Mental Health Thematic Classroom
Contents
1. A Guide for Educators TIGed Mental Health Thematic Classroom A Guide for Educators Version 1 0 July 2011 This guide was created in partnership by the Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health and TakingITGlobal the mental health of youth through the effective translation and transfer of scientific knowledge It creates develops and delivers research and education for youth about youth and with youth to improve the effect of disabilities caused by mental disorders in young people as well as to increase understanding and combat stigma and discrimination It offers training programs publications tools and resources that can be used by young people their families and professionals to enhance understanding of adolescent mental health issues Learn more at http www teenmentalhealth org oO The Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health aims to improve s TakinglTGlobal s mission is to empower youth O TakingITGlobal to understand and act on the world s greatest INSPIRE INFORM INVOLVE challenges It uses the power of online community to facilitate global education social entrepreneurship and civic engagement for millions of youth worldwide The award winning www tigweb org is the world s leading social network for global citizenship available in thirteen languages and offering a diverse set of educational resources and action tools intended to inspire inform and involve Since launching in 20002. to promote and maintain positive mental health It concludes by asking students to research the mental health resources close to them via phone internet and in their community e If you have a TakingITGlobal account begin by signing in If you are not yet a member of the community begin by creating a free account e Access the Mental Health Thematic Classroom Landing Page in one of the Talking about mental health and mental illness in the classroom may raise gt following ways some issues that are sensitive for some young people As one in five youth may suffer from mental illness it is almost inevitable that some of your students have experienced the effects of mental illness or will at some point during their lives It is important to understand that young people may feel uncomfortable sharing their experiences or may not want to discuss topics of a personal nature 1 Click on Resources at the top of the TiGed home page or enter into the address bar of any browser to access the TlGed Resources page Once there scroll down to the Thematic Classrooms section and select Mental Health from the list by clicking the heading 2 Enter into the If a student approaches you with concerns about their mental health or the address bar of any browser mental health of a friend or family member or if you notice behaviours that may be characteristic of a mental illness it is important to take action in order to assist
3. 20 million people have accessed the website to learn grow and realize their potential This toolkit is licensed under a Creative Commons Sais Attribution Share Alike 3 0 Unported license For more information about Creative Commons licensing please see http creativecommons org licenses by sa 3 0 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION MENTAL HEALTH AND WHY IT MATTERS Core Subjects and Skills Module Overview GETTING STARTED Preparing to Talk about Mental Health Setting up Your TlGed Mental Health Thematic Classroom Getting Support RELATED MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES The International Student Video Conference on Mental Health Mental Health Games Introduction Welcome to the educator guide to the TlGed thematic classroom on mental health This brief guide was developed to accompany the TiGed Mental Health Thematic Classroom a free online classroom pre loaded with activities and resources designed to help you and your students explore mental health and related issues This guide provides an introduction to mental health and why it matters an overview of the learning activities housed within the thematic classroom step by step instructions on how to get started and information on how to access support 1 Mental Health and Why It Matters You may be surprised to hear that 1 in 5 young people live with a mental illness and that many mental illnesses develop during adolescence As a teacher this may translate to up to 6 stu
4. a safe and customizable virtual classroom platform and an extensive database of global education resources which includes a number of thematic classrooms including the Mental Health Thematic Classroom A thematic classroom is an online classroom that is pre populated with content and designed to support teaching and learning about a particular theme or issue The TiGed Mental Health Thematic Classroom is loaded with activities and resources related to mental health It features innovative online educational tools and resources designed to inform and engage youth about mental health issues such as specific mental illnesses brain functions and stigma The thematic classroom is an interdisciplinary secondary school educational resource designed to support curriculum objectives across a wide range of subject areas and 21st century skills Teachers of various subject areas can use the classroom to incorporate mental health issues into their teaching either independently or in collaboration with colleagues e Art e Creativity and Innovation e Civics e Critical Thinking and Problem Solving e Communications e Communication and Collaboration e Environmental Studies e Information Literacy e Geography e Media Literacy e Global Issues e ICT Literacy e History e Flexibility and Adaptability e Language Arts e Initiative and Self Direction e Life Skills e Social and Cross Cultural Skills e Math e Productivity and Accountability
