This is a bit of pipe dream campaign at this point...something that will never come-the school has made it extremely clear that their concerns with student SEL is at the bottom of their to-do list. No, telling students to hand in work late is okay-its just teacher pedagogy...
Another one of our students tried to take their own life. This was not a "cry for help" sort of situation either, it was done with intention according to sources. This is not the first time this has happened. The school simply lacks the professional services and supports needed in order to accommodate and deal with students who are suffering or experience difficulties mentally overall or at certain points in time.
It's alarming to me, that after 6 years-no coordination from the school administration came out in regards to "how do we support students?"; yes academically we have an SBT team, but is that enough? A team of teachers and admin who meet once a week (if that now), and discuss the academic standings of students since its too early for teachers to really know how their students act on a regular basis? Chinese at our school are in some cases extreme introverts, and are not struggling with mental health wellness issues, but on the other hand-how would we know? Some students we have only meet and known for such a short time. How can minimal contact in an overpopulated class amount to a significant diagnosis of concern?
I don't know the student that tried to take their life-I know people who have. But it doesn't matter because "I care." No one should wake up feeling like they HAVE to be somewhere and HAVE to do something, its a school not a prison-there are many ways out. What was so horribly undefeatable that an individual contemplated and attempted the ending of themselves over jumping a fence? Calling their parents? Saying "I quit"? Or even, "I know, I'll call (insert name here)"?
The fact is that we don't know if it was the school's fault, the parent's fault, a bully's fault, the economy's fault or even bloody Trump's fault-but the fact is, we don't know, and "it matters".
"it matters that I care,"
I care that students in a school feel their life is hopeless,
I care that students don't feel there is no one to talk to,
I care that our school doesn't recognize mental health issues,
I care that our school functions like nothing happened afterwards,
because it did; and it matters,
it matters that no one had any idea,
it matters that there isn't time to talk to people,
it matters that marks are low,
it matters that parents live far away,
it matters that parents are disappointed,
it matters that people don't talk about mental health,
it matters that a teacher can't recognize tells in behaviour,
it matters that a student can't talk to friends when in need,
it matters that there are students who don't know how to manage emotions,
it all matters, and I care.
________________________________________________________________________________
This is something I hope I can incorporate (either in a video or with an audio by students-for students) to really drive the need for the community to come together and address this issue of "silent stigmas" where it counts-in the heart. No fluff, no messing around, just a straight heavy swift kick in the pants.
Tears are necessary, people need to cry, that is how people will come together. You know I think in most cases, mental health awareness day is light and fluffy in schools that it doesn't really matter but where it needs to be addressed, its not just a "fun day" with lunch activities, its a day in which people need to really COME TOGETHER, vigils, candles, but that's not what we can afford to do here, because the school takes it as a threat of their integrity.
I am now posed with the question, "what will this look like?"
The administration will expect it to be "light and fluffy" for sure. What am I going to do?
_________________________________________________________________________________
I really want that poem to be heard; I know that won't fly. But the "I care", and "it matters" is something that might be good to carry forward.
Bracelets? Uniform T-Shirts...that really attract the eye might be important and would be crucial with the slogan "I care" and "it matters" and "green ribbon".
-->could also be a green ribbon with a statement, "ask me about the ribbon."
No students will want to listen to a speech...
Buttons get lost and tossed shortly after...
A mural along with homeroom photos after individual homeroom activities?
-->could be something
"The Good Book" Campaign (this was done by my class 5 years ago and put into a school time capsule)
-->Each homeroom collects a page from eac student of positive stories, words or poetry about friends, family, times of despair that worked out (completely anonymous) and are photocopied and put on display for page flipping (altogether there would be something like 2000 or so pages per respective campus), this would be a display piece for the public and then the original copy in colour would be placed in the reference section of the library maybe? Add homeroom photos to each set of pages, would make students more interested in reading it from time to time?
-->there is a staff member who is actually dedicated to JUST photocopying things...therefore, that is no issue.
-->editing team? Homeroom teacher are the first line and then ENG Dept HOD's/teachers. Checking for vulgarity (NO EDITING other than straight page removals).
