Educating the Heart

Recently Kimberly Schonert-Reichl delivered a presentation to teachers and parents at the Dalai Lama Centre here in Vancouver. She is a renowned educator and researcher in the area of Social and Emotional Learning, and during her discussion on Social and Emotional Fitness she offered 4 ways you can show children how much you care.

1.      Find our what children are really interested in. Ask them what they like or dislike, and really take the time to get to know them and their interests.
2.         Really listen to your child and understand what they are saying, get to their level.
3.      Give your child the opportunity for choice. What are their ideas and solutions?
4.       Practice Self-Care so you can be present and have more energy for your kids. Remember to take care of you.

If you are interested in listening to Dr. Schonert-Reichl’s whole presentation, which is a part of the “Educating the Heart” series, you can hear it at 

http://dalailamacenter.org/learn/social-and-emotional-fitness-kim-schonert-reichl

Mental illness impact said to be bigger than cancer

The Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Sciences and Public Health Ontario, has very recently identified that the burden of mental illness and addictions is more than 1.5 times that of all cancers. The authors recommended that early detection and timely intervention are critical, adding that effective treatments exist but only a small proportion of those affected receive them, and the results are devasting to individuals, families and society.

The five conditions that had the highest burden were:

• Depression.
• Bipolar disorder.
• Alcohol use disorders.
• Social phobia.
• Schizophrenia.

Mental Health has been chronically underfunded, and mental health issues ignored. Health education and active living initiatives must address and incorporate mental health, not only physical health. Now is the time to embody health, provide early diagnosis and intervention, and establish infrastructures that support all components of health.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/10/09/mental-illness.html

Mental Illness Awareness Week

In Canada, September 30th - October 6th is 
Mental Illness Awareness Week.
This week was established in 1992, and it has become a national education campaign to open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness. Yes, mental illness is a reality, and every single one of us is touched by someone with mental health issues. I speak from personal experience.
I share this to help others open up, and prevent secrets, heartaches, anguish, pain, isolation, loneliness, suffering, debilitation, withdrawal, and suicide. My goal here is simple - Talk about it, now. Talking about mental health issues normalizes mental health and decreases mental health stigma, both internalized stigma and external stigma.
Take a few minutes to read about Mental Illness and Mental Health and then talk about it.

What is Mental Illness?
There are different kinds of mental disorders each characterized by different sets of symptoms that affect how we think, feel and behave. Symptoms can include depressed mood, extreme mood swings, disturbances in thought or perception, obsessions or fears, or other overwhelming feelings of anxiety. Most mental disorders cannot be definitively diagnosed with an objective medical test. Diagnosis is usually based on self-report (what you say you are experiencing), observations by family and friends, disturbances in your behaviour, psychological tests and the judgement and experience of a health professional (your family doctor and/or a specialized mental health professional such as a psychiatrist or psychologist).

Often people wait a long time before they ask for help and sometimes, unfortunately, people do not ask for help for a mental health problem at all. They and their family feel that something is wrong – but they don’t know what. They may not know where to go to get help or may be reluctant to ask for help if they do. In addition, diagnosing a mental disorder can take time – with many people reporting that it took months, and sometimes years to get a diagnosis that fit with what they were experiencing.

There are a number of reasons people struggle with a mental disorders without reaching out for help: They simply don’t know what’s wrong and feel they are just “different;” they feel they can beat it on their own; they are ashamed and try to hide their symptoms; exasperated family and friends tell them to “get over it;” or they reach out for help but their first experience leaves them feeling disregarded and misunderstood.

Yet we know that the earlier people get help, the better the outcome. One way to get help for yourself or someone you know as soon as possible is to educate yourself about what a mental disorder looks like.

First of all, a mental disorder is not just a feeling or reaction to an experience or event. There are different kinds of disorders and each is identified by a collection of different symptoms that persist for a specific period of time and significantly interfere with a person’s roles, activities, relationships and/or capacity for self care.
Mental disorders can affect almost every aspect of a person’s life over a considerable period of time. Many mental disorders begin in childhood and some are almost always first diagnosed in childhood. Other disorders, such as those that affect thinking like dementia or amnesia, may be related to age, physical injury or other medical conditions. However, people can, and do, successfully cope with and recover from mental disorders.

What is Mental Health?
Living a healthy life has often meant paying attention –only – to the many ingredients that make up positive physical health. However, we now know that health is composed of both physical and mental health and that the body and the mind interact, with one affecting the other – either positively or negatively.

