Something I learned in my EPHE 311 course was to do anonymous mental health checkins. I think this is a great idea to do with mature students. It gives the teacher a sense of how the group is feeling as a whole while also keeping responses anonymous. For my mental health I like to keep a journal. In my journal I track my moods, habits and organize my weekly schedule. I have not recently been using my journal to envision my goals and also to rant out any frustrations I am battling with. I make lots of lists and try to stay organized as it gives me a sense of comfort in my busy lifestyle. I like to spend quality time with family and friends learning about stories that have shaped them into who they are today. On my social media platforms I try to present myself as a mental health advocate. I post friendly uplifting quotes to brighten peoples days and encourage positive mindsets. This pandemic has been difficult for everyone and I want to come across to my family and friends as someone they can trust and talk to about their struggles if they need someone to listen. 

In the classroom I want to bring this same positive energy. I plan to spend time on building a safe classroom community and developing the students’ social and emotional skills. Much like how I journal, I think for intermediate students writing can be a way to express their feelings. Often children want to tell you stories but there is not always time to hear them all. Perhaps I will suggest that they write me these stories or if they do not feel comfortable speaking to me about a certain topic maybe they will write me a letter or a note telling me what is going on. This would allow the students to explore their feelings and thoughts while also practising their writing skills. Some other ways to check in on students could be through anonymous google forms questions for intermediate students, a simple thumbs up or down for primary or during circle time and class meetings. By doing these things, my goal is to develop my students emotional literacy skills as well as building empathy in the classroom. This year I have really focused my research on the development of empathy in my classroom in order to create a safe and friendly classroom community.

As someone who first started struggling with anxiety in elementary school, I am committed to learning about anxiety in children and how to help them cope with it at school. I created a blog for my EDCI 336 class where I have posted some research I have done in my inquiry about anxiety in children.  This link should lead you to the page with all my posts and updates on my research.