Educator Insight: Roles, Realities, and Readiness

Perspectives on Roles, Barriers, and Abilities in Supporting Student Mental Health

date: October 18, 2024

Picture a classroom scenario where a student is hiding under a table in the hallway. A teacher is visibly frustrated with the student, demanding that the child emerge. Despite the teacher’s stern and persistent commands, the student remains unresponsive, defiantly covering their ears and muttering under their breath. When pressed to repeat their muttered words, the student refuses. This provokes the angry teacher to give up, scold the student for their unacceptable behaviour, and storm back into the classroom.

Now, let us shift the perspective. The same student is hiding under a table in the hallway. A teacher notices not just a student in hiding, but a visibly distressed individual huddled with rapid breathing and a vacant look, seemingly detached. They identify that the student appears in deep distress and is overwhelmed and scared. The teacher takes swift action by silently joining the student under the table. The student moves closer, finding comfort in this quiet support. Over time, the student’s breathing calms, and the tension eases. Eventually, the student emerges, ready to return to class, reassured by the unspoken connection and support.

Educators have multifaceted roles, including lesson planning, creating supportive environments, behaviour management, progress evaluation, and communicating with various stakeholders. Additionally, they are expected to collaborate with peers, participate in professional development, and establish strong relationships with students, families, and the community. These tasks merely scratch the surface of educators’ responsibilities. As the world we live in becomes more complex, the importance of emphasizing student well-being, encompassing physical, social, cultural, and emotional aspects, has become crucial.

The Landscape of Children’s Mental Health

The evolving landscape of children’s mental health has become a significant concern. It is widely recognized that students enter school with varying social and emotional skills. In 2023, an estimated 1.6 million children and youth in Canada were reported to have a mental health disorder (Conference Board of Canada, 2023), clearly indicating the need for intervention with this age group. Research consistently emphasizes the importance of early intervention in mental health support for children. Early identification and intervention have yielded positive outcomes, such as improved long-term mental well-being, academic achievement, and social functioning. Hudson et al. (2023) suggested that addressing mental health concerns proactively in childhood can lead to better coping strategies, reduced likelihood of developing more severe issues in adulthood, and increased resilience. Additionally, early intervention can help prevent the escalation of mental health challenges, mitigate the impact on overall development, and promote healthier outcomes in the long run.

The classroom scenario depicted above exemplifies the varying degrees of mental health support teachers provide. Maya Angelou wisely said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” While educators have been doing their best with their current understanding and skills, the following questions arise: Despite gaining insights from empirical studies that underscore the significance of enhancing student mental health, why is progress toward improvement not being prioritized? What hinders teachers from effectively supporting students’ mental health needs? Is the challenge rooted in willingness or ability?

Educators – The First Line of Defence

Teachers play a critical role in recognizing and supporting students’ mental well-being due to their close and frequent interactions. There is a growing awareness of the need to address mental health in schools, particularly at the elementary level, where early experiences have a lasting impact. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding the challenges teachers face in supporting student mental health, their perceptions about their role in handling these issues, and their effectiveness in helping students in this crucial area.

As scholars in the field of education, we were interested in investigating teachers’ perceptions of their roles, barriers, and abilities to support students’ mental well-being. Our research aimed to gain insight into teachers’ experiences and challenges in addressing this essential aspect of their work. Our literature review focused on school settings from kindergarten through grade 12 and included seven North American peer-reviewed studies conducted between 2014 and 2024. Below are the main themes that surfaced from our review.

Educators’ Perceived Roles

This section explores educators’ complex roles in supporting student mental health. It is grounded in empirical research that sheds light on educators’ diverse experiences and viewpoints. Key themes have emerged from this research, highlighting the most critical aspects of their roles as perceived by educators themselves:

Awareness and Understanding: Educators recognize the importance of identifying and addressing mental health issues. They also understand the impact of students’ mental health on academic success. For instance, in a study involving 786 educators, nearly 97% agreed that school staff must understand the mental health issues experienced by students (Moon et al., 2017).

Frontline Personnel: Educators consider themselves frontline personnel when addressing student mental health.

Collaboration and Support: Educators recognize the importance of collaboratively addressing mental health concerns within the school environment, working with other staff members, administrators, and professionals to support students’ mental health.

Relationship Building: Educators prioritize establishing solid relationships with students and fostering a supportive environment for discussing mental health concerns.

Responsibility and Intervention: Educators feel responsible for identifying signs of mental health issues in students, intervening when necessary, and connecting students to appropriate resources. In a large study, over 97% of teachers agreed that they should be aware of how to react to students with mental health issues (Andrews et al., 2014).

Educators’ Perceived Barriers

Educators are pivotal in supporting the mental well-being of students, yet they confront a range of significant barriers that can compromise their effectiveness in this essential role. This section examines the key obstacles, as identified by educators themselves, that collectively affect their capacity to provide adequate mental health support:

Limited Mental Health Training: More mental health training and professional development opportunities are needed to equip educators with the necessary skills and knowledge to support student mental health. A research study showed that 85% of the participants expressed a keen interest in receiving professional training in mental health matters (Moon et al., 2017).

Unclear Roles: Some educators perceive mental health support as outside their job description’s scope or are confused about their role in addressing students’ mental well-being.

Administrative and Systemic Barriers: Obstacles in addressing mental health issues encompass inadequate funding, lack of supervision, and the failure to establish policies, protocols, and support systems.

