With school back in session yesterday, students will be transitioning from summer routines back into academic schedules. This transition can be overwhelming according to Keith Keating, Director of Education for the Southeast Cornerstone Public School Division. He says uncertainty about new teachers and classrooms, as well as social relationships and the academic workload.
Keating says schools are aware of this, and staff are equipped to foster positive mental health practices in their classrooms.
“One of the best ways to help address stress is to understand it. I know that the staff uses a variety of resources in classrooms to help enhance mental health capacity, helping students understand and develop skills for coping with stress.”
The division employs programs aligned with the Saskatchewan curriculum. They provide basic coping skills for students dealing with stress. Mental health consultants are also employed alongside student service counsellors. These roles work closely with staff, students, and families providing information to whole classes, as well as solution focused counseling for students needing additional help.
“I know our staff also works with our partner agencies like mental health and addictions and other school-based counseling and other community-based counseling services to support referrals when more intensive supports are needed.”
Keating describes the importance of mental health in the classroom, saying it’s as important as physical health when it comes to a student's ability to learn.
“That's a very important thing in the classroom. Poor mental health can impact a student's ability to learn. When you don't feel physically well it's hard to show up and do your best. The same is true for mental health; when students are overwhelmed or anxious it's more difficult for them to focus on those academic goals.”
The changing of school terms is not the only adjustments students have had to make over the past few years. The pandemic was quickly followed by the teacher strikes during negotiations with the provincial government. When asked about the effect on student stress through these incidents he says “I know uncertainty in general tends to be a source of stress for people. So anytime there's situations where you don't know what might happen next it has the potential to create stress. I think our students and our staff have done extremely well to manage that stress over the past few years.”
Despite the importance of managing stress in students, the right kind of stress also plays a positive role in a student's development and motivation.
“Stress is one of those things that can be a positive or a negative thing. We all experience stress and it's really important for our healthy development. It can help motivate us to do hard things, try new things, prepare, persevere. Academic and extracurricular activities provide those types of healthy stresses every day.”
Keating says any students or parents who are concerned about overwhelming stress can speak to teachers to find the right kind of resources and support.