Being able to be your true self is one of the strongest components of good mental health.
Mental health is a crucial aspect of our overall well-being that we often ignore due to the stigma attached to it. In schools, mental health awareness ensures that students not only achieve academic success but are equipped with the necessary tools to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviours. Mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and stress can negatively affect academic performance, attendance, and social relationships. Therefore, schools must prioritize mental health awareness and ensure that students receive the support they need to cope with their problems.
The month of May has been celebrated as Mental Health Awareness Month. The same was established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in lives and to celebrate recovery from mental illness. Today we understand and celebrate the same to increase awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being.
The Importance of Mental Health Awareness
The awareness of mental wellness in schools’ curriculums has been growing up in recent times.
Firstly, schools can use teaching techniques that incorporate emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize emotions in oneself and others, understand their causes and manage them effectively. This approach can be implemented by way of activities, group discussions, and role-playing exercises, which help students learn how to communicate better, solve problems, and build healthy relationships.
Secondly, schools can provide access to mental health professionals who can provide students with the necessary guidance and support. This would include access to psychologists and other mental health professionals. These professionals can help identify students’ mental health issues, provide counselling and therapy, and recommend community resources if necessary.
Schools must establish mental health policies that outline the procedures and guidelines for addressing mental health issues. These policies should detail the protocols for identifying and referring students who need professional help, the procedures for addressing mental health crises, and the methods for supporting students who experience mental health issues.
Important Aspect of Learning and Growing
We at Ramagya understand how mental well-being is an important aspect to go on in today’s pace.
To enable its students to achieve sound mental health and inner bliss, we help them unlock their full potential. Ramagya School Noida has introduced value-education classes based on the timeless teachings of Bhagavad Geeta[1] and the practice of dhyana (meditation).
The initiative is aimed at empowering the students to lead rewarding, fulfilling and meaningful futures. The School is motivating them to take care of the entire package. This includes physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual well-being with the help of a series of activities, including Transcendental Meditation.
While Ramagya School Noida students are learning Geeta Path and Meditation, our clinical psychologists regularly interact with the students so that they stay positive amid the competition. Moreover, Ramagya School has initiated several programmes like Know Your Brain, and Baal Saathee as well as story sessions on Panchtantra, an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables to impart students practical wisdom for leadership roles. All these activities greatly help students to cope with the stress and anxiety that students have to undergo in achieving their dreams.
How we Strive at Ramagya?
Ramagya School ensures that the students become capable of bringing about a positive change within themselves. Through all of this, the School aims to inculcate values and a sense of goodness, truth and a sense of calm within students.
At Ramagya, the children follow ‘The Quiet Time’ Curriculum where they practice Transcendental Meditation (TM) which is quite effective in minimizing anxiety and managing stress. The practice also ensures harmonious growth and development of students, besides helping students to inculcate dutifulness, discipline, cooperation, loyalty, sincerity, tolerance, regularity to school, punctuality and morality.
The world of today is full of formidable challenges for students. The effort to make the best of every opportunity available takes its toll not only on the physical and emotional well-being of the students but also on their state of mind.
Hence, mental health awareness must be integrated into every school’s curriculum, so that it becomes an ongoing responsibility of every school out there. By integrating mental health awareness into the curriculum, students learn how to develop and maintain healthy habits that help in mental wellness. This also builds the learnings about the importance of sleep hygiene, stress reduction techniques, healthy eating habits, and physical exercises. These habits can play a significant role in managing mental health conditions and a happy and healthy lifestyle.
Finally, just like Ramagya, zero-energy state-of-art architecture and infrastructure create an environment that supports every student’s well-being. The spacious architecture at Ramagya aids natural ventilation, provides ambient daylight to the interior spaces and acts as a transition space between the classrooms and other outdoor activities.
The semi-outdoor classrooms expand the horizons of knowledge and play a vital role in mental health and promote student wellness. This includes creating a stress-free environment with stress-free zones, designated quiet spaces, and physical activities that foster better mental and physical health. Also, teachers encourage student participation in extracurricular activities, such as sports, clubs, and student organizations that can provide a sense of belonging and purpose.
Conclusion
In conclusion, mental health awareness in schools is crucial for ensuring that students receive the necessary guidance and support to cope with their mental health issues. By offering emotional intelligence techniques, providing access to mental health professionals, establishing mental health policies, building a support network, integrating mental health awareness into the curriculum and creating a supportive environment. With all of this, schools can empower students to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviours effectively. As a result, students would be better prepared to achieve academic success, build positive relationships, and maintain good mental health as well.
Dedicated to the month of Mental Health Awareness, let’s ensure to make society more aware of the importance of mental wellness and help students to unleash their hidden skills.
In the end, it is not about perfection but about putting the right efforts in the right direction to attain the seed of transformation.
“Mental health is not a destination but a process. It’s not how you drive, but where you’re going!”
Also Read: MENTAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN