Reporters: Jinky Jane C. Poro/ Japheth J.

Quilicol
Program: MAED – Social Science/ MATVE-HET
Course: Bio-Pyscho Foundation
Professor: Dr. Flores B. Sta. Cruz

CHAPTER X
The Teacher’s Personality Adjustment and Mental Hygiene

I. INTRODUCTION

The teacher’s responsibility in shaping the personality of the child is second to that of
parents’. His/her task of instilling facts is subordinate to that of being a friend and counselor.
We, educators are aware of the fact that children retain very little book knowledge; but the
habits, attitudes, and ideals that the children develop in school are of permanent importance.

An appreciative understanding of mental hygiene will make the teacher alert to the
meaning and causes of the child’s attitude, successes, failures, interests, and indifference.

In this chapter we will be discussing the Teacher’s personality adjustment and Mental
Hygiene.

II. LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to;

 Define mental hygiene.

 Explain the Importance of Mental Hygiene.
 Identify ways of promoting mental health of the learners, teachers and some
suggestions for maintaining mental health.
 Value the importance of mental health.

III. DISCUSSION:

10.1 Mental Hygiene Defined

Mental hygiene is a Science which deals with the process of attaining mental
health and preserving mental health in the society. The term mental health is closely
related with the term mental hygiene as the main objective of mental hygiene is to
attain mental health.

D.B. Klein submits two meanings for concept of mental hygiene to which he applies the
medical terms prophylactic and meliorative.

 Prophylactic mental hygiene- intended to prevent the development of mental

illness. This aspect of mental hygiene is concerned with the enlightenment of the
 public in regard to the causes of a mental collapse so that preventive methods may
be used.

 Meliorative Hygiene- intended to improve the mental health of the individual, and to
aid in his social development. It is concerned less with actual disease and more with
improving mental efficiency, learning how to cope with mental difficulties, injecting
more zest in one’s daily living, teaching people how to get along with one another
and with their work. Its task is that of working out techniques of better living for all of
us and not merely those who are potentially threatened by the specter on mental
disease.

According to Klien, “Mental hygiene is an endeavor to aid people to ward off trouble as
well as to furnish ways of handling trouble in intelligent fashion when it cannot be warded
off.” To him, these troubles may be:

 Illness
 Finances
 Social Position
 Religion
 Sex
 Economic Security
 Old Age
 Inadequate shelter etc.

Mental Hygiene is concerned with the establishment and maintenance of mental

health. The maintenance of mental health among children requires that they make the
necessary social developments needed to have a happy and satisfying school life. It is
intended to aid the normal child to make the necessary adjustments needed when he
steps into a new phase of life.

10.2 Importance of Mental Hygiene

It is highly important to raise mental awareness in schools since young people

are seriously affected by mental health issues every day. They need a system that
they can rely on and a source of information to guide them through the process of
dealing with their inner issues. Mental Hygiene tries to develop the power of
tolerance and praise and discourages the habit of blaming others. It can be
summarized as shown below:

 Help to realizes one’s potentiality:

Every individual possess certain potentialities. Mental hygiene tries to help each
individual to develop his/her potentialities.

 Develop self-respect and respect for others:

Loss of self-respect is one of the factors for the great majorities of emotional
disorders. A person who likes himself can like others and one who dislikes himself
 cannot like anybody. Hence, the main aim of mental hygiene is to help one to respect
oneself.

 Understand one’s limitations and tolerate the limitations of others:

Mental hygiene helps one to understand his own limitations as well as to tolerate
others’ limitations.

 Cause harmonious development:

Mental hygiene aims at the harmonious development of the physical mental and
spiritual capacities of the individual so that he can adjust himself in the environment.

 Create happiness:
Another objective of mental hygiene is to develop a positive attitude towards life so
as to create a sense of happiness in a person who can live happily in this world.

 Enable one to make effective adjustment:

Mental hygiene also prepares an individual for effective adjustment in all sphere of
life and all situations such as in school, home, society work and also with self.

