its, concentration levels and irritability. While this survey was taken mere months into the pandemic, it is safe to assume that the mental health of children has continued to be sig- nificantly impacted. While educators are not mental health professionals, we can take steps to create an environment that is supportive of students and sensitive to their experiences over the last 18 months. In her recent book, Equity-Centered
Trauma-Informed Education, author Alex Shevrin Venet discusses the ways in which educators can help students feel safe and supported at school. She writes, “A trauma- informed lens requires that we also critically think about the status quo in education and be willing to make significant changes to the way we do things.” To help guide educators in making these changes, Venet outlines six “Principles of Equity-Centered Trauma- Informed Education.” They include be- ing anti-racist and anti-oppressive, focus- ing on social justice, seeing our student’s strengths with an asset-based approach, being systems-oriented by thinking about how we create an equitable ecosystem in your school/classroom rather than relying on a checklist of strategies and centering our shared humanity. Venet’s last principle is that a trauma-informed lens is universal and proactive, noting that while stress does not always lead to trauma responses, an eq- uity-centred and trauma-informed educa- tion is beneficial for all students.
BUILD AND SUSTAIN RELATIONSHIPS
Recognizing the collective trauma that this past year and a half has brought us, this school year will require even more inten- tionality in how we collaborate, build and sustain relationships with students and their families, and how we cultivate spaces that are safe and inviting. Planning “getting to know you” and “community building” activities is a standard beginning of the year practice that often drops off after the first week of school in favour of more traditional curriculum- based learning. However, learning about our students and nurturing community in our classrooms, both in-person and online, needs to be an ongoing focus throughout the year. Building and sustaining relationships with students requires us to be genuine, empa- thetic, flexible and understanding. It means consciously making time to talk with our students about their lives and what they care about, affirming their identities and ensuring their voices are heard and represented when it comes to academic and community pur-
suits in the classroom. Community circles are one way to check in with students and can be done standing or sitting, formally or infor- mally, daily or weekly, in-person or online. When facilitated with care, these opportu- nities for regular class-wide connection can help forge and maintain relationships, gauge the temperature of the class and celebrate each other. When it comes to building rela- tionships with families and caregivers, it is crucial to ensure we see parents and caregiv- ers as partners in education. Many caregivers took on an increased role in their child’s edu- cation during periods of online learning and all caregivers have valuable knowledge and insight that will help educators support their children. A caregiver survey can be a useful tool to gather information about their child’s experiences with schooling and the past 18 months that students may not articulate and can help educators learn more about the context of what school means for each fami- ly. Taking the time to make phone calls home at the beginning of the year and maintaining ongoing, respectful and positive communi- cation is another investment in relationship building that benefits students and keeps caregivers looped into the classroom lives of their children.
TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES
In October of 2020, the Canadian Teachers Federation (CTF) conducted a coast-to-coast survey focused on teacher mental health. Not surprisingly the results indicated that teach- ers were experiencing “unbearable levels” of stress and anxiety, as they struggled to cope with the demands of teaching during the
pandemic. According to experts, the men- tal health impacts of the last 18 months will far outlast the pandemic. As such, thinking about our mental health and the mental health of our students will be important as we recover and rebuild in the wake of the pandemic. That said, there are many struc- tural changes that must be implemented to help improve the mental health of all edu- cation workers and students, such as more funding for mental health services and the development of policies and procedures that actively support mental health. As educa- tors, it is important that we reflect on our own limits when it comes to supporting the mental health of ourselves, our students, our colleagues and our families. Seeking support from outside is one way of taking control of our own mental health and supporting the mental health of others. Many boards in On- tario offer an employee assistance program that can help workers connect with mental health support for themselves or a family member. Becoming familiar with the vari- ous community agencies within your area that support mental health is another way to know what supports are available not only for yourself but for students and their families. Consulting with your board’s Pro- fessional Student Services Personnel such as social workers and psychoeducational con- sultants for guidance and support is another way to help find strategies to support the mental health of students. When thinking about your own personal limits and men- tal health, remember you are not an island; there are many individuals and agencies out there to help.
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