Strategies for Maintaining Mental Health

If we want to empower students, we must show them how they can control their own cognitive and emotional health and their own learning. Even young students can learn strategies for priming their brains to learn more efficiently.

(Willis, 2010)

Videos About Strategies for Maintaining Mental Health

Demonstrates how the brain’s neuroplasticity impacts learning.  Closed Captioned, 2:21 minutes.  
Explains the 90 second calming strategy for mental wellness.  Closed Captioned, 2:21 minutes.  
Educator Karen Boutelle demonstrates a way to teach students how their brain works and why calming strategies linked to brain function are most effective.  Closed Captioned, 6:16 minutes.  
Dr Lori Desautels explains why teaching should be based on the neuro-biology of the brain.  Closed Captioned, 10:59 minutes.  
Written presentation of strategies that teachers can incorporate into their classrooms to minimize the impact of trauma.  Closed Captioned, 1:15 minutes.  
Demonstrates a classroom activity designed to focus student attention.  Closed Captioned, 4:01 minutes.  
Educators at Fall-Hamilton Elementary School show how having a calming area in each classroom helps students to manage their emotions.  Closed Captioned, 2:39 minutes.  
Calming strategy for younger children.  Closed Captioned, 2:25 minutes.  

1hour of learning about their brains capacity to grow and learn improved overall grades and increased overall enrolment to advanced mathematics courses in a nationally representative sample of secondary education students. (Yeager et al. 2019)

1010 minute lessons followed by a short break increase student attention compared to 30 minute lessons.  (Godwin et al. 2016)

17 studies found an increase in positive indicators of student mental health (e.g. conflict resolution skills) as a result of a whole school preventative approach.  (Wells et al., 2003)

More Information About Strategies for Maintaining Mental Health

Brain Facts
Teaching techniques and classroom activities based around neuroscience.
https://www.brainfacts.org/for-educators

Bring Change to Mind (BC2M)
Resources and tools for sharing information about a variety of mental health conditions (including videos where individuals explain their stories) all designed to end the stigma around mental illness. Support to start high school clubs that give teens a platform to share their voices and raise awareness around mental health.
https://bringchange2mind.org/

MindUP
Program to teach children tools to manage stress and regulate emotions based on neuroscience. Provides training and mentoring for teachers and schools as well as family workshops. Also has resources such as videos of techniques to use at home.
https://mindup.org/

Neuroscience for Kids
Information about how the brain works and fun activities for children, educators and parents.
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html

Revelations in Education
Dr. Lori Desautels’ provides resources and information for teachers on educational neuroscience.
http://revelationsineducation.com/

Mindful Schools
Provides resources and training programs for schools and educators centered around introducing mindful practices into schools.
https://www.mindfulschools.org/

Neuroscience in the Classroom
Annenberg Learner Foundation provide a free course for educators focused on current neuroscience research and how they can apply it in their classrooms.
https://www.learner.org/series/neuroscience-in-the-classroom/