Limitations of Mental Hygiene

Though mental hygiene is an important aspect in our educational system, yet there are many
limitations in implementing the principles of mental hygiene. Some of these are:

 Majority of our parents are not aware about mental hygiene. Hence they do not give
importance how to keep their children’s mental health preserved and un- impaired.
 Teachers in our school system are so overloaded with work that they cannot devote
time to organize different types of programmes which help the students in helping
their mental health intact.

 There is also a dearth of trained personnel to deal with the mental health problems of
our population.

10.3 The Psychology of Being a Teacher

Every individual is said to have a personality of his own which is unique and distinct from
every other personality. Personality covers the whole nature of the individual and so is
difficult to define. It is extremely complex, as it is the result of the lifelong experiences and
influences of an individual.

If the schools are to aid in the correction of mental disturbances of the future generation, the
largest part of the responsibility falls upon the classroom teacher. It is the teacher’s
responsibility “to develop and maintain a classroom situation which shall be conducive to
continuous growth. He will attempt to provide an atmosphere and setting in which success,
security, understanding, mutual respect, and opportunity to attain worthy educative goals are
all-prevailing. In order for the teacher to accept this responsibility he must be a well-adjusted
person.

Principles that Contribute to Good Mental Health of a Teacher

 Since happiness is one of the basic human goals, it is necessary that the teacher be
a happy, cheerful person with a sense of humour.

 Another factor is the satisfaction in the work. The teacher must be suited for the task
of teaching, and must firmly believe in his commitment to the task, and receive a thrill
from the work.

 Emotional stability is also essential to the mental health of the teacher. A well-
adjusted, satisfied teacher is usually patient, calm, and adaptable.

 Above all, he should be honest with himself for “self-deception is poor mental
hygiene.”

The personality of the teacher is important to the mental health of the children as he has a
continuous and intimate contact with them. If students are industrious, cheerful, energetic,
confident, and co-operative, the teacher will no doubt be a poised, happy individual who
knows “where he is going and intends to get there.” Teacher and students must work
together in a co-operative manner, in which the teacher plans and guides the students in
their activities, but allows opportunity “for free and active creating and constructing.”

10.4 Promoting Mental Health of the Leaners

As the COVID-19 pandemic disrupts and brings significant stress to everyone’s day-to-day
lives, it may also exacerbate existing mental health conditions among young people, many of
whom have had to scramble to return home or find housing after sudden campus closings
that require adapting quickly to distance learning technologies and settings. This is a tough
transition for students. However, the ways that members of college communities support
each other during this time can help protect the mental health of young people, helping to
reduce risks for suicide.
Loneliness and isolation -- which can be heightened during this period of mandated physical
distancing -- are significant risk factors for mental health challenges and/or suicidal behavior.
Research shows that supportive relationships and feelings of connectedness to fellow
students, family, friends, faculty members and mentors are protective factors that can help
lower the risk for suicide and promote emotional well-being.
This comprehensive plan focuses upon strengthening protective factors for student mental
health such as developing student life skills and resilience, fostering connectedness and
belonging, and promoting help-seeking behaviors. It also involves leveraging and creating
opportunities to notice when a student might be struggling and ensuring mental health
policies and treatment services are comprehensive and well understood. Last, it includes
making sure that procedures for handling a crisis are in place and that campus environments
are as safe as possible by reducing access to potentially lethal means of suicide.
Now that more students have been engaged remotely -- and will continue to be throughout
any summer courses and perhaps even well into the fall at various institutions -- it is
important to deploy additional ways to implement a comprehensive approach during this
period.
Support the development of life skills. We have all needed to adapt to new circumstances
in our daily lives because of the COVID-19 outbreak. That includes everything from
commerce to our careers, but we can still support teens and young adults in managing
friendships and relationships, problem solving, decision making, and identifying and
managing emotions in this new paradigm. You should emphasize that students are not alone
and provide guidance and mentorship for anything in your realm of expertise: study skills,
time management or handling anxiety related to new digital learning and communication
formats. Faculty members can create virtual drop-in opportunities during the week for
students to discuss problems or concerns around coursework, study, academic or other
challenges.
Promote social connectedness. The need to remain physically distant doesn’t have to
mean a loss of social contact. Encourage the teens and young adults to nurture their
friendships and remain in communication with their classmates. Some avenues for
strengthening social connectedness might include online study groups or online
study/accountability partners. Students might be able to stay engaged with extracurricular
clubs and affinity groups online, as well as participate in college-sponsored online social
activities. Faculty mentors may also be available to support students virtually.
Identify students at risk. Colleges must to be poised to identify students at risk for mental
health problems and/or suicidal behavior, as well as to promote emotional health awareness
among those people who interact with students most frequently, from faculty members to
other students. When communicating with students via phone, email, text or on social media
platforms, faculty members and administrators can employ principles of active listening. If a
student expresses a concern, try to listen carefully at three levels: the content of what they
are saying, the emotions they are feeling and their behaviors in response to those thoughts
and feelings.
Ensure that faculty members and students know where to refer students or whom to contact
if a student expresses thoughts or behaviors that are concerning or worrisome. In addition,
colleges can offer tips and suggestions to parents and families for how they can recognize if
their children are struggling and best offer support.
Increase help-seeking behaviors. Students who need help but are reluctant or unsure of
how to get it may find it even more difficult now to reach out and access care. In this new
environment, counseling centers can open a virtual discussion group, specifically for
students to talk about what's going on and how they feel.
College professionals can also monitor and respond to some of the posts students share on
social media pages. If you decide to do this, let your presence be known on social platforms,
but allow students to form connections with each other. That will enable students to crowd
source questions that you and other administrators or faculty members may not be able to
answer yourselves.

