Keeley Huff

Argumenative Essay
28, October. 2015
Addressing Mental Health in the Classroom is Imperative.
There is an overabundance of variables to account for in a classroom, and a lack
of resources to help teachers tend to those variables. From different learning styles and
personalities to emotional disturbances, a teacher must always be on their toes and aptly
prepared to teach in a way that suits all students. However, as ideal as it may be for
teachers to conform to systematic educational guidelines, no one is perfect; there are
instances in which a teacher may not be able to identify the crucial symptoms of a mental
disorder or not know how to deal with an issue that possibly disrupts the class. Since
some symptoms are easier to spot than others, teachers need to be informed about what to
anticipate and when to intervene. This essay will explore why it is imperative for
teachers to educate themselves on this topic, advocate for better mental health attention in
our schools, recognize the symptoms of emotional or mental illnesses, and accommodate
the students that are afflicted.
When it comes to mental health, society tends to either overlook it or ridicule
those who have complications, but the key to truly understanding any illness is
comprehending that every aspect of how we function is dictated by the chemical
reactions that take place in our brains. Any issues that a student may have is either going
to be biological, sociological, psychological or a combination of the aforementioned
(Carolla). And, teachers must bear this in mind when dealing with a student whom may

not function like the average person - this applies to teachers who are trying to
accommodate students with IEDs or the like as well. One cannot be biased when tending
to matters that are rooted in the mind; getting frustrated and ignoring the fact that a
student with a mental illness does not have a choice only proves to be detrimental to their
educational records and their well-being. A student whom is coping with a disorder will
act as their brain instructs them to; it is involuntary.
One of the main reasons to why teachers should educate themselves about this
topic is because it also directly affects a student's performance. A student whom may not
be receiving poor grades on assignments but struggles to maintain a grade point average
above a two-point-five is a good example of an instance in which a student is highly
intelligent but may possibly be coping with a disorder outside of school. If you notice the
said pattern, even if you are not well acquainted with the student, you should be able to
intervene and take appropriate measures to ensure that they are receiving some form of
help or that they have the accommodations that they may need in order to do well in the
class. However, if a teacher does not know how to approach the situation and resolve any
outstanding issues, how will they tend to the matter as a whole? This is why mental
health training needs to be advocated for. Far too many teachers are ignorant of the
statistics, symptoms, and measures to take and inevitably fail the students without proper
cause. Teachers are able to act accordingly if a student has a medical emergency because
of First Aid training, but they cannot approach a situation where a student is exhibiting
self-destructive behaviors or emotion distress because they do not understand what to
they are supposed to do. But with the prevalence of mentally ill students within a single
classroom and the potentially life-threatening repercussions of ignoring these issues, why

are our educational institutions not taking measures to resolve this dilemma?
Statistically speaking, twenty percent of persons ages thirteen to eighteen suffer
with a mental health condition and, on average, fifty percent of all lifetime cases begin at
age fourteen (Carolla). This means that secondary educators have a higher chance of
having psychiatrically disabled students placed into their classrooms; in an average sized
classroom this means that there can be up to five or more students that are suffering with
a mental illness (moderate or severe) and not actively seeking help. Five or more
students, in retrospect, is a much larger quantity than most teachers anticipate, let alone
know about. So if a student self-mutilates because they are suffering from clinical
depression and another is becoming increasingly thinner as the school year progresses
and you are blind to these issues then you have allowed two of those possible five to
endanger their lives and, more likely than not, fail for the year. Situations akin to those
mentioned above can impact teachers emotionally - or morally if they discover that a
student of theirs has committed suicide or the like - and certainly impact how the
educational institution that they are teaching at is perceived by the community.
For a school, how the community perceives them is everything. So if you wish to
advocate for better programs to aid mentally ill students or mental health training for
teachers, you can provide them the statistics that demonstrate how mental illness affects a
student's academic success. If you can show that the lack of attention to this issue directly
impacts their prestige, then you will be more likely to get them to consider taking action
(Adams). Depending on the area, prestige may not be the outstanding problem but rather
a lack of federal funding. In any case, teachers should strongly consider approaching the
matter together and educating themselves for the sake of their students. It is an emotional