In our culture, the emphasis on physical health means that most people can easily list what you need to do to stay healthy – eat sensibly, exercise regularly, visit your doctor yearly for check-ups and testing, drink alcohol in moderation, don’t smoke, and get a good night’s sleep.

Because mental health is less talked about, when we think about it, if we think about it at all, we may conclude that good mental health is something we have – or not – and there’s not much we can do about it.

Maintaining positive mental health means paying attention to your intellectual, emotional, and spiritual health – as well as your physical health. Some things to think about:

1. Do you have something intellectually stimulating to do every day? The brain enjoys a work-out, just like the body.
2. Are you able to recognize the ups and downs in your emotional life and take positive action to restore your balance? This can mean talking out angry feelings instead of exploding, or recognizing sadness and not feeling ashamed of your tears.
3. Are your relationships, mostly, positive? No one can insulate themselves completely from difficult relationships but are you able to recognize when you are being treated unfairly or unkindly and stand up for yourself?
4. Do you have loved ones around you who you support, and who support you? Do you have a friend – or several friends – who you can confide in?
5. Does your work (or volunteer activities) have meaning for you? Do you feel you are making a contribution? Nothing is ever perfect but are you able to take action in your workplace to address bad treatment or dynamics that are troublesome?
6. Do you have a role in your community? Do you feel a part of the neighbourhood you live in? Are you a part of other types of “communities” such as those based on interests, identity or spirituality. 
7. Do you know your history and culture? Are you proud of your roots? If, at any time, you have been made to feel ashamed of who you are, have you been able to recognize these feelings and take action to end the cruelty – which may mean speaking out against bigotry or simply reminding yourself that your people have a proud history and have nothing to be ashamed of.
8. Do you make time for fun and a good laugh? Do you recognize that playing can be as valuable as working? Can you describe times in your life that were joyous?
9. Do you have activities in your life that feed your soul. Spiritual fulfillment may come from belonging to an organized religion. Some people make other choices; time spent in nature, listening to music or enjoying the arts.
10. When things go wrong, as they do in anyone’s life, do you reach out for support. Do you know when an event or circumstance has become too heavy a burden for anyone to carry alone – and you need help? Can you ask for help when you need it?

Taken from the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health

http://camimh.ca/mental-illness-awareness-week-english/about-miaw/   

After the Field Trip - Embodiment

We experienced some automotive difficulties - a flat tire.
And then we experienced some technological difficulties - no cell phone coverage.

Roaming.......

Connection
(and introducing Doreen)

Seizing the Moment



Forced Inertia
A flat tire. Our trip home is delayed, and we must wait. BCAA is at least 45 minutes away. 
We are forced to wait, to sit. My supper menu preparations are to be delayed and my family will be late for our evening invitation.  
I sit with my thoughts.  
I open my eyes, I open myself to the world, and to this space.
Breathe.
 I can reclaim this and make it mine. 
This forced inertia is not a sentence but an opportunity. 
I am free to hold on to the day.....to the lake, the sunshine, the bluest of skies, the sand, the trees, the tree stumps, and the sounds of laughter and barking and splashing. 
The smell of fresh and clean and clear.  Breathe.
I am given the luxury of a late summer day, and no-one can take this away from me. Deliciously warm, the golden afternoon sunshine fills my soul. The sunlight dances on the rippled water, light so bright my eyes sting from it's brilliance, a pain I never want to go away.  
Sunlight encircles me with it's healing touch.  I have been granted a gift,  a remedy, a bounty - to soothe, to feed, and to fill.
 I am sated now. 
Thank you.

Enhanced Learning

I had the honour of hearing Dr. Peggy Patterson speak at the Twenty-first Century Learning? conference for the Simon Fraser University Summer Institute. What a wealth of knowledge she presented, with some fascinating information.

How do we enhance learning?
Dr. Patterson addressed the relationship between Learners, Learning and Leaders and highlighted the overlap of the three leads to enhanced learning.
She identified four characteristics of leaders, stating these same characteristics are embodied in the best teachers. Effective leaders/teachers are:

1. Honest
2. Competent
3. Inspirational, and,
4. Forward thinking.

What else is known about effective leaders?

• They model the way
• They inspire a shared vision
• They challenge the process
• They enable others to act and,
• They encourage the heart.

