How we learned about Mental Health

Recording learning about Mental Health

Following UNICEF's OutRight programme introduced many new ideas to our pupils whilst making strong links to their rights under the Convention apparent in an age-appropriate way. For our younger children discussion of picture books and stories, such as 'Calm with the Very Hungry Caterpillar', gave them an opportunity to talk about problems faced by the characters and how they were overcome. The use of Emmanuel Jal's education materials in key stage 2 also promoted this learning. These concepts were recorded in ways to help them remember helpful strategies for use to support others and maintain their own mental health. Some examples were displayed prominently in school (left) and are also shown below.

Emotions

The ability to name different emotions are an important step in being able to 'use your voice' and speak up about mental health whether it is your own or someone else's. Drawing emojis was a useful way to help children to understand such subtlety of meaning.

Variations in mental health

Understanding when and why your mental health status may change is crucial. By helping to give children knowledge of when it's OK to feel extreme emotions and when it could become a problem in the long-term help to normalise

Triggers & Responses

This activity helped the children to see that small actions can cause us to feel a certain way or change our emotion or mood. This led them to understand that by paying attention to what makes them feel a certain way, and how their feelings can change their behaviour, they can become better managers of their mental health.

Managing your mind

Mindfulness through guided visualisation was explored as one way of managing emotions. Subsequently, in key stage 2, both classes discussed the language used to describe people who suffer from mental health difficulties and the stigma that continues to prevail.

Poetry

After exploring ways to help maintain good health, children in key stage two wrote haiku poems to summarise what they had learned.

Seeking support

It was felt that knowing where to seek mental health support was a vital part of the children's learning this year. Using UNICEF's circle of support helped them to understand the range of help available from those closest to home to worldwide.

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