5. active Disorder Subjects most closely aligned e Art e Language Arts e Science e Social Studies e Language Arts e Science e Social Studies e Language Arts e Science e Social Studies e Art e Language Arts e Media Studies e Science e Social Studies e Communications e Language Arts e Science e Social Studies 21st Century Skills e Creativity and Innovation e Communication and Collaboration e Information Literacy e Initiative and Self Direction e Creativity and Innovation e Information Literacy e Leadership and Responsibility e Creativity and Innovation e Information Literacy e Media Literacy e ICT Literacy e Initiative and Self Direction e Creativity and Innovation e Information Literacy e Media Literacy e ICT Literacy e Initiative and Self Direction e Critical Thinking and Problem Solving e Information Literacy e Initiative and Self Direction Module Activity Module 3 The Keys to Mental Health 1A Stress in class meditation exercise 1B Stress online discussion 2 Sleep and Mental Health 3 The Keys to Mental Health 4 Access to Mental Health Resources 30 45 mins 30 60 mins 30 60 mins Subjects most closely aligned e Language Arts e Life Skills e Social Studies e Art e Language Arts e Life Skills e Social Studies e Life Skills e Science e Social Studies e Art e Language Arts e Life Skills e Social Studies e Geography e Life S
6. ance counselor and school administration so that they may be prepared for a potential increase in students who wish to talk about their personal struggles or be referred to a mental health professional Make sure a guidance counselor is available following class to address any questions or concerns If your school does not appear in the search results you can add it You will be asked to enter basic information about your school create your school s TiGed web address set up a registration code for other teachers touse whenjoining the school andset student privacy settings If you are already a teacher within one or more TlGed schools you will be asked to confirm the school within which you d like to create your classroom You ll then choose whether to import the thematic classroom content into an existing classroom or create a new one Discussions about mental illness may raise the issue of suicide While this is appropriate within the broader context of mental illness it is important that the discussion not become focused on suicide Any discussion of suicide should 1 avoid portraying suicide as romantic heroic or tragic 2 avoid increasing knowledge about methods of suicide and 3 emphasize the importance of seeking help and of everyone s responsibility to tell a trusted adult if a friend mentions thoughts of suicide even if that person asks for it to be kept a secret Emphasize that everyone has a personal 3 2 Setti
7. asks learners to reflect on the lesson by producing a piece of artwork or evaluating informative animation videos about one of these topics e Understanding Mental Illnesses 2 Anxiety Disorders introduces learners to the different disorders associated with anxiety and asks students to put themselves in the shoes of someone who is suffering from an undiagnosed anxiety disorder by producing a Dear Abby letter based around symptoms that they learned about in class e Understanding Mental Illnesses 3 Schizophrenia introduces learners to one of the most stigmatized disorders schizophrenia asks students to complete a role play and crossword puzzle based on what they have learned e Understanding Mental Illnesses 4 Eating Disorders introduces learners to anorexia and bulimia two disorders commonly associated with teenage girls asks learners to explore the relationship of these disorders to conceptions of beauty popularized by the media through making a collage of conflicting social images that may encourage disordered eating e Understanding Mental Illnesses 5 Attention Deficit Disorder explains the symptoms of ADHD and asks learners to participate in activities that may help them understand the challenges faced by young people living with this disorder 3 The Keys to Mental Health This module asks students to take a step back to think generally about the various aspects of mental health and encourages an un
8. bal Kate Lang TakingITGlobal Design and Technology Team Chris MacDougall TakingITGlobal Francisco Pereira TakingITGlobal Robert Meyer TakingITGlobal Michael Furdyk TakingITGlobal Nigel Ayow TakingITGlobal Content Review Alan McLuckie MSW RSW PhD Candidate Stan Kutcher MD FRCPC Rob Milin MD Natasha Ferrill Yifeng Wei M Ed PhD candidate Kimberley Casey B Ed Youth Reviewers Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health Youth Advisory Council Emily Atkinson Taylor Crosby Marika Forsythe Nicole Gabriel Kathleen Gallant Kristin Gray Joel Maxwell Karl Yu Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health for allowing the lessons and activities included in its Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide developed in partnership with the Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health to be adapted for online use in the TiGed Mental Health Thematic Classroom Many thanks to the Canadian Mental Health Association and the For a corresponding toolkit for students download the guide to action from OR For further information please contact one of the following TakingITGlobal Sun Life Financial Chair in 19 DUNCAN ST SUITE 505 Adolescent Mental Health TORONTO ON CANADA IWK Health Centre MS5H 3H1 Maritime Psychiatry education takingitglobal org 5850 University Ave PO Box 9700 Halifax NS Canada B3K 6R8 Jessica wishart iwk nshealth ca
