Having been a school social worker for the past 15 years, I am keenly aware of our social responsibility. Japan’s growing youth mental health crisis. I know that strong mental health and social-emotional support for students is non-negotiable in education, and I am proud to announce a new program designed to address this urgent challenge for students. and praise the resources. But what about the mental health of educators?
Yes, so is the teacher mental health crisis Capturing headingsEspecially since the connection with us is envisaged. Increasing teacher shortage. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen that much investment and innovation for educators.
A year ago, I had an opportunity to change that.I was offered a job at Brooklyn Institute Charter School as a school social worker, but with a unique twist on the traditional role. I split my time serving students and adults in the building. I still have many students that I see regularly, and my job description clearly states that I am the mental health provider for school staff. My colleagues can schedule events on my calendar, pull me aside in case of a crisis or emergency, and text or call me at any time.
Initially, I was reluctant to take the position. I became a school social worker because I have a deep passion for helping, nurturing, and caring for young people. That work is needed now more than ever, especially for students from marginalized communities that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, like the students we serve at Brooklyn Lab. I understand. But what inspired me to take this job, and what has energized me every day since, is that supporting adults in schools is one of the most important things I can do for students. Because I understand that now.
This role, the creation of a dedicated on-site mental health resource for teachers and staff, is different from how most schools I’ve seen approach teacher mental health. Perks like free lunch, extra planning time, or professional development on teacher self-care can be supportive, but often feel like they’re putting a Band-Aid over a gaping wound. there is.
That’s why my work is so innovative and effective. As someone who walks the halls with my colleagues and fellow students and families, I am able to quickly and specifically support them with many of their daily challenges. Sometimes people come to me with personal problems outside of work, but most of the time teachers come to me with work-related issues. People stop by my office or text me because they want to talk about their experiences with someone who understands what they’re going through.
Most of my conversations center on how teachers can improve their practices. Yes, teaching quadratic formulas, improving reading comprehension, and conjugating verbs in Spanish requires essential skills and technical knowledge. But any teacher will tell you that a large part of teaching also relies on soft skills.
So what do you do when the whole classroom doesn’t listen? What do you do when you really want to reach out to a student who has been checked out? How do you build relationships and partner with families? And perhaps the biggest question is how educators should address this issue. secondary trauma Are they holding themselves more and more? These are the kinds of questions that my colleagues would like to explore with me. Some may have concrete answers, but for the most part, these questions carry emotional weight, and teachers need an outlet and a safe place to process them.
Whether teachers are having personal or work issues, it is impossible for most teachers to find time to take care of their mental health outside of school. is using my support. The teachers and staff I work with are fully committed to their jobs. In fact, all too often we don’t have the time or resources to seek support for ourselves. If we can’t find a way to provide that to our students in a truly accessible way, we can’t expect them to show up and be their best selves.
If we want to change the mental burden of the profession and help educators meet the many challenges facing their students, we need to start investing differently in teacher mental health. there is. While my role is not the only way to do this, it has certainly proven to be effective and transformative for school communities. Since my school created this position, teacher satisfaction has increased by 25% in an annual staff survey conducted to assess what needs to be done to improve the work environment.
We are keenly aware that this type of initiative requires significant financial and human resources. We are investing more in addressing the youth mental health crisis, which is critical. But we don’t look closely enough at the role educators play and how we support their well-being.
Taking innovative approaches to supporting teacher mental health will not only curb the growing challenge of teacher burnout, but will ultimately make schools more connected and better for teachers, staff, students, and families. etc. will make it effective for everyone.
