Not only adults but children too are feeling stress and anxiety due to the upheaval of normal life in theirs and their parent’s lives. Teacher’s still hold a special bond with the students. Judging and monitoring a student’s mental health online is difficult but more important now.
Virtual Signals of Mental Health Issues
Watchout for refusing to work, Arguing, communicating in verbally aggressive ways or bickering with parents in the background during class. Some may show withdrawal signs like zoning out or not being mentally present when the camera is on or struggling with short-term memory because of unhealthy coping patterns developed from stressful or traumatic life events. The nature of their social media posts can be another red flag. Students not submitting assignments or appearing more disheveled on screen could indicate the feeling of hopelessness in them.
Virtual Interventions
Seeing through the virtual barrier has its limitations. Teachers could, on a routine basis, gently ask probing questions like “What was most stressful about yesterday?” “Who in your family or online gave you the most energy to get through the day?” “Who—or what—made you feel the most disconnected from people around you?” This may help them identify the key trigger words or phrases, which may be personal, familial, cultural of societal or a combination of some
Virtual-Friendly, Trauma-Informed Curriculum
Stress or trauma restricts a child’s ability to learn. The brain needs to feel psychologically safe to grasp the lessons being taught. A teacher’s trauma informed approach can prioritize safety and have a calming effect. For this the educators need to have trauma specific training so that they can address the issue and provide the necessary support to the student. Curriculum too should be designed specifically that supports the teachers identify the turmoils in the child’s brain.
Source : edsurge
