Classroom Discussion Guide
Want to build a safer classroom environment? Check out our guide to protecting your students’ wellbeing when discussing sensitive subject matter.
Talking about mental health can sometimes be difficult for young people — especially those who are struggling or have experienced a difficult situation. In accordance with multiple academic and school boards’ best practices, we have taken measures to ensure that our messages are well evaluated, safe, and as non-triggering as possible.
Before using these resources with your students, it is important first to consider the following.
Talking about mental health can sometimes be difficult for young people -— especially those who are struggling or have experienced a difficult situation. There are some considerations we recommend you work through to make sure your lessons support a safe and positive experience for everyone.
Please consider the following questions:
If you answered no to any of these questions, this may be cause for concern. Please speak with your colleagues (e.g. Mental Health Lead, Adolescent Care Worker, curriculum lead, administrators, Student Success/Guidance Departments, school board support) to ensure both you and your students have the necessary support in place.
Before using these resources with your students, it is important first to consider the following.
Talking about mental health can sometimes be difficult for young people -— especially those who are struggling or have experienced a difficult situation. There are some considerations we recommend you work through to make sure your lessons support a safe and positive experience for everyone.
Please consider the following questions:
If you answered no to any of these questions, this may be cause for concern. Please speak with your colleagues (e.g. Mental Health Lead, Adolescent Care Worker, curriculum lead, administrators, Student Success/Guidance Departments, school board support) to ensure both you and your students have the necessary support in place.
At Jack.org, safety is a top priority. Just like physical health, safety when discussing mental health topics in classrooms means that we must take steps to reduce the potential for risk of preventable danger and harm.
At Jack.org, safety is a top priority. Just like physical health, safety when discussing mental health topics in classrooms means that we must take steps to reduce the potential for risk of preventable danger and harm.
When delivering mental health promotion education in the classroom, it is important to be clear about what the space is and isn’t.
This is a space:
This is not a space:
When delivering mental health promotion education in the classroom, it is important to be clear about what the space is and isn’t.
This is a space:
This is not a space:
It is important that students are aware of supports available to them during and after the discussion.
It is important that students are aware of supports available to them during and after the discussion.
A mental health disclosure is when someone confides or shares personal information regarding their mental health experiences. Please seek the advice of an administrator or refer to your school board policies regarding how to appropriately respond to a disclosure. If you suspect the student is experiencing a mental health crisis, ensure you connect them to professional support.
A mental health disclosure is when someone confides or shares personal information regarding their mental health experiences. Please seek the advice of an administrator or refer to your school board policies regarding how to appropriately respond to a disclosure. If you suspect the student is experiencing a mental health crisis, ensure you connect them to professional support.
To determine how to approach mental health conversations in a way that will be most appropriate and relevant to your students, reflect on the following:
Examples:
To determine how to approach mental health conversations in a way that will be most appropriate and relevant to your students, reflect on the following:
Examples:
We recommend ending these discussions with a simple call to action and accountability (e.g. “What is one thing you’re going to do to take care of yourself and a loved one this weekend? We’ll be sharing what we each did during our discussion next week”). Reiterate that we cannot improve the mental health of our communities without taking care of ourselves first.
Remind students about community resources and where to go for support. It’s best practice to provide an up-to-date list of mental health resources in the community (see Resources below).
Thank students for participating and encourage them to keep the conversation going. Validate that there are many ways to take action on mental health in their lives.
We recommend ending these discussions with a simple call to action and accountability (e.g. “What is one thing you’re going to do to take care of yourself and a loved one this weekend? We’ll be sharing what we each did during our discussion next week”). Reiterate that we cannot improve the mental health of our communities without taking care of ourselves first.
Remind students about community resources and where to go for support. It’s best practice to provide an up-to-date list of mental health resources in the community (see Resources below).
Thank students for participating and encourage them to keep the conversation going. Validate that there are many ways to take action on mental health in their lives.
Mental Health Supports
Learn More about Mental Health
Mental Health Supports
Learn More about Mental Health
Join the Movement: Turn the conversation into action by starting a Jack Chapter at your school. Get access to online mental health training modules, ongoing coaching, and funding to take action on improving mental health barriers in your community!
For more information and any questions, reach out to Jack.org at Hello@jack.org
Join the Movement: Turn the conversation into action by starting a Jack Chapter at your school. Get access to online mental health training modules, ongoing coaching, and funding to take action on improving mental health barriers in your community!
For more information and any questions, reach out to Jack.org at Hello@jack.org
Browse our free classroom resources to start preparing and teaching mental health today.
This is not a site for personal disclosure of mental health distress, suicidal thoughts or behaviours. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call a helpline, 9-1-1 or emergency services, or go to your nearest emergency department.
If someone’s thoughts or behaviours threaten the safety of themselves or others, then this is what’s called a mental health crisis. Call a helpline, 9-1-1 or emergency services. If someone has recently hurt themselves, but is no longer in danger, follow Be There’s Golden Rules and connect them to resources in their area.