Building positive relationships with students struggling with mental health

Teachers today work in classrooms where a large proportion of students have mental health disorders. Yet, because these teachers lack training in mental health issues, they often react to these students in ways that cause them to shut down or escalate their aggressive behavior. Other teachers, however, seem to intuitively understand how to connect with these students. Behavioral analyst Jessica Minahan suggests that the strategies these teachers employ be treated as accommodations, similar to those provided for students with other special needs. Carefully articulating and writing down these interaction strategies will enable adults throughout the school to create personal connections that help students with mental health issues access the curriculum, instead of disengaging or being sent out of class for behavior they cannot control.