Time and Resource Constraints: Educators struggle to balance academic demands with addressing mental health issues due to limited time, large class sizes, and insufficient resources.

Emotional Responses: Educators face their own emotional challenges, including burnout, while supporting students’ mental health and fulfilling instructional duties.

Educators’ Perceived Abilities

The diverse views educators have regarding their capacity to address students’ mental health needs are compelling. This section delves into educators’ diverse opinions about their effectiveness in supporting mental well-being within educational environments. The following points highlight the contrasting feelings of confidence and inadequacy that educators experience, presenting a nuanced picture of their self-assessed capabilities:

Levels of Confidence: Educators express confidence in recognizing signs, making referrals, and collaborating. They frequently seek assistance from special education teachers, school psychologists, counsellors, and parents when dealing with such matters. However, several teachers in a study by Ormiston et al. (2021) revealed feelings of inadequacy in addressing the mental health needs of their students.

Unpreparedness and Training Needs: A common sentiment among educators is that they feel ill-equipped to integrate research-based educational practices that are shown to support students with mental health concerns. Furthermore, the majority of teachers express a strong desire for continuous professional development focusing on mental health in school settings.

Misunderstandings and Misconceptions: Some educators hold misconceptions about effective teaching approaches for students with mental health needs, believing that this support should be the responsibility of other professionals as it is beyond the scope of their practice.

Figure 1

Significant Findings From the Perspective of Educators

Redefining Perspectives and Priorities in Education

There has been an increased focus on learning about and understanding children’s mental well-being. This has led to a significant shift in how we perceive and respond to behaviour, including viewing behaviour as a form of communication. Emotions heavily influence how situations are interpreted, thus affecting behaviour. Increasing knowledge through various mental health training opportunities helps with several aspects, including recognizing and supporting challenging behaviours, addressing barriers, clarifying roles, and understanding mental health issues in students.

Society holds a collective responsibility to nurture children and provide timely interventions to help them develop into healthy adults. Each child deserves support tailored to their specific needs. As educators, we must foster a school environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed, starting from wherever they are. Our review of the relevant literature suggests a pressing need for more leadership and specialized training among educators to support student mental health effectively. This does not mean educators must become mental health experts or take on excessive responsibilities. Through professional development opportunities, educators can discover that impactful support can be demonstrated through simple yet significant gestures and actions.

The evolving understanding of children’s mental health within the educational sector is critical for shaping how we, as educators, approach our roles. This comprehensive examination of educators’ perceived roles, barriers, and abilities in supporting students’ mental well-being has highlighted the multifaceted nature of our responsibilities. From recognizing mental health signs on the frontline to developing robust support systems, schools are central environments for fostering and nurturing student well-being.

The insights garnered from our studies underscore the urgent need for enhanced training and more explicit definitions of educators’ roles in mental health support. As evident from our review, while educators are committed to supporting their students, they often face significant obstacles, including limited training, unclear roles, and systemic barriers, which can hinder their effectiveness. These challenges call for strategic policy and school interventions to better equip educators to fulfill their roles.

Furthermore, our research advocates for a more empathetic approach to student behaviour. We should view it not just as a disciplinary issue but as a potential communication of underlying distress. This approach can change how we perceive and address student behaviour, offering all students a supportive, understanding, and nurturing environment. It’s important to recognize their individual circumstances and potential vulnerabilities.

In conclusion, as we strive to improve educational practices and policies, it becomes evident that the role of educators is not just about promoting academic achievement but about fostering holistic development and well-being. A dedication to supporting student mental health can shape the future, enhance educational outcomes, and contribute to the growth of healthier, more resilient future generations. Integrating comprehensive mental health support into our educational frameworks ensures that every child is seen, heard, and valued. This approach leads to their success and well-being in all aspects of life.

REFERENCES

Andrews, A., McCabe, M. et al. (2014). Mental health issues in the schools: are educators prepared? The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education, and Practice, 9(4), 261–272. doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-11-2013-0034

Conference Board of Canada. (2023, December 14). Nurturing minds for secure futures. www.childrenshealthcarecanada.ca/en/news/Statements/nuturing-minds-for-secure-futures_2023.pdf

Hudson, J. L., Minihan, S. et al. (2023). Interventions for young children’s mental health: A review of reviews. Clinical child and family psychology review, 26(3), 593–641. doi.org/10.1007/s10567-023-00443-6

Moon, J., Williford, A. et al. (2017). Educators’ perceptions of youth mental health: Implications for training and the promotion of mental health services in schools. Children and Youth Services Review, 73, 384–391. doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.01.006

Ormiston, H. E., Nygaard, M. A. et al. (2021). Educator perspectives on mental health resources and practices in their school. Psychology in the Schools, 58(11), 2148–2174. doi.org/10.1002/pits.22582

Meet the Expert(s)

Jenny St.Jean

Teacher, High Prairie School Division

Jenny St. Jean is an elementary educator currently teaching at High Prairie School Division. She obtained a Master of Education from the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary, focusing on children's mental health and school psychology.

Jeff J. Webster

Teacher, Edmonton Public Schools

Jeff Webster is a K-12 educator with seventeen years of experience, currently teaching with Edmonton Public Schools. He recently completed a Master of Education from the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary, specializing in children's mental health and counselling psychology.