9. dents suffering from a mental illness in a class of 30 students Mental disorders can contribute to school drop out learning and behavioural challenges difficulties in performance social difficulties self harm and poor academic performance Youth spend more time in school than they do anywhere else with the exception of their own home Therefore the classroom is one of the best places for both educators and students to become more aware of mental health issues Teen Mental Health 2010 The combination of mental health education and technology in the classroom places teachers on the cutting edge by engaging students in a vital topic to help maintain their health through a medium that will engage their interest This in turn helps students challenge assumptions around mental health and mental illness combat stigma manage stress and be aware of warning signs that may indicate a mental health problem for themselves or their peers It will also help students in their development of 21st century skills like communication and computer literacy The age range of 12 26 years represents the peak period for onset of mental disorders Scientific evidence shows that early detection and treatment of mental illness improves outcomes of treatment WHO 2004 As such the Mental Health Thematic Classroom acts as an important resource for both learners and educators It acts as a guide to address preconceptions about mental illness a resource for cur
10. derstanding of steps that can be taken to promote and maintain positive mental health It concludes by asking students to research the mental health resources close to them via phone internet and in their community e The Keys to Mental Health 1 Stress introduces learners to the concepts of both positive and negative stress and strategies for stress management e The Keys to Mental Health 2 Sleep helps learners to understand that aspects of mental health may be strongly impacted by their lifestyle e The Keys to Mental Health 3 Ingredients for Mental Health asks learners to do independent research about the ingredients for a mentally healthy life and to creatively express their key findings e The Keys to Mental Health 4 Access to Mental Health Resources asks learners to create resource pages for mental health resources available in their area in order to better understand what supports exist in their community and beyond as well as different approaches to care 4 Mental Health and Society This module promotes an understanding of all the resources available to young people to access mental health care and information It concludes the unit by asking students to take a step back to think generally about mental health and its various aspects in social environments e Mental Health and Society 1 Supporting Friends and Family asks learners to think about ways that they can support friends and family by explo
11. e Media Studies e Leadership and Responsibility e Science e Social Studies e Technology 1 For information on 21st century skills visit www p21 0rg The classroom contains a set of four modules with a total of nineteen comprehensive activities that can be tailored to suit the particular needs of your classroom and is connected to two fun and educational online games You will also find additional resources in the files section of the classroom that you and your students can explore to extend learning even further 1 Get Informed This module gives learners a brief introduction to mental illness It focuses on what mental illness has meant across time and different cultures This module also provides a brief overview of the organ associated with mental illness the brain This module gives learners a chance to understand what their perceptions of mental illness are and challenges them to understand where they might have come from through addressing the concept of stigma e Pre Class Activity uses experiential learning to help students explore the concept of stigma before they explore definitions of it in the context of mental health e Get Informed 1 Introduction to Mental Health and Mental Illness asks learners to evaluate their current knowledge about mental illness which can serve as a baseline indicator that is useful for both teachers and students examines and corrects popular preconceptions and stereotypes abou
12. entGroups Youth Parents_and_Teachers_as_Allies htm By Joyce Burland Ph D National Director NAMI Education Training and Peer Support Center Second Edition 2003 Available through NAMI c o Lynne Saunders Colonial PlaceThree 2017 Wilson Blvd Suite 300 Arlington VA 22201 3042 or by fax 703 524 9094 1 00 per copy Parents and Teachers as Allies is a useful guide that can help parents and teachers identify the key warning signs of early onset mental illness among children and adolescents It focuses on specific age related symptoms of mental illness in young people which may differ from criteria for diagnosis among adults National Institute for Mental Health NIMH http www nimh nih gov The NIMH website contains up to date and reliable information about a wide range of issues relating to mental health and illness across the lifespan World Health Organization WHO 2004 Prevention of Mental Disorders Geneva Switzerland More information on specific mental illnesses classroom resources and links for young people are provided in the files and bookmarks sections of your Mental Health Thematic Classroom Acknowledgements The development of this guide would not have been possible without the leadership and guidance of the following people Lead Writing and Editorial Team Jessica Wishart The Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health Katherine Walraven TakingITGlobal Kathryn Barber TakingITGlo
13. ity e Initiative and Self Direction e Social and Cross Cultural Skills e Leadership and Responsibility e Critical Thinking and Problem Solving e Communication and Collaboration e Information Literacy e Leadership and Responsibility e Productivity and Accountability e Communication and Collaboration e Information Literacy e Media Literacy e ICT Literacy e Communication and Collaboration e Information Literacy e Media Literacy Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health www teenmentalhealth org This award winning website provides written information videos blogs PowerPoint presentations and downloadable resources in clear language The site targets youth and their families educators and healthcare providers Canadian Mental Health Association www cmha ca CMHA National has a comprehensive range of information available to download from their website including a complete series of pamphlets with vital information on mental health and mental illness Additionally you will find many resources pertaining to mental health and high school for teachers parents and students at www cmha ca highschool American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry http www aacap org The AACAP website contains a wide range of information on childhood and adolescent mental health and illness geared toward different audiences including educators and parents Parents and Teachers as Allies http www nami org Content Cont
