It seems that we have to be part psychologist as well as an educator in our field (if it was only psychology!)It seems a regular part of careere education is dealing with our students personal issues, or else they would never finish school.
Robb,
We need to be careful that we advise, but leave counseling to trained professionals.
Jeffrey Schillinger
That goes without saying. When it goes beyond my capabilities, I always refer them to the professional.
I would a agree because it is an educator's duty to keep their students motivated by encouraging them to learn and work hard to achieve their goals.
I do agree with this. I agree because one aspect of our jobs is to manage the mental stability of our students. If many of our students are first generation college attendees then we have to help them to understand the mentality of the career industry they are looking to enter. Many times our students have so much on their plate that they do not know how to juggle work school balance. We have to work with their "low's" and help motivate them to get back on the horse. We have to encourage the good or sometimes "manic" days when they can't seem to stand still in their chairs. We are dealing with people and their HABE's therefore we have to work with their past emotions, habits, and that can be difficult. Many times people don't realized that you are ther to help them.
I agree. Our students look to us for guidance in life, not just in the subject being taught.
yes. any time you are a role model to someone they are going to observe you and possible emmulate you. they might change the way they think about things. being an instructor students ask us questions about decisions in their personal life and we can help give them encouragement
I will agree with that statement: very carefully. Although not trained in an actual mental health profession, I have taken time to notice, either empathically or literally with my own two eyes, when students seem to be unfocused in some way. This unfocused student may be depressed, distressed, tired, or in some way unable to prioritize education/the lesson at hand.
I let the student know I am here to listen and that there are always alternatives, even if he/she cannot detect them at the moment. I understand there may only be so much a student can process/hear under duress, so I keep my chat short and simple, allowing the student to speak, vent, spew, and make connections, so as to get to the root cause of the problem, as opposed to lingering on surface material.
When I chat with students, formally or informally, I do let them know I highly doubt anyone woke up that day thinking: I want to have an absolutely awful day! Let’s get on that! So, it is at least one aspect the human race as a whole has in common, no matter how alone or distraught one might be at the moment.
We’re in the business of education insomuch as those two items can coexist and in addition to teaching, we must assess if learning is actually occurring, hence the reason we may appear to be in the mental health business. If a student is not mentally prepared to learn, we must take steps to make the student aware of this and other options/alternatives available to them. Some people, I notice, students and otherwise, either do not take their mental health into serious consideration or they do not consider it at all – wandering in some sort of fugue/unaware state – until it’s almost too late and everything appears to be crashing and crumbling all at once.
Balance is key. Although my institution is often fond of using the corporate phrase “sense of urgencyâ€, the body cannot operate at high levels of this for long without breaking down, much like stress, fear, anxiety, et al – any emotion producing high levels of adrenaline. On the flipside, a calm Zen demeanor at all times may not provide enough necessary urgent chemical levels to get the job done. These rules also apply to our students – and we were students once. I technically operate under the belief that even as an educator, I am still a student with much to learn and like my students – I can only accomplish what I set out to accomplish if I am mentally prepared and not acting under duress or unrealistic expectations.
I agree with the statement. I believe that in order to achieve your goals, you need to always be in a positive mind set. As an instructor, part of my job is to recognize when a student is is not suceeding. It is my responsibility to fix the problem. Many times a student gets into a slump mentally. This blocks his ability to focus and concentrate on the task at hand. Sometimes this is created by external influences. To get to the root of the problem, you need to get the student to open up and discuss the issues. Once you do this, you can "fix his mind" and get him back on the path to success.
Stephen,
It is great that you feel an obligation to seek out and help struggling stdents.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Yes, career educators are in the education business and the "mental health" business. A common phrase used within our department when discussing students and concerns we are having with them it "what is the rest of the story".
We see these students every day for 4-6 hours for over 10-18 months. We see them struggle, we see light bulbs come on, we see their ups, we see their downs and all the other emotions that the stresses of life bring upon all of us. A lot of time students don't want to actually tell the instructors or the Program Directors what their problems are, because they don't want to be seen as "less than".
