Module 2 Website 1 https://www.teachmentalhealth.

org/ Name:
Kristie Henwood
Mental Health
Five Mental Health FACT ONE
Facts that You The States of Mental Health include Mental Distress, Mental Health Problems and Mental Illness.
Learned from this • Mental Distress is the normal brain response that we experience to the stresses of everyday life such
Website as writing an exam. Mental distress is fundamental for developing new skills, learning how to adapt
and build resilience. Emotions felt may include heart broken, sorrowful, mournful….
• Mental Health Problems arise from environmental stressors but more serious occurrences such as the
death of a close family member or friend. Emotions felt may include sad, happy, angry, sorry….
• Mental Illnesses are chronic diseases that are medically diagnosed based on internationally agreed
upon criteria. Mental Illness requires treatment or therapeutic interventions from a certified health
care practitioner. Emotions felt may include depressed.
It is important to learn and use the correct language when expressing the emotions we feel because
confusion of language can lead to:
• inappropriate and unnecessary treatment
• protecting people from life’s challenges that are necessary to become successful and resilient people

FACT TWO
Brain Facts
• the human brain triples in size by the age of 1 years old
• the human brain is fully grown by age 18
• fully developed brain weighs 3 pounds (1.36kg) which is 1/2 the weight of all your skin combined
• the human brain is composed of 1/4 water
• yawning wakes up your brain
• sleeping helps your brain remember
• laughing uses 5 parts of your brain

FACT THREE
Mental illness stigma are negative attitudes and beliefs that cause mainstream society to fear, reject
and discriminate against people with mental illness. Some of these stigma may include judgements such
as people with mental illness are dangerous, unpredictable and cannot be taken seriously or believed.
Mental illness affects 1 in 5 people worldwide. Knowledge and awareness of mental illness can reduce
stigma.
Five Mental Health FACT FOUR
Facts that You There are 6 main functions of the Brain
Learned from this 1. Behaviour - the way we act and interact with others and our environment in response to internal and
Website external stimuli
2. Physical or Somatic - respiratory, circulatory, genitourinary, digestive, musculoskeletal, endocrine and
immune systems
3. Signaling - being responsive and reacting to the environment. Adapt and learn results in developing
resilience. Anxiety disorder is a dysfunction in one or more neural circuits of signaling where the
danger response signals operate when there is no actually danger.
4. Thinking or Cognition - internal mental processes and functions - conscious thought
5. Perception and Sensing - complimentary processes. Sensing through sight, sound, smell, taste and
touch. Perception is how our brain interprets theses sensations. Individual experiences have how we
perceive external stimuli therefore perceptions are unique to each person
6. Emotion and Feeling - Emotions are personal/subjective and are based on experience and how we
label, describe and express feelings. We all experience feelings such as joy, anger, annoyance,
resentment….
How the brain works is essential for understanding mental health and mental illness.

FACT FIVE
The Role of the Teacher
not to diagnose or treat mental illness but to:
1. Recognize a potential problem
2. Organize support for the student within the school
3. Communicate with the treatment team
4. Assist and support the student after diagnosis
Five Classroom STRATEGY ONE
Strategies that You Teaching Mental Health Literacy in the classroom:
Learned from this 1. Knowing how to obtain and maintain good mental health
Website 2. Understanding mental disorders and associated treatments
3. Decreasing stigma
4. Knowing when to get help/where to go/what to expect
For primary/junior ages as teachers we can make the school a place that is mental health friendly by
improving the knowledge and understanding surrounding mental health and focus on social/emotional
learning.

STRATEGY TWO
Changing Stigma in the Classroom
1. Learn and teach about causes and treatments of mental illness from scientific and reliable sources
such as the Canadian Mental Health Association. Correct false information.
2. Talk About Mental Illness based on understanding and knowledge not opinions. Create safe classroom
spaces where students are accepted for who they are
3. Use language that is not stigmatizing or offensive. Speak up when someone is using inappropriate and
demoralizing language
4. Silence is not neutral. Speak up when you see discrimination.
5. Listen more than you speak. Be culturally sensitive

STRATEGY THREE
Providing Support in the Classroom
Encourage Self Advocacy for Students:
1. Use the name of the mental illness when talking with student
2. Help Students learn what their needs are, how to express their needs and the difference between a
need and a want
3. Provide resources that will help them understand their illness and how to interact with their health
care practitioners
Five Classroom STRATEGY FOUR
Strategies that You Academic Accommodations in the Classroom
Learned from this Used as a step toward success not as a barrier to success
Website Classroom Examples:
• preferential seating
• prearranged frequent breaks
• notetaker
During Tests
• extended time to complete
• quiet area or room for writing exam
• alternate exam format
Assignment Completion
• extended completion time
• assignment presented as a demonstration or role play