14. kills e Social Studies 21st Century Skills e Creativity and Innovation e Communication and Collaboration e Flexibility and Adaptability e Social and Cross Cultural Skills e Initiative and Self Direction e Communication and Collaboration e Flexibility and Adaptability e Social and Cross Cultural Skills e Initiative and Self Direction e Critical Thinking and Problem Solving e Critical Thinking and Problem Solving e Communication and Collaboration e Information Literacy e Creativity and Innovation e Communication and Collaboration e Information Literacy e Initiative and Self Direction e Critical Thinking and Problem Solving e Communication and Collaboration e Information Literacy e Initiative and Self Direction e Social and Cross Cultural Skills e Leadership and Responsibility Module Activity Time Core Module 4 Mental Health and Society 1 Supporting Friends and Family 30 mins vi 2 Mental Health and the Workplace v 3 Mental Illness and the News 4 Mental Illness and the Law Subjects most closely aligned e Art e Life Skills e Social Studies e Language Arts e Life Skills e Social Studies e Communications e Language Arts e Life Skills e Media Studies e Social Studies e Civics e Life Skills e Social Studie 21st Century Skills e Critical Thinking and Problem Solving e Communication and Collaboration e ICT Literacy e Information Literacy e Flexibility and Adaptabil
15. ng up Your TIGed Mental Health Thematic Classroom e Click Create Class from your school page to create your classroom You ll be able to import the mental health thematic classroom content select the online tools you d like to employ and otherwise configure your classroom e Thematic classrooms are provided to you free of charge through the support of the Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health However if you would like to use the virtual classroom platform to teach about other subjects you do have the option of purchasing an annual TiIGed membership e After successfully creating your TIGed thematic classroom you ll view a confirmation screen with a summary of information about your classroom You can print this page for your records but the information displayed here will also be available at any time through your school and class settings 3 3 Getting Support Visit the TIGed support page at to access video tutorials frequently asked questions real time support through virtual office hours and a comprehensive User s Manual that will help you make the best of what TIiGed has to offer If you cannot find what you are looking for simply email the TiGed team at for personalized assistance 4 Related Mental Health Resources 4 1 The International Student Video Conference on Mental Health Connect with other classrooms around the world through video conferencing to discuss issues related to mental health S
16. rather a guideline for incorporating these activities into a variety of classroom settings Activity Planner Module Activity Module 1 Get Informed 1 Introduction to Mental Illness 3 Experience with Mental Illness 4 History of Mental Illness 5 The Brain Time Core 30 40 mins 45 60 mins Subjects most closely aligned e Global Issues e Science e Social Studies e Language Arts e Life Skills e Science e Social Studies e Communications e Language Arts e Social Studies e Communications e Global Issues e History e Language Arts e Social Studies e Communications e Language Arts e Science 21st Century Skills e Critical Thinking and Problem Solving e Initiative and Self Direction e Information Literacy e Creativity and Innovation e Information Literacy e Leadership and Responsibility e Critical Thinking and Problem Solving e Initiative and Self Direction e Information Literacy e Creativity and Innovation e Critical Thinking and Problem Solving e Information Literacy e ICT Literacy e Initiative and Self Direction e Social and Cross Cultural Skills e Creativity and Innovation e Critical Thinking and Problem Solving e Communication and Collaboration e Information Literacy e ICT Literacy Module Activity Module 2 Understanding Mental Illnesses 1 Mood Disorders 2 Anxiety Disorders 3 Schizophrenia 4 Eating Disorders 5 Attention Deficit Hyper
17. rent scientific knowledge on mental illness a primer to combat stigma and finally a manual to encourage a holistic and positive understanding of mental health 1 Mental Health and Why It Matters cont This guide was designed to provide educators with information to guide classes in completing the activities included in the Mental Health Thematic Classroom As an educator you are encouraged to take the self assessment for teachers in order to measure your own understanding of mental health After you ve taken the self assessment look through the rest of the guide to learn more about getting started with your classroom The clear step by step instructions will make it easy for you regardless of your experience with technology to set up your own Mental Health Thematic Classroom to utilize with your students 1 To do this please visit http teenmentalhealth org index php curriculum curriculum 317 proceed TakingITGlobal TIG is an international charitable organization that harnesses technology to empower youth to understand and act on the world s greatest challenges TIG serves youth worldwide through a multilingual online learning community and TiGed TakingITGlobal for Educators an award winning platform that supports teachers in utilizing technology to build transformative global learning experiences TiGed offers a growing network of teachers in over 100 countries accredited professional development opportunities
