|
Introduction
Imagine: It is the first day of school. An enthusiastic, energetic new teacher walks into her expertly manicured classroom and finds that each and every one of her well-behaved students is sitting quietly. They are all in their places with bright sun-shiny faces. Every child is happy, well-supported emotionally as well as academically, and ready to start the learning process. How magnificent!
If only this could be true all the time. The fact is however, many students are, for various reasons, not very happy or emotionally sound. Some students may display symptoms of depression. Others may feel anxiety and extreme pressure. Still others may be downright angry. All of these emotional issues will prevent students from getting the most out of their school experiences. As teachers, we need to be able to recognize warning signals for emotional problems. We also need to know how to effectively address and manage student behavior. This professional development module is designed to assist teachers in developing the tools necessary to recognize and address students’ emotional problems. There are three topics presented in this module:
Part I: Depression and Suicide. In this part of the module, you will learn how to recognize the signs of depression in students and what to do if depression is suspected. You will also discuss tools that will help prevent suicide.
Part II: Dealing with Trauma and Tragedy. In this part of the module, you will learn what trauma is, different types of trauma and how children may react to various types of trauma. You will also explore ways to talk to your students about war, terrorism, disasters and other traumatic events.
Part III: Anger and Violence. In the last part of the module, you will look at anger, why students are angry and what to do when anger turns into violence. You will also explore various anger management strategies and ways to incorporate anger management skills exercises into your lessons.
|
