Key Features of Mental Health Lessons in School

Amabelle Montemayor Lapira

Mental health is a state of wellbeing where people can meet their learning potential, cope with normal stresses, and are connected to community and their friends.

Promoting mental health in schools increases students' opportunities and choices in life. Thus, mental health is important in flourishing students’ education journey, building resilience against adversity, developing protective factors from mental ill-health and providing them with skills and confidence to self-seek help for early intervention.

Some of the key features of mental health lessons in schools include whole school approaches and resilience building for students.

A whole school approach involves everyone (school leaders, teachers, staff and parents) to embed a safe and inclusive learning culture and environments, including providing social and emotional skills programs, providing timely support for those with additional needs, and involving students and families in decision-making.

Meanwhile, resilience is the ability to cope and thrive in the face of negative events, challenges or adversity. It is a skill that can be developed through positive social connections, safe environments, life skills such as positive coping and problem solving skills, pro-social values, positive selfregard, and a sense of purpose and agency or responsibility.

When school staff, leaders, teachers and educators are given the resources and tools to promote and model behaviors, values and inclusivity, this improves teacher-student relationships and builds inclusive and safe school communities to support everyone's wellbeing and improved learning outcomes.

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The author is Teacher III at Becuran High School, Sta Rita, Pampanga