STRATEGY FIVE
Teach and Include Health Enhancing Activities in the Classroom
• Exercise - 30 min vigorous/day or 20-40 min moderate/day
• Sleep - 9-10 hours/night for children and adolescents. No Electronics in your bedroom
• Organisation and daily routines - keep track of deadlines, homework
• Positive Social Connections - volunteer, participate in extra-curricular activities
• Healthy Nutrition - regular meals and healthy snacks
• Music and Movement
• Natural Light - get outside and enjoy the sun
Two Practicum or CONNECTION ONE
Other Connections & A close family member has diagnosed Bipolar Disorder. He is now retired but previously had a successful
Application career as a lawyer. I have witnessed moments in his life where is he withdrawn and depressed and also
moments where he is elated and happy. I am grateful that I have this person in my life because despite
he is dependable and kind and the opinion I once had of mental illness is now based on truth and reality
rather than stereotypes and stigmas.

CONNECTION TWO
My daughter, Eden recently completed a grade 10 english assignment that required her to compare
significant life events with music. One of the events she focused on was the divorce of my ex-husband
and I 3 years ago. This was a life changing experience for everyone in our family and we all experienced
mental distress with emotions such as sadness, anger, resentment and disappointment. Eden expressed
to me that she chose music that depicted sadness and then a calm and peaceful melody at the end of
the song, which symbolized her feelings/emotions during this time in her life. Through this life changing
experience my family has learned to adapt to a new way of life and developed an attitude of resilience
and personal strength.
One Other http://www.teenmentalhealth.org/learn/brain-injury/
Resource--Digging https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/basics/concussion_recovery.html
Deeper Review
There are 2 types of Brain Trauma
1. Traumatic Brain Injury - caused by an external source such as blow or bump to the head. Concussions
are an example. This is a functional injury not a structural injury as it changes how the brain
functions and works.
2. Non Traumatic Brain Injury - occurs naturally in the brain such as a brain infection, tumor or a stroke

Signs and Symptoms of Brain Trauma

• headache
• irritability
• sleeping problems
• depression
• mood swings
• confusion
• dizziness
• vomiting
• unconsciousness
• ringing in the ears

Concussion symptoms can last for a month or longer and there are steps to recovery.
• Rest from activities and thinking
• Light non strenuous activity when appropriate
• Moderate Activity when advised by a doctor
• Regular Activity when symptoms are no longer prevalent
Module 2 Website 2 https://www.ldatschool.ca/learn-about-lds/mental-health- Name:
ld/ Kristie Henwood
Mental Health
Five Mental Health FACT ONE
Facts that You What is a Learning Disability?
Learned from this • Brain based dysfunction that affects how a person processes information - receives, stores, recalls, and
Website uses verbal and non verbal information
Learning Disabilities can interfere with:
• learning literacy and math skills
• executive functioning (organization, time management,planning and problem solving)
• Social and communication skills

FACT TWO
What is Mental Health?
• our feelings, thoughts and behaviour
• how we handle everyday life
• our personal feelings about ourselves and our expectations for our future
• stress management
• managing negative life events
• Self confidence

FACT THREE
Relationship between Mental Health and Learning Disabilities
• persons with a learning Disability process, understand and learn in a unique way
• Unique learning styles can cause challenges for social interactions and difficulty in the student showing
others what they know and understand
• Persons with a Learning Disability often experience social and emotional stress at school and feel
frustrated, worried and lonely which can cause anxiety and depression (Mental Health problems and
illnesses)
• Students with a Learning Disability typically experience Repeated Failure in their learning despite the
student working really hard to understand
• Children and adolescents generally want to avoid negative experiences, emotions and stress and
individuals may escalate their behaviour to avoid challenging and uncomfortable situations
Five Mental Health FACT FOUR
Facts that You Learning Disabilities and Emotional Regulation
Learned from this Children and youth with learning disabilities and mental health challenges have difficulty managing and
Website regulating their emotions because:
• there is a neural dysfunction in the connection between 2 parts of their brain - the Prefrontal Cortex
(responsible for executive functioning) and the Amygdala (processes intense emotions)
This causes:
• emotional dysregulation
• behaviour response of Fight, Flight or Freeze
• behaviour manifested as quick to anger, overreactions, easily frustrated/discouraged, difficulty to
calm

