When is there time for classroom mental health? Ofsted are knocking on the door, you’re playing catch up with the curriculum, and you can’t seem to squeeze in even a three-minute movement break with your class. You go to bed feeling tired, you wake up feeling tired.
Unfortunately, this is a scene all too familiar for many teachers. With frequent changes in requirements from the authorities, and the responsibility for your class to ‘achieve’, it can seem like a challenge to find time to genuinely promote positive mental health in your classroom.
But the wellbeing of yourself and your class should be a top priority. We cannot learn if we are feeling anxious or fatigued, and we certainly cannot teach under such conditions. So here are some classroom mental health tips on how to practically integrate meaningful activities to alleviate some of the pressure for both child and teacher.
The daily mile
In between lessons, take your class outside to complete the daily mile. Ideally, the class spends 15 minutes running around your school’s playground; if you do not have the time to do this, 5 minutes is better than nothing. For variety, stuck in the mud, infinity tag or a relay make for a great ‘extra play.’
With a range of benefits, the daily mile requires no extra planning or equipment. It develops healthy habits, and, with consistency and regularity, children can feel a sense of achievement as their fitness levels increase. It is inclusive and fun, and your students will return to class ready for learning. More information about the daily mile can be found here.
Mindfulness box
Like many activities to support the health and wellbeing of your class, a mindfulness box is a reasonable adjustment that is useful for everyone but truly transformative for some. Fill a box with cards outlining mindfulness activities for a calm end to the day (these can be found on Twinkl and there are many other free resources available online). They encourage children to think about how to embed positive mental health alongside building strategies to regulate emotions. Activities could include breathing exercises or body scans, and, like the mile, it is most effective once firmly integrated into the daily routine. The Anna Freud NCCF has many free resources promoting positive mental health and outlining the importance of consistency and routine for wellbeing. Find Positive Young Mind’s mindfulness ideas here.
Class catch-up
With expectations for lessons to include revision, plenaries and new learning, the day can fly by without having a single conversation with your students. Simple but effective, I like to put 10 minutes aside before lunchtime to catch up with my class. The benefits of this are twofold; not only is the catch-up a welcome brain break from learning, but it strengthens that all important teacher-student relationship as you get to know your children better.
Newsround
Need I say more? A wonderful resource to end a long day of lessons whilst educating your class on current affairs. Like the class catch-up, follow up questions can encourage a less structured discussion where there is no right or wrong answer. My class always love to share their ideas on global topics, with discussions often leading to the children debating and problem solving. Asking what the children found interesting on Newsround, and why, can initiate a flurry of discussion!
Outdoor time
‘Mental health practitioner’ is but one of the many identities of a teacher and being outdoors is surely one of the best ways to promote mental health. Instigate extra play outdoors using positive reinforcement. For example, praise your class for ‘sitting well in assembly’ and take them outside for 15 minutes, ideally once a day. Depending on your playground, activities could include a butterfly count, pond dipping, or weeding the garden. Needless to say, the social interaction side of this is just as important as the activities. Encourage your class to be mindful and respectful of nature all the while. Find Positive Young Mind’s outdoor activity ideas here.
Soft start to the day
With the pressure to ‘perform’, the quick pace of lessons, and an environment structured to suit neurologically typical children, some children can find simply getting into school a challenge. Having a soft start can be the difference between coming in that day or staying at home. Children can filter in from 8.30-8.50am and engage in colouring, crosswords or sudoku (age appropriate) to get their brains going before beginning lessons.
Movement breaks
While movement breaks are included in both outdoor activities and the daily mile, these are invaluable 3-minute breathers to wake up! Half way through a lesson, when I can see the children start to drift off, or behaviour start to slip after a long teaching input, a 5 minute workout or a just dance can work miracles.
Growth mindset class focus
Every practitioner will be familiar with the concept of a ‘growth mindset’; the belief that abilities can be developed through hard work and dedication rather than natural ability. While my class are bored of hearing about the ‘power of yet,’ this is a vital concept to support self-esteem and confidence. Have a weekly (or monthly) growth mindset quote which is clearly visible in class and can be referred to quickly and easily throughout lessons. A great list of quotes to display can be found here.
Free write
Taking time out of lessons, which are often focused rigidly on a learning objective, to write a story can seem obvious. But in our obsession to make sure that children are ‘learning’, we can forget that enjoyment and creativity are not only just as important, but integral parts of learning. More appropriate for KS2, putting a writing prompt onto the board and giving children 30 minutes to write a piece can be enjoyable, creative, and fun – not to mention great writing practice. It can lead to a sense of accomplishment especially when children are able to read their stories out loud to their peers. The Literacy Shed has many great ideas for writing prompts.
I hope these tips have provided you with some inspiration for what you can achieve to support good classroom mental health in your school. Which one will you try first?
About the author
Lydia has been a primary school teacher for the past three years and has recently moved into delivering content writing services, specialising in education. Her experiences include working as a KS2 class teacher in a London-based school and before that, supply teaching in Bristol, where she completed her training. During this time, she led DT and art and set up Eco Schools. Lydia’s passions include teaching literacy, art, and history, and educating children on the environment. She also love facilitating outdoor learning and finding the ways to best support children with their mental health.
Find Lydia here: www.linkedin.com/in/lydia-newton-b6007814a and @lydianewton22 on Twitter.