The learning intention within this pause for learning document is to understand how to work with children and young people to support their well-being. We will take a look at supporting learners with their mental health, emotional resilience, self-esteem and self-confidence.
There are many ways in which adults working in education can work with and support children and young people to build their self-confidence and self-esteem, which is crucial to enable children to learn and thrive in all aspects of their life, both now and in the future.
One way to provide positive reinforcement is by praising the efforts, progress, and achievements of learners
Praising effort is probably more important than outcomes because children then learn to be rewarded for tackling a problem, rather than simply achieving. Such external rewards (which may simply be a ‘well done!’) can then gradually become ‘internal’ rewards, which they generate for themselves Recognising and rewarding effort teaches children the importance of trying to achieve something that they find difficult – and so they learn to see themselves as someone who works hard to overcome challenges and is resilient and tenacious.
If we only reward achievement, children may seek to avoid challenges because success becomes more important than trying By acknowledging their accomplishments, children and young people feel valued, appreciated, and motivated to do their best.
Another way is to create a safe and supportive environment where children and young people feel respected and heard. This can be achieved by listening to them, understanding their feelings, and validating their experiences. Speaking in front of the class or another group of children of the death of a spider might not seem like a big deal to us, but if it’s important to the child, we need to recognise it as being important
All adults working in education can also encourage children and young people to take risks, try new things, and challenge themselves. Obviously, we never take risks with children’s health or safety, but taking risks with their learning, for example, to answer a question in class or by walking along a narrow beam (even if it’s only a few centimetres off the ground), can provide opportunities to overcome challenges and so develop self-confidence. By providing opportunities for them to develop their skills and abilities, they can build their self-confidence and self-esteem
Finally, teaching and support staff can model positive self-esteem and confidence by being positive role models. There may be times when we try things that we find challenging in front of children, such as picking up a spider, singing in front of a group, or walking along a balance beam- but as such, we demonstrate courage, determination and resilience and so encourage them to do the same By exhibiting positive attitudes, behaviours, and language, staff can demonstrate to children and young people how to develop and maintain healthy self-esteem and confidence.
THINK ABOUT 4 THINGS THAT YOU CAN INCORPORATE AS A NORMAL PART OF YOUR DAILY CLASSROOM PRACTICE THAT WILL HELP TO BUILD YOUNG LEARNER'S SELFCONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM.
Teaching support staff play an important role in recognising the signs of mental health concerns in children and young people. As you work closely with them, you are in a position to observe and monitor any changes in their behaviour, emotions, or mood. It is important to remember that we all have mental health; this can be good mental health or poor mental health, and that when we talk about mental health and emotional well-being, it is not necessarily always going to be about poor mental health.
Understanding and supporting children in such ways will enable you to work with a senior member of staff, if you are in a support role, to develop a comprehensive support plan for the pupil
You can also provide a safe and supportive environment for children and young people to express their feelings and concerns With very young children, this may mean teaching them the names of different feelings or emotions. As they mature, we might need to teach them about the differences between angry, annoyed and frustrated, and teach them effective and personalised ways to manage their physical, emotional and verbal responses when they feel these different emotions. It may also be important to remind ourselves (and children) that there are no ‘bad’ emotions, just different ways that we feel and/or respond.
By listening to them, validating their experiences, and providing them with appropriate resources and support, you will be able to help prevent mental health concerns from escalating.
Overall, the role of all education staff in recognising the signs of mental health concerns in children and young people is crucial in promoting the positive mental health and well-being of pupils and staff.
Task Tab:
NOTE DOWN THREE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT NOTICE IF A PUPIL THAT YOU WORK WITH, WAS TO INDICATE SIGNS OF POOR OR DETERIORATING MENTAL HEALTH
By promoting emotional resilience and well-being, children and young people can develop the knowledge and skills they need to manage challenges and setbacks that they may face now and throughout their lives. Understanding what a healthy relationship looks and feels like and developing their capacity for relationships with people outside their family, can promote emotional well-being significantly. They will then know more about people or circumstances which make them feel worried or overly stressed and manage these more effectively. They will also be better able to understand what makes them feel happy and how to lift themselves from a low mood. As children acquire this understanding for themselves and others, it can help to prevent the development of poor mental health.
There are simple techniques for teaching children how the brain responds to stress, and how to manage this, which can be enormously helpful to help children and young people manage their emotions, their behaviour and that of others.
There are many resources available online that provide example techniques, such as ‘How to Teach your Kids about the Brain: Laying Strong Foundations for Emotional Intelligence.’
Promoting emotional resilience and well-being can also improve academic performance, attendance, and overall school engagement. When young learners feel emotionally secure, they are better able to focus on their studies and participate in school activities. Children need to learn about; how to encourage positive thoughts if their mood is low, celebrate achievements, draw upon previous experience to manage adversity, use the feelings of worry to focus their energies before a test and draw upon past learning to become more resilient can contribute.
Finally, promoting emotional resilience and well-being can improve overall quality of life and lead to positive long-term outcomes. Children and adults with better mental health tend to be:
Healthier
Likely to live longer
How does this all link to classroom practice? Learning about wellbeing is vital for working with children and young people. It gives you background of the key aspects that will govern all aspects of your working practice and everything you do as an educator.
More successful
More creative
Likely to help others
Resilient
Supporting the wellbeing of our young learners is crucial, but it is equally essential to ensure you take care of your own wellbeing and mental health.
Working within the education environment can be stressful, but there are more and more resources available now online to help support yourself and also help to complement your learning within this CPD.
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