This week we got into groups to discuss a topic of our choosing. I chose the breakout room discussing mental health in the classroom. I chose this topic because it’s something that really interests me and it is something I have not learned much about when it comes to today’s elementary classrooms.

We began our discussion by going over the guiding questions and let the conversation flow. the guiding questions went as follows:

• What is the topic of interest and what experience or ideas do you bring to the table?
• What questions do you have about the topic of interest? 
• What resources do you have or can you find about the topic of interest?
• Capture notes from the session in this document under a topic heading. 

Like I had said, I haven’t learned much about how to prioritize mental health in an elementary class so listening to my group’s ideas was very helpful in thinking of ways I can contribute in the future. Our first idea included a ticket-out-the-door mental check-in. This could be either at the start or end of the day and this not only lets you know how your students are feeling or what they’re going through but allows students to develop self-reflection skills and allows them to take a few minutes to ask themselves how they are feeling. My group had also discussed the idea of sending a questionnaire home with the students for their families to fill out so we as teachers can get a better understanding of the child homelife. This would include which immediate family members are present and if there are any big life changes the student is dealing with.

As a group, we then discussed what aspects of mental health should be anonymous and how we can keep that anonymity for the students’ comfort. This could be done with nameless check-ins or a private box to slip them into. Another interesting brainstorm my group talked about was the different ways we could make the classroom environment more calming or comfortable for the students. Ideas were suggested like a designated corner a student could go to be alone or settle down, having stuffed animal friends, lots of communication on both the teacher’s and student’s behalf, playing calm music, and more!

This was such a beneficial discussion for me and has allowed me to reflect on how I can ensure mental health is an important part of my classroom. I also really enjoyed being in a breakout room for the majority of the class where I was able to focus on specific discussions with a small group and add my thoughts. It was a well-flowing conversation between my group and we all learned a lot from each other and were able to bounce ideas off one another. I am excited to do more EdCamps!