Teaching mental health to teachers
It was most enlightening to read Emily Mullin’s article (Jan. 22, “College students are struggling in the pandemic, but mental health awareness is growing”) on mental health issues experienced by students at the university level. Many of us in the university community have recognized these issues among our students. At Point Park University, I have been honored to work with three faculty colleagues (Dr. Vincenne Revilla-Beltran, Dr. Christal Edmunds and Dr. Kamryn York) in the School of Education to address this crisis.
Over the past two years, my colleagues have been forced on occasion to interrupt their teaching to assist a student who was experiencing an emotional reaction. Although most of my teaching is done online with graduate students, I have personally communicated with many students who question if they can continue their studies due to the stress of their jobs, family illnesses and obligations and the stress of teaching in online and hybrid modalities.
We are attempting to do what we can to provide support to our students. Over the past two years, we have become certified as Mental Health First Aid instructors. This training provides teachers with skills and a process for how to best assist students who are experiencing an emotional crisis. We provide training to our student teachers who are facing these issues for the first time. They are learning a protocol for how to speak to students who seem to be in crisis. One of the components of the model is that teachers also be aware of their own emotional health and consciously seek outlets for their own self-care.
Over the coming months, we will continue training our preservice teachers and School of Education faculty members, and will offer training to other faculty within the university. Next steps are to collaborate with local schools and community organizations.
From our faculty positions at Point Park, we hope to make a small difference in the lives of our students and community members.
RICHARD GUTKIND
Shadyside Professor/Graduate Program
Director School of Education Point Park University