Stay tuned this Friday for your first installment! But see below for some tips on getting prepared.
Preparing For Your Activity
The goal of this challenge is to get students thinking more about the stresses we all face in life, and ways to manage it. If you've already started these conversations with your students, use the challenge as a way to take things a step further.
Each week, in advance (on Friday), we will send optional classroom talking points and multi-media resources to support the following topics:
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Activity #1, “Recognize Stress” (complete by May 17)
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Activity #2, “Identify Forms of Self-Care” (complete by May 24)
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Activity #3, “Practice Self-Care” (complete by June 1)
You know your students best, so you decide what will work best for the activity (Week 3 should include students trying a chosen self-care activity at home). Activity ideas include:
- Class discussion or breakout group discussions
- Home assignment (watch short video, etc.) followed by class discussion or personal reflections
- Written personal reflections, at home or during class time
- Researching the topics of stress or self-care/stress management
- Art or other creative ways to reflect on stress or self-care
- Any combination or these, or other ideas that work well for your students
Logging Weekly Progress
Our online Challenge Tracker will launch this Friday, May 7, Children's Mental Health Awareness Day, on this webpage:
As the teacher, you determine when your class has completed a weekly activity. Once you create a login, our website to keep track of your challenge progress. (You can also e-mail us directly, each week, if you prefer.)
Each week's activity and resources will also be available on the Challenge Tracker when you log in, including embedded videos and materials downloads.
Student Stress Support Resources
Sometimes conversations about stress can bring up other feelings, as well. Remind your group that if they or someone they know is struggling and needs support, there are resources available. We recommend you be familiar any support resources in your school or organization, but we've included additional resources below. We will include these resources in each weekly e-mail.
Local resources
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Talk: to a trusted adult in their life
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School/City examples: school guidance counselor, community health center
National Resources
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Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Call: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
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Crisis Text Line – Text: “HOME” to 741741
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MGH Clay Center - Where to Turn (resources on finding clinical and peer support for a range of mental health challenges) – https://www.mghclaycenter.org/where-to-turn/
Message on From Dr. Maria Jose Lisotto
Finally, to get you in the self-care mindset, we'd like to share a message from Dr. Maria Jose Lisotto, the child and adolescent psychiatrist behind our self-care for resilience videos to support young people.