10.5 Promoting Mental Health of the Teachers

How about some mental health tips for teachers?

Today, the role of teachers is expanding to include more duties and responsibilities than
ever before, including building emotionally strong and healthy students.
However, society often neglects to address or even discuss the mental and emotional well-
being of teachers themselves. This neglect has led to two major issues – teacher burn-out
and a lack of skilled teachers available as a result.
Given their expanded duties, growing numbers of educators are struggling to cope with the
changing demands of their profession. According to a recent survey of over 30,000
educators, conducted by the American Federation of Teachers, more than 75 percent say
they do not have enough staff to get the work done, and 78 percent say they are often
physically and emotionally exhausted at the end of the day.
One way to curb this exodus and keep our nation’s best teachers in the classroom is to
ensure they have the personal support and development they need to stay healthy and
happy in both their personal and professional lives.
To provide our nation’s educators with the support they need, mental health resources like
specialized counseling, continuing education programs, and community efforts geared
toward wellness should be prioritized.
By making mental health care more easily accessible to educators, we can help them move
forward as professionals and individuals while making strides to eliminate the stigma often
associated with seeking mental health treatment.

13 Mental Health Tips For Teachers

1. Make it a mental health priority

First and foremost, mental health and wellness best practices must be incorporated into
training programs early on in teacher education. It’s up to higher education and state
certification boards to take the lead in establishing these programs, to ensure that mental
health becomes a priority in our schools and that all teachers are provided the resources
they need to succeed and stay healthy.

2. Seek out or develop resources, programs, and policies

District leaders also have a role to play in establishing mental health and wellness cultures in
schools across the country. As a second step, school systems need to invest in the mental,
physical, and social health of their most valuable asset–their teachers. By recognizing and
rewarding teachers for all that they do (even the ‘little’ things), encouraging the use of small
groups and counseling, and prioritizing mental well-being, administrators can have a
dramatic, positive impact on the lives of their teachers.
3. Frame ‘mental health’ in your own mind in a healthy way

Don’t call it ‘mental health’ if a phrase like ‘well-being’ makes more sense.

4. Grow a healthy Plan

A strong professional learning network–both inside and outside of the school building.

5. Be in the right place

A job placement that they feel comfortable with–i.e., the ‘right’ fit for the teacher in terms of
position, grade level, school policies, etc. Not every job is a fit for everyone. Well-intentioned
people may counsel you that the ‘kids need you,’ but you have to take care of yourself or
your teaching’s simply not sustainable.