At the beginning of Dr. Patterson's presentation she cited Canadian University studies that have identified only 37% of Students feel Professors encourage or seek student participation (this applies  to Education students; Engineering students reporting a lower percentage). If this is the case,  Professors may be lecturing, yet some may question the quality of learning within these institutions.
Dr. Patterson further examined the relationship between Learners and Leaders, but at 37%, there may be reason to reflect on whether relationships and connections are occurring. In fact, it raises the question of whether the Leaders that founded 'relational pedagogy' are truly modelling the way.

There are some great reasons for cohort programs - participation, engagement, relationships and enhanced learning, are only a few. A smaller cohort allows learners and leaders to strive and provides a
sense of  belonging, together. I am grateful for my cohort leaders and cohort members, and I am saddened that others are not having such experiences.

How can larger classes ensure that all learners are included in the vision and are given the opportunity for faculty-student interactions? One possibility may be having students submit their personal goals and objectives to the faculty before the learning begins.  Smaller lab sizes and and more teaching assistants may help. Off site activities and field trips change the contextual variable and add new dimensions to the dynamics. Simply providing time and space for valuable connections through class meetings, smaller group learning also improve student engagement.

Greater student engagement provides greater cognitive growth and greater knowledge acquisition.
Dr. Patterson provided the equation

B=f(PxE)

Behavior is a function of the interaction between a person and their environment.

And she left us to ponder in an academic setting..... how class size really does matter.

Do Kids Feel Stress?

You bet they do.

A certain amount of stress can help kids feel alert and energised.
Too much stress can make kids unhappy and can interfere with their ability to cope with everyday situations. Signs of increased stress include: headaches and stomach aches; increased irritability, sadness, panic, anger, anxiety;  listlessness or withdrawing from others; overreacting to minor problems or increased risk taking; trouble eating, sleeping and relaxing; and increased dependency.

Help your child understand the connection between how their bodies feel and the emotions they are experiencing. Talking to parents and supportive friends about what kids are experiencing is a very important tool. Modeling stress-management strategies is important to help kids learn by example. Let them witness you, the parent or teacher, taking deep breaths, talking out problems, and using humour to relieve tense moments. And don’t forget the importance of exercise to reduce stress.

For stress reduction techniques for younger children

http://www.psychologyfoundation.org/pdf/KHST_Booklet_for_Parents.pdf

For Youth and Adolescents check out the great local link

Mind Check  http://www.mindcheck.ca/mood-and-stress/stress

Stress or Anxiety? Go to Anxiety B.C.

http://www.anxietybc.com/parent/anxiety.php

Mental Health: a basic human right of children and youth

I wanted to share with you an article I cited in my most recent paper.

It is cited from the Alberta Teachers' Association  January 17, 2012, and written by Dr. Stan Kutcher.

And, it is a very worthwhile read.

Mental Health: a basic human right of children and youth

Every once in a while, you hear, see or experience something that reminds you that all is not as it should be. As classroom teachers, we may be unaware of the statistics, we may get caught up in the standardization agenda, and we may sometimes lose sight of the human being that is every one of our students. We do the absolute best we can with what we have, but sometimes we’re ill-prepared to deal with a pervasive issue that has the potential to be as cataclysmic to society as any “man-made” or natural disaster. You may think this is an exaggeration, but the statistics are surprising and the impact of those statistics could be far-reaching: 1 in 5—you’ve seen or heard of this before; 1 in 5 Canadians will suffer from mental illness; 1 in 5 young people live with a mental disorder; and 70% of these disorders become symptomatic during childhood or adolescence. Suppose you’re a classroom teacher with an average of 25 students, you could potentially be dealing with five or more different mental disorders. How do you do it? How do you help? Where do you go for help? Are they really disorders or are they simply behaviour problems? Is there a difference? What’s the difference? How can I help? What can I do?

So how as a profession can we communicate together to increase awareness, share tips on resources, have access to service providers and expertise, discuss anonymous situations and brainstorm effective classroom solutions? How can we help our students, and our colleagues, who are affected by or afflicted with a mental disorder not be marginalized, de-humanized or de-professionalized. As an organization, CTF is trying to help teachers to help students. In collaboration with other organizations, we’re attempting to lay the groundwork for systemic change within our own education system. We’re speaking out on Mental Health and we’re partnering with the “Partners for Mental Health”, a not-for-profit charity whose start-up is supported financially by the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

The vision of “Partners for Mental Health” is to propel a social movement that will transform the way people think about and act towards people living with a mental illness. They aim to empower individuals and organizations to take action, leading to unprecedented improvements in mental health services, mental health research funding and the mental well-being of all ­Canadians.