investment, but the long-term benefits will outweigh any obstacles or time "wasted".
On a similar note, if you, as a teacher or another faculty member, wish to
advocate for better services for afflicted students, you should impart evidence towards the
correlation between providing support for mentally ill students and their academic
achievements.
After learning about how mental health conditions affect students academically, a
teacher should be able to identify some of the symptoms linked to different disorders.
Some general symptoms to aware of, especially for students who do not outwardly appear
mentally ill, are: seemingly unprecedented mood changes from day to day, a lack of
reciprocal relationships at school, inappropriate reactions to certain situations,
uncontrollable emotional outbursts, inability to concentrate on tasks, sudden (negative)
changes in appearance, and physical signs of self-mutilation (Webster). Other things to
keep an eye on when attempting to identify emotionally or mentally troubled students
are: how they act in each of their classes - do their moods vary or remain constant? - and
how do their grades compare to their overall academic success - are they receiving
proficient scores but somehow failing? -. Once you have recognized one or more of the
mentioned symptoms for a student, you should calmly approach them and ask to speak to
them in private or after class - to reduce the anxiety or embarrassment that the student
may feel about the situation - (Dikel). If all goes well, then you can discuss possible
courses of action and accommodate them as necessary; just bear in mind that you may
not diagnois a child with a disorder, but you may bring attention to their symptoms.
The type of accommodations that you make for a student should be specific to

their complications - just as you would with a student who has a learning disability -,
though other accommodations for the well-being of the majority of students do not need
to be. In other words, accommodations for someone with Depression may be vastly
different from a student who is suffering with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Finding
the proper solution for a student will also be determined by their specific symptoms; if
they have trouble concentrating because of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, then you may
need to ensure that they have a comfortable seat next to the door or near a friend. Some
recommended practices for the students specifically are: use self-monitoring methods
from attention and concentration, keep instructions clear and concise - but structured -,
acknowledge when the student does well or opens up to their peers, offer them seating
that allows them feel safe, offer extended due dates if necessary or allocate time for them
to make up lost work (with due cause), and offer them solace through confidential
meetings if they are not comfortable with speaking to a guidance counselor or therapist
(Walter). You should, as a teacher, monitor them for strange behaviors, as well as signs of
self-mutilation and drug or alcohol abuse. For the benefit of other students and those who
are afflicted, you can provide opportunities to draw or free-write, and keep the classroom
organized and well lit. Also try to permit early availability to assignments and schedule
frequent breaks for the student if necessary (DO-IT). And, in any case, always be aware
of your students' medical needs; if they have medications that they have to take, make
sure they take them and that there are not side effects that inhibit them from performing
well (Van Stone). If you can, keep in contact with their families or any person outside of
school and be supportive if they are struggling to cope with their conditions.
Having to accommodate the different styles of learning, personalities, disruptions,

and such can be quite burdensome but important nevertheless. When it comes to the
safety and well-being of students, teachers should absolutely be prepared. Learning how
to recognize mental illness in the classroom can save lives, and learning how to
accommodate students with mental illnesses - without making them feeling insignificant
or dimwitted - can help build them up academically and ensure that the institution that
they attend gets the positive outcomes that they desire. So, all-in-all, educating teachers,
being proactive in the programs to help the students and advocating for mental health
education, being able to recognize the symptoms of different disorders, and
accommodating your students are profound steps in a movement towards bettering the
community and those within it.

References
Adams, J. M. (2013, June 21). New Push for Mental Health Training for Teachers and
Principals. EdSource.
Carolla, Bob. "Mental Health Conditions." National Alliance on Mental Illness.Oct.
2015. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
Dikel, William. The Teacher's Guide to Student Mental Health. First ed. Minnesota: W.
W. Norton & Company, 2014. N. pag. Print.
DO-IT. (2012). Academic Accommodations for Students with Psychiatric Disabilities. In
S. Bergstahler, N. Rickerson, A. Souma, & . (Eds.). Seatle, WA: University of
Washington.

Van Stone, B. (2014, March 9). Addressing Mental Health Disorders in the Classroom.
TEACH Magazine.
Walter, Heather J., Karen Gouze, and Karen G. Lim. "Teachers' Beliefs About Mental
Health Needs in Inner City Elementary Schools." Journal of the American
Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 45.1 (2006): 5 pars.

Web. 10 Oct.

2015.
Webster, J. (2010). Behavioral and Emotional Disorders in Special Education: Supporting
Students Whose Behaviors or Emotions Prevent Academic Success. In About
Education.