MH LIT: Student Mental Health in Action
MH LIT: Student Mental Health in Action is a series of four lessons to support the development of basic mental health knowledge and help-seeking skills. The lessons are designed for use with secondary students, focusing on building their understanding of mental health and mental illness, signs of mental health problems, and how/where to access help when needed.
Welcome to MH LIT: Student Mental Health in Action
Looking for ways to support student mental health?
MH LIT: Student Mental Health in Action can help.
What is MH LIT: Student Mental Health in Action?
- Part of the Student Mental Health Action Kit
- Four secondary school lesson plans on mental health and help-seeking
Why bring lessons about mental health into the classroom?
- Encourage conversations
- Offer valuable learning experiences
- Promote student mental health and well-being
- Help students in need reach support
- Students want to learn about mental health in the classroom (#HearNowON 2019 report)
Student MH LIT is easy to use!
- Classroom ready for in-person and online learning
- Flexible
- Includes educator prompts and discussion guides
- Loaded with user-friendly click n’ play resources, like Kahoots and slide decks
Who helped develop it?
- Educators
- Administrators
- Students
- Mental health professionals
- Equity professionals
- Community partners
What are the lessons about?
- Lesson 1
- Know the Facts
- Basic mental health and mental illness information
- Lesson 2
- Know Yourself
- Indicators of mental health and healthy strategies to support it
- Lesson 3
- Help Yourself
- Where to find mental health support and how to connect with it
- Lesson 4
- Help a Friend
- Ways to support a friend with a mental health concern
- What’s the format?
It’s familiar!
Minds On
Activity for student reflection
Action Task(s)
Core content of the lesson
Consolidation
Activity to continue the learning
Transition
Brief practice to end positively and help students transition
Safety
Reminder about resources and encouragement of help-seeking
Extensions
Optional activities to extend the lesson or your own learning
Take Care of Yourself
Resources to support educator mental health
Wait, there’s more!
- A School Readiness Checklist
- Implementation materials for school leaders
- Educator preparation suggestions
- Parent/caregiver information sheets for each lesson
What do educators have to say about the lessons?
- The lessons were simple to deliver
- Educators felt equipped to offer them
- Regardless of the subject area, the lessons created a positive environment and prepared students to learn
If you engage with Student MH LIT, we’d love to hear from you!
There is a feedback form on the Student MH LIT web page.
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We work together with Ontario school districts to support student mental health
Nous travaillons en collaboration avec les conseils scolaires de l’Ontario pour favoriser la santé mentale des élèves
Smho-smso.ca
Each lesson includes
- Minds On: an activity for student reflection
- Action Task: engagement with the core content of the lesson
- Consolidation: activities for students to continue the learning
- Transition: a brief practice/activity to end in a positive way and help students transition to the rest of their day
- Safety: a reminder about available resources and encouragement of help-seeking
MH LIT: Student Mental Health in Action should be implemented through a team approach, including educators, mental health support staff and school leaders. SMH-ON has developed a School Readiness Checklist, Educator Preparation Suggestions, and a School Leader Supplement to support the implementation of the lesson plans.
Preparation materials
Implementation materials for school leaders
Lesson plans
Classroom resources
Lesson 3
- Finding My Circle of Support (Worksheet)
- Finding My Circle of Support (Pocket guide)
- No Problem Too Big or Too Small (Help-seeking resource)
- Reaching Out (Tip sheet)
- Self-care 101 for Students (Tip sheet)
- Mental Health Literacy and Anxiety Management Social Media Bundles
- Class Conversation Starters (Classroom resource)
- Personal Gratitude Graphic (Appendix E, pg.14)
Parent/caregiver handouts
Expansion packs
Test and exam stress
The Challenge of Change: Navigating the Transition from Secondary School
Feedback
We appreciate your interest in MH LIT: Student Mental Health Action. These lessons have been created alongside educators, students, and school mental health professionals, but we are always looking for ways to grow. Please see the link below for an opportunity to share your experience, feedback, and ideas regarding the lessons, which will be used to inform future versions. Thank you for helping us enhance MH LIT: Student Mental Health in Action and make it as meaningful as possible for others.
MH LIT: Student Mental Health in Action Secondary Students