FACT FIVE
Behaviour is a Form of Communication
What appears to be stubbornness may reflect impaired brain function and delayed processing and
understanding of the instructions that are given
Other Factors that Influence Behaviour
Physical Issues
• Hunger
• Tiredness
• Sensory sensitivities - too much noise
Environmental Factors
• change at home
• learned behaviour
• conflicts
Social Challenges
• exclusion
• bullying
• peer conflict
Five Classroom STRATEGY ONE
Strategies that You Accommodations help a student be successful in their learning and include teaching and assessment
Learned from this strategies, supports and individualized equipment/technology. Accommodations do NOT alter provincial
Website grade level expectations.
There are 3 forms of Accommodations:
1. Instructional Accommodations - course material is presented in a different way
2. Environmental Accommodations - seating, cueing, hallway routine
3. Assessment Accommodations - use of technology to assess learning

STRATEGY TWO
Modifications are changes made to the grade level expectations for a subject or a course where. For
Math and Language the student is working on lower or higher grade level curriculum. For subjects such
as Social Studies the student is working at grade level with a simplified curriculum.

STRATEGY THREE
Alternative Skill Areas (ALT) where students develop knowledge and skills not in the Ontario
curriculum. Most ALT programs are given in addition to modified or regular grade level programs.
Examples include:
• speech remediation
• social skills
• personal care programs
• anger management
• organizational skills
• mobility training
• reading and comprehension

STRATEGY FOUR
Alternate Courses are non credit courses given at the high school level that focus on being prepared for
daily living. Alternate Courses can include Transit Training and Community Exploration, Culinary Skills,
or Money Management and Personal Banking.

STRATEGY FIVE
Technology Supports for Reading difficulties
• books in electronic format
• text to speech programs
Technology Supports for Writing difficulties
• word prediction
• speech to text programs
Two Practicum or CONNECTION ONE
Other Connections & For 2 years I worked with an exceptional student diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder who had
Application difficulty managing and regulating his emotions. This student was quick to anger and easily frustrated
and would regularly display aggression. The teaching team that worked with him really wanted him to
remain in school and experience successful learning. The school implemented several unique
modifications and accommodations such as routine exercise breaks outside, paired teaching support,
quiet room learning, and picture based daily schedule and work expectations. This student continued to
have challenging days but did successfully graduate from grade 6. The teachers and educators developed
a close relationship with him and his parents and fostered a feeling of respect and acceptance.

CONNECTION TWO
In the exceptional needs classroom I worked in most of the children were nonverbal. As I read this
website I gained an understanding of how behaviour is a form of communication. When the children in
our classroom needed something and could not verbally ask they became frustrated, sad or even
aggressive. There was one particular student who was diagnosed with Down Syndrome and Autism
Spectrum Disorder (nonverbal) who would regularly display ‘stubbornness’ when in fact he was
communicating with me through his behaviour.

One Other Dyscalculia

Resource--Digging • Learning Disability that is unique to Mathematics where a child has difficulty acquiring numeracy and
Deeper Review understanding simple number concepts and reasoning patterns.
• caused by abnormal brain structure and activity
Learning Disabilities in Math are often seen first in young children as:
• difficulty estimating quantities and memorizing math facts
• inconsistent calculating and following operational signs, borrowing or carrying numbers, computational
sequencing
• confusion with terminology and verbal directions given by the teacher
• confusion with numeral arrangement, lack of number sense, misunderstanding of math concepts
Module 2 Website 3 https://phecanada.ca/programs/teach-resiliency Name:
Kristie Henwood
Mental Health
Five Mental Health FACT ONE
Facts that You Supporting New Teachers
Learned from this Many new teachers leave the profession within the first 5 years due to lack of support such as:
Website • left with old mismatched furnishings and supplies
• students with significant behaviour challenges are placed in their class
• non-collaborative and unsupportive school environment = feeling alone and overwhelmed
• stress of getting to know the school community, students and building lessons and teaching experience
Positive Mentoring builds support for new teachers, promotes belonging and provides a positive learning
environment for them

FACT TWO
Value of human connections - Promote Positive Mental Health
• no learning can occur without a relationship
• kids learn from people they like
• Seek to understand rather then be understood
• Say I’m sorry when you make a mistake
• Raising self esteem and academic achievement are intrinsically connected - Have kids believe…I am
Somebody, I am Powerful, I am Strong
• Teach to Learn and Bring Joy

