(Neil

“Children are thePostman)

messages we
send to a time we will not see.”
(Neil Postman)
 Who’s the Expert?

• Teachers

• Parents/Guardians

• School Management

• Mental Health Practitioners

Mrs. Jasmine Khattar

Ms. Trinjhna Khattar

Mrs. Satwinder Virdhi

 Mental Health Issue or Not?
Red Flags or Not?
• If a child falls asleep every afternoon in class during the
lesson?

• If a child is late for school often?

• If a child has frequent suspensions for not following

directions in class?

• If a child has a temper tantrum?

• If a child is unkempt?
 All children face some mental health
problems/issues, including:

•Anxiety about school

performance
•Problems dealing with parents
& teachers
•Unhealthy peer pressure
•Common developmental,
adjustment problems
•School phobia
•Dealing with death or divorce
•Feeling depressed or overwhelmed
•Drug or alcohol use
•Suicidal ideation
•Worrying about sexuality
•Facing tough decisions
•Considering dropping out of school
Ages 5 to 12

• Begins to learn the capacity to work

• Develops imagination and creativity
• Learns self-care skills
• Develops a conscience
• Learns to cooperate, play fairly, and follow social
rules
 Difficult Behavior

•Arguing/Fighting with Siblings and/or Peers

•Curiosity about Body Parts of males and
females
•Testing Limits
•Limited Attention Span
•Worrying about being accepted
•Lying
•Not Taking Responsibility for Behavior
Behaviours needing immediate intervention
Ages 6-12
•Excessive Aggressiveness
•Serious Injury to Self or Others
•Excessive Fears
•School Refusal/Phobia
•Frequent Excessive or Extended Emotional
Reactions
•Inability to Focus on Activity even for Five
Minutes
•Patterns of Delinquent behaviors
 Ages 13-18

The child develops self-identity and the capacity for

intimacy

•Accepting responsibility for behavior

•Able to develop friendships
•Able to follow social rules
 Difficult Behavior

• Moodiness
• Less attention and affection towards parents
• Extremely self involved
• Peer conflicts
• Worries and stress about relationships
• Testing limits
• Identity Searching/Exploring
• Substance use experimentation
• Preoccupation with sex
Immediate Intervention

• Sexual promiscuity
• Suicidal/homicidal
ideation
• Self-mutilation
• Frequent displays of temper
• Withdrawal from usual activities
Immediate Intervention
• Significant change in
grades, attitude, hygiene,
functioning, sleeping, and/or
eating habits
• Delinquency
• Excessive fighting and/or
• aggression (physical/verbal)
• Inability to cope with day to day
activities
• Lots of somatic complaints
“Could someone help me with these?
I’m late for my class”
Self – Care

° A necessity, not a luxury

° Reduces stress and
burnout
° Improves coping ability
and productivity
Self-awareness
- Mood / Setting events
- Values / Expectations

Behavior is learned

Power to defuse or escalate

negative and positive
behavior.
ABCs of Behavior
A = Activating Event
B = Belief/Thoughts
C = Consequence
B
A Teacher
B
Students laugh thinks
Rishi A
when Rishi “Rishi is
thinks Rishi curses/throws
mispronounces Messing up my
“I can’t do his pencil
word Class again. I can’t
this. I’m stupid”
handle
C
C him.”
Teacher yells,
Rishi curses/throws his pencil
“Oh no, not in my classroom!
Pick that up!”
 Escalators
• Yelling
• Public confrontation
• Sarcastic / judgmental tone of voice
• Humiliation/ Put downs
• Asking why they can’t behave
• Bringing in past negative behaviors
• Making unrealistic threats
• Negative thoughts
 Diffusers
• Model appropriate behaviors
• Speak calmly
• Speak privately
• Acknowledge positive and negative behavior
• Communicate immediate expectation
• Empathic tone of voice
• Breathing
• Provide structure
 Change your Thought – Change your
feelings and Actions
Thought - “Rishi is going to ruin my class again.”
Fe
Feel - Angry, powerless, resentful
Action - Yell. Kick Rishi out of class el

Thought - “Ok. Rishi is having a hard

time. Maybe I can help get things back
on track.”
Feel - Hopeful, calm, empathic
Action - Speak calmly. Speak privately.
Offer assistance. Think
 Positive Discipline

Teach a desired skill

Model desired skill

Reward when student exhibits desired skill

°Give praise
°Give token
°Give tangible reward
Praise
Praising correctly
increases compliance
– Praise can include
• Verbal praise,
Encouragement
• Attention
• Affection
• Physical proximity
 Giving Effective Praise

•Be honest, not overly flattering

•Be specific
•No “back-handed compliments” (i.e., “I like the way
you are working quietly, why can’t you do this all
the time?”)
•Give praise immediately
 Ignoring
• selectively
– Ignore mild unwanted
behaviors

AND

– Attend to and REINFORCE alternative positive

behaviors
 How to ignore

Visual cues
•Look away once child engages in undesirable
behavior
•Do not look at the child until behavior stops

Postural cues
•Turn the front of your body away from the location
of child’s undesirable behavior
•Do not appear frustrated
•Do not vary the frequency or intensity of your
current activity
 How to ignore

Vocal cues
•Maintain a calm voice even after your child begins
undesirable behavior
•Do not vary the frequency or intensity of your voice

Social cues
•Continue your intended activity even after your
student begins undesirable behavior
•Do not panic once student begins inappropriate
behavior
When to Ignore
• When to ignore
undesirable behavior
– Child interrupts conversation
or class
– Child blurts out answers
before question completed
– Child tantrums

• Do not ignore undesirable

behavior that could
potentially harm the child
or someone else
 Overview
•Mental health practices in our school
•Mental health concerns among students
•Concerns among 5-12 year olds
•Concerns among 13-18 year olds
•Teacher Referral
•Teacher Self-Care
•ABCs of Behaviour
- Escalators
- Diffusers
•Positive Discipline
- Praise
- Ignorance
Thank
you 9820323769
9869460287