6. Set boundaries

As much as possible, clear boundaries between school and home life.

7. Avoid toxicity

Avoidance of things–people, departments, committees, events, etc.–that are ‘toxic’ while

developing strategies to deal with other not-toxic-but-still-challenging teaching situations

8. Emphasize your purpose

Remind yourself of your purpose as a teacher–why you became a teacher. If you’re unable
to realize that vision, see if you can reconcile that vision with your immediate circumstance.
If not, that gives you a hint of what maybe should come next.

9. Develop a growth mindset as a teacher

Growth mindsets matter for students and they matter for teachers, too.

10. Take care of your body, too

Take care of yourself physically: exercise, meditate, do yoga, get enough sleep, etc.
Whatever it takes for your body to feel good.

11. If you need help, get help

Don’t be a hero. If you need formal mental health support (in the form of therapy or
medication), there’s no reason to hesitate. Get it. Why wait until you’re truly unhappy?
12. Have a life outside teaching

Have a life outside of teaching–one full of creativity and hope and people and possibility. No
matter how noble teaching is, it’s not worth your well-being.

13. Don’t feel stuck

If possible, never get ‘stuck’ where you feel like you ‘have to’ teach or ‘can’t quit.’ There’s
always a way forward. Anytime anyone feels ‘stuck,’ it can convince you your situation is
worse than it really is.
Teachers are working each day to build emotionally strong and healthy children, molding the
next generation of leaders and change-makers. As educators’ responsibilities continue to
grow at a rapid pace, we must do all we can to support their mental well-being. We must
support the ‘whole teacher.’
By providing the emotional support our teachers so desperately need and deserve, we can
help them grow professionally and live happier lives all while combating the teacher shortage
in America that is putting a strain on the entire education system.
10.6 Suggestions for Maintaining Mental Health

1. Value yourself.

Treat yourself with kindness and respect, and avoid self-criticism. Make time for your
hobbies and favorite projects, or broaden your horizons. Do a daily crossword puzzle, plant a
garden, take dance lessons, learn to play an instrument or become fluent in another
language.

2. Take care of your body.

Taking care of yourself physically can improve your mental health. Be sure to:

 Eat nutritious meals

 Avoid smoking and vaping
 Drink plenty of water
 Exercise which helps decrease depression and anxiety and improve moods
 Get enough sleep. Researchers believe that lack of sleep contributes to a high rate of
depression in college students.

3. Surround yourself with good people.

People with strong family or social connections are generally healthier than those who lack a
support network. Make plans with supportive family members and friends, or seek out
activities where you can meet new people, such as a club, class or support group.

4. Give yourself.
Volunteer your time and energy to help someone else. You'll feel good about doing
something tangible to help someone in need — and it's a great way to meet new people.

5. Learn how to deal with stress.

Like it or not, stress is a part of life. Practice good coping skills: Try One-Minute Stress
Strategies do Tai Chi, exercise, take a nature walk, play with your pet or try journal writing as
a stress reducer. Also, remember to smile and see the humor in life. Research shows that
laughter can boost your immune system, ease pain, relax your body and reduce stress.

6. Quiet your mind.

Try meditating, mindfulness and/or prayer. Relaxation exercises and prayer can improve
your state of mind and outlook on life. In fact, research shows that meditation may help you
feel calm and enhance the effects of therapy.

7. Set realistic goals.

Decide what you want to achieve academically, professionally and personally, and write
down the steps you need to realize your goals. Aim high, but be realistic and don't over-
schedule. You'll enjoy a tremendous sense of accomplishment and self-worth as you
progress toward your goal.

8. Avoid alcohol and other drugs.

Keep alcohol use to a minimum and avoid other drugs. Sometimes people use alcohol and
other drugs to "self-medicate" but in reality, alcohol and other drugs only aggravate
problems.

9. Get help when you need it.

Seeking help is a sign of strength — not a weakness. And it is important to remember that
treatment is effective. People who get appropriate care can recover from mental illness and
addiction and lead full, rewarding lives.

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http://kkhsou.in/main/education/mental_health.html

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