18. ring firsthand accounts from young people living with mental illness and completing an interactive video and discussion e Mental Health and Society 2 Mental Health in the Workplace asks learners to explore their skills and interests in order to apply them to career opportunities asks learners to identify problems that may arise in their work environment as well as ways to address these problems e Mental Health and Society 3 Mental Illness and the News asks learners to investigate a powerful source of information the news by reading articles addressing mental health mental illness and evaluating whether these present a holistic healthy understanding of mental illness or whether they perpetuate stereotypes based on what they have learned about stigma e Mental Health and Society 4 Mental Illness and the Law asks learners to explore their rights and responsibilities in the context of the law and mental health in order to better understand their country s healthcare policies as well as make informed decisions in care 3 Getting Started 3 2 Setting up Your TIGed Mental Health Thematic Classroom To set thematic cl follow the i i i low 3 1 Preparing to Talk about Mental Health o set up a thematic classroom follow the instructions provided below This module asks students to take a step back to think generally about the various aspects of mental health and encourages an understanding of steps that can be taken
19. t mental illness e Get Informed 2 Stigma introduces learners to the meaning of stigma and encourages them to consider both how it may feel to be stigmatized as well as how we stigmatize others asks learners to read a poem about stigma and contribute their thoughts on the content and message e Get Informed 3 Experience with Mental Illness asks learners to research a current celebrity or historical figure affected by mental illness in order to help learners understand the challenges faced by people living with mental illness and to recognize successful individuals who have overcome these challenges e Get Informed 4 History of Mental Illness provides a brief history of how mental illnesses have been understood and treated in the past and addresses the roots of some common stereotypes e Get Informed 5 The Brain uses an interactive 3 D brain model to introduce the main body organ associated with mental illness 2 Understanding Mental Illnesses This module connects learners with current knowledge about mental illness It covers major groups of mental illnesses such as mood disorders anxiety disorders schizophrenia eating disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD Its goal is to equip learners with a comprehensive and accurate understanding of mental disorders e Understanding Mental Illnesses 1 Mood Disorders introduces learners to both bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder
20. that individual This can include finding appropriate health and community resources best suited to the situation and circumstances It is also important to understand and convey to your students that stress is a natural part of mental health and in moderation can be a positive influence on performance and achievement This does not discount that students feeling stress beyond what can be considered a normal range may need to seek professional help Stress is normal and manageable but there is a tipping point at which stress can become detrimental to a students health and well being e Once on the mental health thematic classroom landing page click Set up your virtual classroom to proceed e The next step is to identify your school so that the thematic classroom you create can be housed within it a If you are new to TlGed and are not yet a member of a school you ll be asked to search for your school Do this by selecting your country from the drop down list under School Search and entering your Further information on what can be considered a healthy level of stress can A re y school s name in the keyword field before clicking Search be found here http www cmha ca bins content_page asp cid 2 28 If you find your school in the list of search results you can join Before using the modules provided in the Mental Health Thematic Classroom the school it is advised that you speak to the school guid
21. tudents will have a chance to hear guest speakers and interact with students in different locations fostering global awareness and understanding These conferences will be held annually for World Mental Health Day Sign up information and further details about how to participate will be posted to the Mental Health Thematic Classroom landing page 4 1 Mental Health Games The thematic classroom includes two interactive trivia games created to enhance student learning in the classroom These games allow students to engage with the material through a fun and engaging medium Access these games through the thematic classroom or by visiting Mind Match Mental Health Trivia A card matching game that tests speed memory and mental health knowledge through trivia questions and interesting facts about mental health Brain Waves Mental Health Trivia A game show style trivia game that allows participants to compete for points by answering questions about mental health and earn increasing points by answering questions of an increasing level of difficulty 5 Activity Planner While it is recommended that educators use the full set of activities those with limited time may wish to use a condensed version of the program or to select individual lessons using the table below Please note that the subjects and 21st century skills utilized for each activity is not an extensive list e g each of these activities is relevant for a health class but
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