FACT THREE
Building a Positive Classroom Environment
1. Attitudes of Respect (between the teacher and students and between all of the students)
• Support
• Caring
• Respectful interactions
• Accepting Differences
• Opportunities for success/involvement/contribution
• Recognition
2. Clear expectations and a regular routine
3. Modelling of:
• Optimism
• Positivity
• Understanding and Accepting Feelings
• Regulating Emotions
• Constructive Conflict Resolution
Five Mental Health FACT FOUR
Facts that You We are most effective as teachers when we are healthy ourselves
Learned from this Wellness Tips for Teachers
Website • Establish a list of supportive colleagues
• Collaborate with positive people
• Ask for help
• Be honest, polite and non-judgemental
• Communicate and show interest
• Actively listen
• Contribute to creating ideas and finding solutions
• Be proactive in your own personal wellness
• Relieve stress
• Help others
• Recognize the successes of others

FACT FIVE
Teachers and Stress
• Each day in Canada there are 40,000 teachers that are absent from work due to mental health
problems
• In Canada 93% of teachers are stressed by work/life balance
• Stress leave includes not only mental health problems but also physical ailments or sickness
• There is often a failure to disclose mental health to colleagues because of stigma
• Saying “I didn’t know what to say” to a person with mental health problems causes Isolation
• As educators we need to talk about Mental Health problems - Start conversations and offer to help -
Just ask “How are you”? “Can I do_____for you”?
Five Classroom STRATEGY ONE
Strategies that You Stress Busters in the Classroom
Learned from this • make stress balls with balloons and rice
Website • have colouring pages
• download and use a relaxation breathing app
• play with tangles or fidgets
• listen to music

STRATEGY TWO
Teach kids the skills of Happiness, Well Being and Resilience
How to Teach Happiness:
1. Teach what happiness is NOT - happiness is not pleasure, happiness is not beauty, happiness is not
money, happiness is not power
2. How to cope with Choice - too much choice we shut down
3. Comparing ourselves to others is dangerous
4. Understand Negativity
• negative comments are more powerful than positive feedback and we remember them
• we need 3 times more positive emotion to counterbalance 1 negative emotion
• work on increasing positive emotions
• optimism leads to resilience

STRATEGY THREE
Dealing with Escalated Student Conflict
1. Distract - from the conflict that is occurring
2. Break - the line of sight between the students involved
3. Follow - school procedures
4. Clear Area - have other students leave and go to a safe space

STRATEGY FOUR
Build Stronger Relationships and Accepting Classrooms
• have regular positive conversations to build mutual respect
• build a caring community in the classroom
• make curriculum relevant to students
• be flexible
• respect individuality
• plan events to encourage student wellness
• encourage and support each other
• don’t judge each other
Five Classroom STRATEGY FIVE
Strategies that You Students are more engaged and creative in their learning when they experience positive feelings at
Learned from this school
Website Teach students how to Identify and Express their feelings
• Have students become familiar with their feelings/emotions - what are they called, what do they look
like?
• Have students connect their thoughts and feelings in a Mood Diary (Activity)
• Growing Happy Feelings (Activity) - caring for a flower is like caring for our happy feelings

Two Practicum or CONNECTION ONE

Other Connections & As a single mom to 2 kids I often think about everyone else’s needs before my own needs.
Application I struggle with balancing my responsibilities at home, my deadlines at school and fitting in some wellness
time for me. The Bachelor of Education program at U Ottawa has been a challenging balancing act for
me thus far as well as a financial strain but I am amazed by what I am able to accomplish and I feel
privileged to have this learning and growth opportunity. I notice a positive difference in my learning
when I take the time to enjoy nature and get some much needed exercise and invest in my own well
being.

CONNECTION TWO
During practicum I have noticed the importance of developing a positive relationship based on caring and
kindness with the children I teach. When children have a personal positive connection with you they are
more apt to invest themselves in listening and learning. While this is not a fool proof strategy for
eliminating distracting behaviour in the classroom it is definitely most conducive to developing a
classroom of mutual respect and thoughtful learning. Kindness and patience is my go-to for my continued
development as a teacher.

One Other Resource Self Confidence involves growing and learning to appreciate your identity - knowing who you are and
-Digging Deeper holding true to your identity despite life’s challenges.
Review Students matter and bring value to each classroom:
• Invest the time into getting to know your students
• Encourage your students to share exciting news
• Greet and welcome your students everyday
• Provide opportunities for students to be highlighted - Student of the Day