Green Ribbons (awareness)/better than buttons, but still not quite as "permanent"
-->stickers
-->made especially for teachers to wear
Video for mental health awareness, Artist, "Ren"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCsQDY8A6og
Another one of our students tried to take their own life. This was not a "cry for help" sort of situation either, it was done with intention according to sources. This is not the first time this has happened. The school simply lacks the professional services and supports needed in order to accommodate and deal with students who are suffering or experience difficulties mentally overall or at certain points in time.
It's alarming to me, that after 6 years-no coordination from the school administration came out in regards to "how do we support students?"; yes academically we have an SBT team, but is that enough? A team of teachers and admin who meet once a week (if that now), and discuss the academic standings of students since its too early for teachers to really know how their students act on a regular basis? Chinese at our school are in some cases extreme introverts, and are not struggling with mental health wellness issues, but on the other hand-how would we know? Some students we have only meet and known for such a short time. How can minimal contact in an overpopulated class amount to a significant diagnosis of concern?
I don't know the student that tried to take their life-I know people who have. But it doesn't matter because "I care." No one should wake up feeling like they HAVE to be somewhere and HAVE to do something, its a school not a prison-there are many ways out. What was so horribly undefeatable that an individual contemplated and attempted the ending of themselves over jumping a fence? Calling their parents? Saying "I quit"? Or even, "I know, I'll call (insert name here)"?
The fact is that we don't know if it was the school's fault, the parent's fault, a bully's fault, the economy's fault or even bloody Trump's fault-but the fact is, we don't know, and "it matters".
"it matters that I care,"
I care that students in a school feel their life is hopeless,
I care that students don't feel there is no one to talk to,
I care that our school doesn't recognize mental health issues,
I care that our school functions like nothing happened afterwards,
because it did; and it matters,
it matters that no one had any idea,
it matters that there isn't time to talk to people,
it matters that marks are low,
it matters that parents live far away,
it matters that parents are disappointed,
it matters that people don't talk about mental health,
it matters that a teacher can't recognize tells in behaviour,
it matters that a student can't talk to friends when in need,
it matters that there are students who don't know how to manage emotions,
it all matters, and I care.
________________________________________________________________________________
This is something I hope I can incorporate (either in a video or with an audio by students-for students) to really drive the need for the community to come together and address this issue of "silent stigmas" where it counts-in the heart. No fluff, no messing around, just a straight heavy swift kick in the pants.
Tears are necessary, people need to cry, that is how people will come together. You know I think in most cases, mental health awareness day is light and fluffy in schools that it doesn't really matter but where it needs to be addressed, its not just a "fun day" with lunch activities, its a day in which people need to really COME TOGETHER, vigils, candles, but that's not what we can afford to do here, because the school takes it as a threat of their integrity.
I am now posed with the question, "what will this look like?"
The administration will expect it to be "light and fluffy" for sure. What am I going to do?
_________________________________________________________________________________
I really want that poem to be heard; I know that won't fly. But the "I care", and "it matters" is something that might be good to carry forward.
Bracelets? Uniform T-Shirts...that really attract the eye might be important and would be crucial with the slogan "I care" and "it matters" and "green ribbon".
-->could also be a green ribbon with a statement, "ask me about the ribbon."
No students will want to listen to a speech...
Buttons get lost and tossed shortly after...
A mural along with homeroom photos after individual homeroom activities?
-->could be something
"The Good Book" Campaign (this was done by my class 5 years ago and put into a school time capsule)
-->Each homeroom collects a page from eac student of positive stories, words or poetry about friends, family, times of despair that worked out (completely anonymous) and are photocopied and put on display for page flipping (altogether there would be something like 2000 or so pages per respective campus), this would be a display piece for the public and then the original copy in colour would be placed in the reference section of the library maybe? Add homeroom photos to each set of pages, would make students more interested in reading it from time to time?
-->there is a staff member who is actually dedicated to JUST photocopying things...therefore, that is no issue.
-->editing team? Homeroom teacher are the first line and then ENG Dept HOD's/teachers. Checking for vulgarity (NO EDITING other than straight page removals).
Green Ribbons (awareness)/better than buttons, but still not quite as "permanent"
-->stickers
-->made especially for teachers to wear
Video for mental health awareness, Artist, "Ren"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCsQDY8A6og
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_nc1IVoMxc
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