TV, radio and social media continue to be filled with stories about Covid-19. However, schools, colleges and workplaces are gradually re-opening following advice from the government.
The novelty of time at home has more than likely worn off by now. In fact, there’s a lot of ‘new normal’ talk, but let’s remind ourselves, these are unusual times. It is important to look after both our mental and physical health.
Though there are very different challenges right now.
Author: eve
Watch: Navigating family conflict while working from home
In this video, Leona talks about ways we can navigate the family conflict that can arise.
Finding your tribe while socially distancing at college
College can be a daunting place in a standard year. Though this year continues to throw up additional challenges.
At school, there were probably 30 people, at most, in your classes at a time. You more than likely had a desk or a locker and a place for your things. You owned a bit of space.
Now, you might have virtual lectures with 200 students. Timetabling, and limited numbers on campus grounds for now, can mean fewer opportunities to meet people outside of your course group.
Check your own college’s arrangements during COVID-19 here.
How to address self-harm
As a parent or guardian, hearing about young people harming themselves can be really alarming and difficult to understand.
If you suspect that your young person is harming themselves, there is a lot you can do to support them.
Webinar: Supporting student anxiety
The last webinar in our series for teachers this term is about supporting student stress and anxiety. This is a recording of the webinar. It explores ways to recognise and understand anxiety and when it may become a problem. The speakers also look at whole-school approaches to anxiety, responding to individual student needs and recommended resources and support options.
Supporting student anxiety
Maintaining school connection during Covid-19
School connection is the extent to which a young person feels like they belong at school and feels cared for by that community.
It’s built through relationships, and also perceptions about those relationships within the whole-school community.
Role of the teacher
As we know, the role of a teacher is more than about giving information on their subject. Teaching involves creating a connection with and between students. It is often the intangible bits of teaching that mean the most to both students and teachers.
Now, more than ever, teachers are feeling the need to help students ground themselves in a world that can feel unstable and insecure.
Minding mental health for teachers during Covid-19
Few teachers could have anticipated that they would have to work from home. This worldwide pandemic has made us change the way we live, interact and work.
Online limitations
For obvious reasons, teaching young people does not easily transition to the ‘working from home’ model. It’s impossible to recreate the conditions of the classroom online. Naturally, teaching is most effective when we can pick up an atmosphere, or notice the body language of a disinterested student.
While we expect young people to be comfortable with technology, online learning is new for many. We also cannot assume that students have the physical space and tech available for online learning all day long.
Recognise the limitations of online teaching and know that it’s not on you.
Webinar: Self-care for teachers
Jigsaw Connect: Self-care for teachers
We recently ran two webinar for teachers, who have taken our online courses. The focus was how post-primary and primary school teachers can support their own mental health.
Managing anxiety
Josh, our Jigsaw volunteer, talks to Jen, a Jigsaw clinician, about effective ways to manage anxiety.
Ask Jigsaw: How do you recognise emotional abuse?
How can you tell when your being emotionally abused?
– Idkhelpmepls:)
Hi Idkhelpmepls:),
Recognising emotional abuse can be complicated. It can have lots of different names, like verbal or mental abuse, and it might have different meanings for different people. It’s really important to explore if we are being abused by someone so that we can protect ourselves, and get the necessary support.
Emotional abuse is systematic emotional or psychological ill-treatment by someone in our lives. It can be perpetrated by a parent, partner, carer or someone else that we have a relationship with. It can include manipulation, humiliation, aggression and intimidation that occurs over a period of time. We might notice warning signs in a relationship that could indicate it is becoming abusive.