In April 2012, Partners for Mental Health will launch a grassroots-based social media site that will facilitate the sharing of information, the dialogue, and the access to resources with the goal of mobilizing the public to de-stigmatize mental illness. As teachers who work and build relationships with youth on a daily basis, the Canadian Teachers’ Federation believes this social media platform focussed on mental health can be a hub where teachers go to access the tools and supports we require. Together as a profession, we can empower ourselves, help de-stigmatize mental illness and work towards systemic change that will confirm that mental health is indeed a basic human right of children and youth.

Our students—the future generation of decision-makers on matters of policy, economics and social priorities—need to be knowledgeable, understanding, empathetic, and healthy—mentally and physically. As individuals and society, we wholeheartedly invest in education, and we invest in health care. We must however increase our individual and collaborative investment in mental health; our future depends on it.

There are other initiatives in Canada that teachers should know about. If you’re looking for tools, resources, or tutorials visit:

• Centre for Addictions and Mental Health—a bilingual web site that specializes in mental health and addictions and offers educator resources and tutorials. www.camh.net
• Teen Mental Health—a web site that houses curricula that could answer many of your questions. While this web site is English only, some resources are available in both official languages. www.­teenmentalhealth.org
• The Academy in Mental Health for Educators—a new program by Teen Mental Health was offered in early July to over 200 public school educators from Manitoba to the Maritimes. Visit www.­teenmentalhealth.org for information on the Academy.
• The School-Based Mental Health and Substance Abuse Consortium will hold its 3rd National Symposium on Child and Youth Mental Health May 30-June 1, 2012 in Calgary, Alberta.

So let’s go back to the initial, perhaps perceived, exaggeration of not seeing the reality of mental illness as a potential cataclysm. While no one likes to put a dollar figure to something that is so personal and so human, sometimes the economic reality puts the issue into perspective—or at least it should. It was estimated in 2009 that $51 billion was the cost of mental illness to the Canadian economy in terms of health care and lost productivity, and that mental health was the number one cause of disability in Canada. How much do you think our country allocates to mental health? According to 2008 statistics, 5.5% of health care dollars went to support mental health. We don’t even know how many, if any, education funding supports mental health initiatives. If we don’t join together to fix this now a potential cataclysm could turn into a real one.

Mental Health Continuum Model

A number of HEALERS inquired about the Mental Health Continuum Model I used for my presentation Friday night. The linear representation provides useful criteria for all of us to gauge our own mental health. The information comes off of a Federal Government web site, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Resources (n.d.). See link below

http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/hrh/dmi-igi/fundamentals-fondements/er-re-eng.asp

To enlarge this simply click on the diagram.

Thanks for listening and for all of your valuable feedback.

As I mentioned, mental health messages need to start somewhere and I am inspired by each of you. My  hope is you will become a part of my primary sphere of influence, while taking care of your own positive mental health.

Also, Friday night in class we spoke of different health promotion programs including Saleema Noon and the Sexual Health Education programs she leads. Her website follows

http://www.saleemanoon.com/

Pink Shirt Day

Talk About it…

This year Wednesday February 29^th is Anti-Bullying day or Pink Shirt Day all across Canada. Why a pink shirt you ask?  A student was taunted by Bullies for wearing a pink shirt to school, and fellow students decided enough was enough - it was time to stop the taunting, the teasing, the shoving, and the sneering that was occurring.

Bullying can be verbal, physical, or relational, and may include taunting, physical acts of aggression, and social isolation. It may also include threats of violence, sexual harassment, cyber bullying, destruction of property, and actions meant to humiliate or embarrass.  When up to 50% of school children in B.C. report having been bullied it is essential to create a school culture that is safe and respectful, every school day ( BC Centre for Safe Schools & Communities).

Get involved and talk to your child, teachers and school counsellors about Bullying. There are supports in place for your child and family both at school and in the community including some of the great links below.

1. . Kelty Mental Health Centre  - B.C. Children’s Hospital   http://keltymentalhealth.ca/blog/2011/12/dont-be-bully-effects-bullying-kids-mental-health
2. Bullying.org   http://www.bullying.org/
3. The Bully Circle http://www.bullyingprevention.org/repository//Best%20Practices%20PDFs/olweus%20bullying%20circle.pdf

Olweus Bullying Circle

Today is "Let's Talk" Day

February 8th is Let's Talk Day.............
and we are talking about Mental Health

Mental Illness is an illness NOT a weakness.

