Mental Health
The World Health Organization defines mental health as, "a state of well-begin in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community." As we can see from this definition when we speak of mental health, we are not just talking about mental illness or mental health problems. There has been an important shift in the focus of mental health and well-being in education. For me, my focus has been on building students resiliency in hopes that when they are confronted with stress, self-esteem issues or productivity problems they have a tool-kit that they can draw upon in order to help themselves bounce back from whatever life has thrown their way. I am trying to create a classroom environment where there is a focus on building skills , rather than addressing deficits. I think in order to do this, individuals must have practice recognizin...