personal teaching 'toolbox' to ensure that I am focusing on that balanced wellbeing. This will allow for me to become the teacher that I want to be - the one who is there for their students and is able to provide them with all the necessary tools and strategies to be happy, healthy and successful!

Check out this video before leaving!

Feel free to share your thoughts below, I would love to hear what everyone thinks! 🙂

Logging off for now!

- Miss. Wighton

“Take your time healing, as long as you want. Nobody else knows what you've been through. How could they know how long it will take to heal you.” - Abertoli


References

About Mental Illness. (5 September 2017). Retrieved January 18, 2019, from    

     https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/about-mental-illness.html

Mental Health Month: Mental Wellness is as Important as Physical Wellness. (N.D.). 

     Retrieved from https://rogersbh.org/about-us/newsroom/blog/mental-health-month-

     mental-wellness-important-physical-wellness

Wellness Module 1: Mental Health Matters. (N.D.). Retrieved from 

     http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/wellness-module/wellness-module-1-mental-health-

     matters

What is Mental Health? (N.D.). Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-

     is-mental-health