-
Question: Educating children about how to care for their physical health and wellbeing once again has an increasing profile in primary schools. Could we address mental health and wellbeing 'maintenance' more effectively than we currently do?
- Keywords:
Comments
Lia - WellcomeTrust commented on :
I image that there are both state and independent schools that do this well and both that could improve on it. Are there specific area of physical health that it especially important for primary school teachers to focus on based on research?
spurgeon commented on :
I think we know that early morning lessons are not so good for the adolescent as they are half asleep, but has there been research done on the concentration levels on those with low blood sugar? I am sure there must be research on sleep deprivation and learning ability – from my own experience, this feels intuitive. I certainly can’t write as clearly when I am very sleep deprived. Exercise is something I try to suggest as a good 10 minute break when revising in the Easter holidays for the upcoming GCSes and A levels, but it doesn’t go down well with the students.
@JeniMcClean commented on :
We need to consider too whether schools have a negative impact on emotional health. Not merely from the more obvious assessment angle, but also sibling comparisons and lesson content (holocaust images for 10 year olds, crime – including sexual abuse- in the geography curriculum in Y7). If not handled sensitively (and even when this is done) are we creating emotional health issues as a profession? I don’t know of any scientific research here, merely anecdotal from my to do list as a pastoral leader.
Lia - WellcomeTrust commented on :
@Spurgeon and @JeniMcClean – both great questions. Please use the ‘ASK’ function to direct these questions directly to the scientists as I think they both deserve answering separately.
Sue commented on :
This article and the accompanying podcast on the same site might be useful – it reviews mental health interventions in schools, for children who already have problems and for prevention of problems generally, and in children who are at high risk.
http://www.thelancet.com/series/mental-health-interventions-schools