Teaching Students with Mental Health Problems

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Teaching Students with Mental Health Problems

• A.C.Baker (Deputy Director
  Disabilities)
• July 05

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Teaching Students with Mental Health
ProblemsPossible Causes
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Skills I will need (The Teacher)

• As a practitioner one should ensure that you are
  able to deliver a consistent quality service to
  all of your students, even more so if your
  students have mental health problems.
• Consistent Reliable Dependable, key words
  that relate to services / requirements for
  students with mental health needs.
• Identified on the next slide are some of the Key
  Skills identified by service users.

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Skills of the Teacher (Patience)

• Patience
• Be aware that your students may be late for
  class, (at least they are there, your obviously
  doing something right) .
• Be aware that your students have good and bad
  days (just like you do, have empathy for their
  needs)
• Try to understand all of your students, what are
  their coping strategies, (take time to listen and
  learn from each other)

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Skills of the Teacher (Be Supportive)

• Support
• Listen, watch and discuss the needs of the
  individual, this strategy pays real dividends as
  candidates understand that you care.
• Try to understand the feelings of social
  isolation, how may you best help the situation,
  be prepared to walk the extra mile to support
  individuals.
• Develop exit strategies for your students ( time
  out to reflect relax and think )
• Be encouraging and supportive at all times,
  consistency of approach brings rewards.

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Skills of the Teacher (Be Aware)

• Awareness
• Be Aware of all your students ( Individuality)
• Being aware of changing circumstances is a key
  skill, awareness of the individual needs and you
  are very often able to avoid potential problems.
• Be aware that very often your candidates may
  suffer from low or very low self esteem, lots of
  encouragement will assist this situation.
• Be aware of your own needs and ensure you attend
  to them, neglect of yourself is a key failing and
  will have detrimental effects on your students,
  remember that your students look to you for
  support and guidance and to be there.
• Be aware of support services who are able to
  support you when the needs arise

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Skills of the Teacher (Knowledgeable)

• Knowledge
• Develop your understanding and knowledge of
  mental health.
• Develop knowledge of the support systems /
  agencies that can offer help and advice i.e. Mind
  NIMHE NHS, (a little help is worth a lot of
  pity !)
• Learn about your individual students (what makes
  them tick !) knowledge is the key to your
  success, candidates will appreciate the fact that
  you bothered to find out about them.
• Be Knowledgeable about yourself, understand your
  limitations, know when to seek help, also be
  knowledgeable as to where to get it.

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Skills of the Teacher (Innovative)

• Innovation
• Use of all teaching methods will bring success,
  do not be afraid to try something new if the
  method you are using does not work, the use of
  video, audio tape etc may support the individual
  and assist in the recording of evidence
• Share best practice with your colleagues, you may
  find they have the key to the problem, never be
  afraid to ask for help.
• Students will very often offer you the key to the
  problem speak to them, be prepared to listen.
• The development of user groups may help a great
  deal, shared experiences and expertise develops
  everyone.

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Coping Strategies

• Be aware that many of the strategies one will use
  will be the same as those required in other
  teaching situations, however you will be required
  to ensure they are finely tuned to meet the needs
  of the individual with mental health problems.
  Teaching strategies will have to consistent
  across the board to achieve success.
• As the teacher do not try to solve all the
  individuals problems, we are not trained to be
  therapists, should you require these services
  then book them in properly.
• Use your everyday skills as a teacher to deliver
  quality provision, always be supportive, caring,
  genuine and honest, you will need to gain the
  trust of the individual if you are to be
  successful.
• Take time to build good relationships between
  yourself and the support agencies, together you
  will be able to provide a quality service for the
  student.