We discuss in our department meetings that if we are concerned about a particular students behavior, we will contact the Director of Student Services to schedule a meeting with the student (even if we aren't sure what the problem might be). We are not qualified to address true mental health issues (we can listen, give suggestions, provide tissues when they cry, give them encouragement,etc., but if we truly feel there is a mental health issue - depression, suicidal, physical abuse or homeless they need to be in contact with those that can actually address these issues).
A knowledge of the mind and the influence of earlier experiences of our students is most important to learning if an intructor is to be successful. Students arrive in our classes with numerous mental obstacles. Prepared with knowledge of the functioning of the mind, faculty can develop prescriptions to promote learning.
I don't think we are in them mental health business, I think we are in a business where personal support or guidance might be needed but in a professional tone. I think when you get too involved in their personal lives, as their instructor, you cross a line, and loose some authority as well as become very biased in your decision making. I think an instructor can have empathy for a students situation and show them that you care by asking how they are doing or providing resources for help but if they need more guidance or support than that it needs to come from another area even within the school. It get's tricky when you are in charge of a whole classroom full of students and you need to be unbiased to all of them, treat them all fairly and discipline/ hold them accountable accordingly... if you get too involved with a few of the students this becomes really hard to do, and too much of a job for one person. But I belive that there can be other people in that school to help fill that role (admission rep, our executive chef...)
In a way, I am hesitant to say that we are in the 'mental health' business with our students, mostly because of the title, 'mental health', but there is some truth to this.
In part, we are there to facilitate our students, to guide them along their educational path--but just with any path, there are obstacles. These may not be obstacles that one can perceive in the course room, unless the student has been absent for some time, or has suffered a drop in a grade, but the truth of the matter is that when this happens, our students depend on us. I say this, because it is our job to 'reel the student back in', to find out, 'what's really going on'--and perhaps this is where the 'mental' aspect comes in. After all, as our class notes say, by embracing the Edu Preneurial spirit, includes keeping our students happy, and addressing their needs.
When a student encounters an obstacle, they need direction, a vision, that keeps them motivated to continue in their educational path. If this means talking to the student and getting to know them, we can better address their needs and expectations.
So in a way, we are in the 'mental health' business to a certain degree--by finding strategies that can assist our students succeed.
Cheers
Dr. E. Somnarain
I agree whole heartedly that we are in the "mental health" business. Many students are very young and away from home for the first time or don't have a support system in place in the event they need life direction.
We educate the whole person.
I very much agree. So many of our students have difficult home lifes. Most times, it is the affective domain and not the intellectual domain why they drop out.
Good observation, Lawrence. What are some things your college does to mitigate the impact of difficult outside circumstances?
Jeffrey Schillinger
As an instructor I find that I have to use some psychology to understand and evaluate the incentives that drive each student, the beliefs or habits that might hinder them and how to best approach these to in order ultimately motivate them on their path. Each student is different and an approach that works with one might not with another.
Jorge,
Great points. Sometimes we focus on what we like and what motivates us when it is about the students.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Some career educators state that in addition to being in the education business, we are also in the "mental health" business. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
I absolutely agree! Many of my students have had life experiences that have shaped who and what they are today. They take theses experiences
with them everywhere they go. This includes my classroom. I have found a majority of these experiences have left the student with a negative outlook on life and themselves.
If a student believes, based on past experiences, that they will fail then they more than likely will fail. As part of my job, I try to change the “I can’t†to “I canâ€. On the flip side some students are afraid of success and inadvertently sabotage themselves and their education. If we can try to figure out the student’s beliefs and their attitude toward success, education, and themselves we can help them create a new vision and a new self-image.
According to the World Health Organization “Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. In this positive sense, mental health is the foundation for individual well-being and the effective functioning of a community.†I believe part of our job is to assist our students in realizing his/her own abilities and how to balance their responsibilities in life. If a student can master these two goals, they can and will succeed in their program of study and their career of choice.
Mental health: strengthening our response. (n.d.). World Health Organization.
Retrieved March 29, 2012, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs220/en/
