World Mental Health Day: Not just academics, teachers are also impacting students’ social and emotional health

The lasting impact of grief, fear, uncertainty, social isolation, increasing screen usage, and parental weariness is creating a vacuum in the social development of children

With the COVID-19 pandemic, this scarce resource suffered a major upheaval, not just among adults, but children as well

By Chetna Vasishth,

In a hyper-connected and digital world, social-emotional health, the ability to comprehend and manage our emotions, and develop social connections and interactions is a scarce but valuable resource. Having strong social-emotional and mental health allows a person to integrate their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in a way that promotes health and happiness.

However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, this scarce resource suffered a major upheaval, not just among adults, but children as well. The lasting impact of grief, fear, uncertainty, social isolation, increasing screen usage, and parental weariness is creating a vacuum in the social development of children. While friendships and family support are powerful stabilising influences, they too were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as sections of the world have gradually returned to normalcy, millions of students have yet to return to school, and recent research shows that young adults are the most vulnerable demographic for anxiety and sadness throughout the epidemic.

In the education domain in particular, socio-emotional skills are crucial for academic success as it helps students regulate stress, manage challenging situations and develop positive relationships with their peers. Given that children today are spending a big part of their day in the virtual classroom, it is imperative that schools and teachers are ably supporting students’ social and emotional health by offering resources and opportunities to build resilience.

Teachers creating a safe space

Today, the role of teachers has gone way beyond the traditional set up. In the aftermath of the pandemic, virtual classrooms needed more than just educators but mentors and communicators who could help children make the transition to this new reality. Not just from an academic perspective, but socially as well, young children have gone through a major change in the last year. Interaction with friends and physical activity took a hiatus further adding to the mental and emotional stress of the pandemic. However, teachers who have evolved to become mentors are able to help children navigate these roadblocks and build relationships, emotional skills, self-awareness, mindfulness, and communication.

This is despite the multitude of challenges that teachers themselves have had to face in the last year and a half. From shifting to online teaching almost overnight and adapting to new digital tools to learning how to manage a class virtually while maintaining the same level of interest and engagement among students – it has not been easy.

Teachers are the resilient backbone of our country, and have always been. As architects of the future generation, they are also educating themselves on ways to provide a safe environment to students, encourage good health, and help them access mental health resources.

They are able to spot early signs of mental or emotional distress. For example, students who perform well in a normal educational set up pre-pandemic may find it difficult to participate and do well in a virtual environment. Social anxiety is a reality for far too many students post COVID-19, making it harder for them to interact in classroom group discussions. By only recognizing these signs, teachers can make a lasting impact in helping students’ emotional, social and mental wellbeing. Studies estimate that spending a minimum of six hours in a school environment per week can help teachers encounter student mental and emotional health issues, and be aware of new signs of social phobia or discomfort.

Initiating dialogue for educators’ emotional-social wellbeing

In the new normal, there is an urgent need for critical and constructive dialogue on educators’ mental well-being. The mental, emotional, and social health of educators is one of the most important variables in a student’s academic development, directly affecting students’ learning outcomes. While imparting high-quality education is critical, teachers are also expected to form deep emotional bonds with their students. In order to effectively teach and manage classrooms, connect with students, and recognise indications of mental duress, teachers must also focus on bettering their own social-emotional health. While efforts are being made to secure the mental well-being of both students and teachers, there is a general lack of understanding about the importance of emotional health and mental health care practices such as stress management training, counselling services, or incorporating self-care routines into daily schedules. By encouraging teachers and students to take breaks from screens and cultivate real connections all stakeholders may find that the benefits to sound mental, emotional, and social well-being last for a lifetime.

(The author is Teacher and VP- Content Marketing, BYJU’S & TEDX speaker. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Financial Express Online.)

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