Mental health can negatively affect students’ academic performance if they don’t look out for mental issues. But first, you need to know that mental illnesses can arise from many situations surrounding a student. It can result from drug abuse, low self-esteem, depression, or living in an unsafe environment. By identifying these major causes beforehand, you can prevent mental disorders and protect students’ mental well-being. To do this, a school needs to create a learning space that supports students’ well-being and fosters growth strategies. There are various ways to go about this, but here are some of the best ways you can provide mental health support for students.
- Promote a positive learning school environment
This is an overall way to promote students’ mental health. When students focus on learning, good mental health should be in line to achieve high performance. To encourage a positive learning environment, start by establishing open communication channels where students can report their problems without fear. Then, set ground rules that need to be followed by each student to promote respect among them. Additionally, allow students to contribute to decision-making, and it can improve their trust towards the school as they feel they have a say in significant school decisions. Provide maximum security for the student’s safety. A student cannot focus on schoolwork if they fear that an attack can occur at any time. Lastly, supporting staff such as cleaners, cooks, and librarians should contribute to a positive environment by supporting students’ learning and ensuring they perform their work diligently.
- Incorporate mental training programs
Best schools in Abu Dhabi educate students, parents, and teachers on the importance of good mental health. It is done through mental training programs that equip them with the tools necessary to provide mental support. From their training, teachers know how to deal with students’ mental well-being in different scenarios. They learn how to identify students that need help by reviewing performance. Teachers can use poor performance to determine a student having mental issues, and by this, they can identify the primary cause and provide support. Mental training programs can come in handy for students as they are closer to the problems. Students are trained on how to identify and deal with mental disorders. They can identify their issues and also those of their peers. Teachers are not around students when at home, so parents should receive the training to identify a mentally distressed child and provide the right support.
- Have specialists to cater to students’ needs
You should consider hiring a school psychologist or to provide professional support to students and teachers as well. A teacher can reflect bad energy towards students, and having them see a psychologist can help improve their attitude. That right attitude will have a positive impact on students, and this can improve their mental state. The psychologist will provide close monitoring to students with special needs through regular check-ins by the students at any time of the day. The psychologist will monitor behaviour, suggest changes, and assist with mental healing. Ensure that teachers and students make regular appointments, and this can improve their mental health.
- Build positive student relationships with each other
Peace and harmony need to exist among students to promote positive learning and teamwork. You can start by implementing strategies that will promote student to student relationship. Such include advising students on the importance of uplifting each other, complementing one another, and correcting other students when making mistakes. In return, it can promote motivation, establish self-esteem, and build confidence. These positive interactions among students will promote true friendships, which enable them to look out for each other. Educate students on the importance of checking in on others and how it can improve their well-being. Show them how to be kind to themselves and others, and this can improve their mental health. Emphasize focusing on the good side of each other to create a positive learning atmosphere.
- Promote extracurricular activities
Many schools tend to sleep on the importance of engaging students in extracurricular activities. These activities are essential as they promote students’ physical and mental health. By taking part in such activities, students can develop skills such as time management, allowing them to balance academics and sports without pressure, leading to depression. Extracurricular activities allow students to explore their interests and identify what they are good at. If a student is poor in academics, they can identify their strength in a certain game, leading to a career. Sports can also promote patience and endurance, and students can deal with difficult situations in life. Additionally, a student who performs well in swimming can showcase their ability, and in return, it can boost their self-confidence. Exposing students to curricular activities will promote their physical health, which leads to good mental well-being.
Therefore, students’ mental health should be a priority for schools if they want to improve overall performance. Schools must create an environment that offers mental support to enhance the well-being of students.