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Coping Strategies

• Using the support agencies will be of vital
  importance to ensure your student is able to
  maximise their full learning potential, be aware
  of who the agencies are and try to get names of
  key personnel, remember both yourself and the
  agencies are trying to achieve the same Aims (The
  development of the Individual)
• The development of a student / staff user group
  will be of benefit to all concerned, information
  can be shared and ideas bounced about, solutions
  to problems may very easily solved by using the
  knowledge and expertise of a user group
• Publicised information of user groups can provide
  its own rewards, you may find that new members
  are forthcoming and students or staff with issues
  may also contact you without fear of labelling
• It may have taken a great deal of time and
  courage for the student to come to you Do not
  waste this opportunity

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Positive Outcomes

• The following may provide evidence that the
  manner in which you have taught and disseminated
  information to your students has provided a
  positive outcome.
• Students have become relaxed and feel comfortable
  within the learning environment.
• Candidates may show changes in attitude and have
  increased confidence.
• Candidates may become more reliable and
  consistent, a reduction in lateness and more
  attentive in lessons.
• Improvements in personal presentation may be
  evident, developments in personal attitudes may
  also be noticed.
• Candidates very often show confidence in the
  tutor.
• Overall improvements in the teaching and learning
  outcomes
• The above list is not exhaustive but should
  provide good indicators that progress is being
  made, if things do not happen immediately then do
  not despair, all great journeys started with the
  first step

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Tips For Teachers

• Take time to listen to your students.
• Be reliable, consistent and well planned for all
  sessions and every eventuality
• Develop knowledge of mental health and strategies
  to cope.
• Take time to build relationships with the
  student, their friends and their family, know
  your boundaries and utilise support if and as
  required.
• Be sensitive to the needs of the individual.
• Create opportunities for further learning.
• Identify staff training needs for you and your
  team, build up a bank of specialist resources
  that may be able to deliver bespoke training.
• Always try to create friendly environments.
• Be self critical and adjust to the needs of your
  students.
• Set up study groups (good for supporting
  individuals and groups)
• Be observant, keep an eye open for key signs of
  change with an individual
• Be Honest !!

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Implications of Poor Planning and Liaison

• As Managers / teachers etc we have a
  responsibility to ensure all students are given
  the opportunity to achieve their maximum learning
  potential, to ensure this happens we have to
  limit the disruption of the learning process as
  much as possible. (Consistency of teaching staff,
  rooming , time etc)
• High levels of stress for staff and individual
  students will be evident if the planning process
  is poorly administered, this may also lead to
  high levels of student or staff sickness.
• Breakdown of communication between college,
  external agencies the family and friends leading
  to poor or no support for the student.
• Ultimately you may destroy the confidence and
  motivation of the individual leading to an
  increased level of absenteeism, poor time keeping
  or worst case scenario the student leaves.

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Implications of Inadequate Training

• Inappropriate staffing expertise to work with
  vulnerable groups.
• Poor management of the learning situation leading
  to poor curriculum and lost educational
  opportunities.
• Low expectations of individuals and subsequent
  poor outcomes / achievements leading to loss of
  valuable funding units.
• High levels of stress for students and staff
  (general loss of motivation for all concerned).
• Absenteeism for students and staff (Higher levels
  than normally expected).
• Students or staff becoming disillusioned and
  leave the college, this leads to the general loss
  of qualified staff and motivated students
  (Possibilities of not being able to run provision
  due to poor numbers or unavailable staff)..

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Solutions for the college

• Mandatory general awareness raising of Mental
  Health Issues for (SMT).
• Development of outreach provision with external
  agencies, this will assist in the transition from
  outside/ outreach provision to main college
  buildings.
• Develop comprehensive levels of support for
  students and staff with mental health problems
  (Student Support / Counselling team Mental Health
  user group etc).
• Promotion of good mental health, ensure the
  college uses preventative strategies to support
  staff and reduce the likelihood of increased
  mental health problems, (Stress management
  courses etc) .
• Whole college push to raise profile of mental
  health.

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Solutions for the college ctd

• Target setting for students with mental health
  problems
• ( Recruitment Retention and achievement stats),
  ensure these statistics form part of the
  divisions and colleges SAR.
• Increased involvement with outside specialist
  agencies who can assist with generic staff
  training, SMT training and promoting good mental
  health.
• Dedicated team of staff trained in mental health
  awareness and associated issues, this may include
  outside agency staff .
• Implement a training plan for all college staff,
  ensuring the training carries the same status as
  other areas of Equal Opportunities eg Race
  Awareness Training.