• One in five Canadians will become mentally ill.
• Canada has one of the highest rates of adolescent suicides.
• In a classroom of 30 students, five students will be experiencing a mental health issue.
• By 2020 Mental Health will be the #1 health-care cost for Canadians.

We need to remove the shame in Mental health.
We need to remove the stigma surrounding Mental Health.

As Healers, Teachers, Health-care and Health professionals, as Mothers, Fathers, Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters and Grandparents, as friends, colleagues, classmates, and most importantly, as caring and responsible members of society, We all need to start talking and continue talking about Mental Health.

Take a listen to the following interview with Canada's most decorated Olympic athlete, Clara Hughes. She is an amazing person providing an even more amazingly honest and candid interview, revealing her struggles with Depression.
http://www.cbc.ca/q/blog/2012/02/08/clara-hughes-on-q/

More Active Living

Part of my philosophy of Active Living means living responsibly and actively engaging in the world around me. In living responsibly I choose to be an advocate for my children and my community.

Below is a piece I submitted to the Vancouver Sun December 2, 2011. I also forwarded the same letter to George Abbott and the Premier's Office -  if you want the response(?) please let me know and I am more than happy to send it your way.

Some might suggest this letter is political, I argue I am merely a parent voicing concerns and wanting to ensure children are getting what our province deserves to provide for them.

I encourage each of you to get ACTIVE and start writing, what ever your cause is.

And a special thanks to all of you hard working, dedicated, talented  and very passionate teachers.

**************************************************************

A Parent’s Opinion

A response to Ghost of a premier past casts a large shadow that complicates rebranding.

If Christy Clark is trying to rebrand her name and image and set herself apart from her predecessor, Gordon Campbell, she may actually want to own up to her “Families First” campaign, and recognise that one of the strongest supports to families is a healthy school. Schools provide important connections to students and their families. Healthy schools promote healthy neighbourhoods and healthy societies.

I am a very concerned parent; for the record, I am NOT a teacher and neither is my husband. We do have good friends who are teachers, and just as many good friends who are not. We are all very concerned. This is not about the current job action and the teacher’s union but this is about the decimation of the public school system within this province. I do have family members who are teachers in other provinces and BC should be ashamed of it’s reputation and it’s record. What the government has done to public education, to educational supports, to teachers and to our children is deplorable, shameful, neglectful and in my mind, criminal.

            The stresses are evident upon walking through the school doors. Teachers are stressed, administration is stressed and students are stressed. The bare bones funding has turned schools into a form of boot camp which are rigid and unbending. There is little room or time for original thinking, creativity, contemplation, or alternative expression. And with the Ministry of Education’s new Personalised Learning Directive, if the government has it’s way, children will not have a classroom at all but  will be sitting at home with their laptops, creating greater disparity between those with the most electronic toys and those without. This is one more example of this government avoiding adequate funding for educational and technological resources, and unloading societal responsibility onto individual families.

The Personalised Learning Directive  adds a new level of understanding to the Ministry’s statement “Student progress will be reported to parents in a more meaningful, effective and consistent manner across the province, enabling parents to play a key role in shaping their children’s education.” Check out the showy presentation on the Ministry  of Education’s government website that says nothing, throws around some impressive relevant language around pedagogy and innovation, and side steps the real issue of investing in public education.

            The Action Steps identified in the BC Ministry’s Education Plan suggest  standards will remain “relevant and robust so that every graduate has every advantage to succeed in life”. That is making the false assumption that we are currently working with adequate standards. Conditions have been worsening over the past 10 years - isn’t it time the BC Liberal party started investing in BC youth. Studies show, you pay now or society pays later.

            BC is becoming a province that wants to make individuals responsible for looking after themselves, rather than a province with institutions to support one another. Don’t get me wrong, I have strong feelings supporting personal responsibility, however, in order to create that ability for autonomy and independence, a foundation must be established and educational supports must be in place.

I am tiring of BC’s promises to business taking priority over children and education and I know many other voters share this concern. Public schools and education can ameliorate inequalities and bind us together as British Columbians. 

Premier Clark, here’s your chance to really make a difference, for your child and all the other children across this province. It is time to make children and families a priority.