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To read more of Sarah Fielding's article, please click here, 9 in 10 Teachers Need More Resources to Care for Students' Mental Health (msn.com).
Another school year is here, and to mark the occasion Verywell Mind surveyed 1,000 middle and high school teachers in the U.S. for our Mental Health in the Classroom Study. Teachers reported on their experiences handling mental health issues, strategies that work, and the kind of resources they need to support their students even more.
The survey found that 81% say teachers feel responsible for their students' mental health, and another 77% believe it’s also their duty to teach students about mental health and relevant self-care strategies.
A vast majority of respondents (89%) agree that they don't have enough resources at their disposal to help students deal with mental health issues.
The past few years have tested teachers’ resolve even further, leaving them trying to guide classrooms of kids through a global pandemic, the deleterious effects of social media, and a world that is increasingly complicated and often cruel.
“There is so much pressure put on teachers today. They are the educator, moral compass, sometimes parents, and always the adults in the room,” says Dr. Tara Lindahl, a licensed clinical psychologist and regional psychotherapy director at Mindpath Health in California. “With so many years of ‘unprecedented times,’ teachers now see how our children’s mental health may be affected. We must remember that this was not part of their training and that they may be feeling out of scope.”
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