Important reading (mental well-being)

Tuesday 3 August 2021

 Mental Health - What Shanghai Teens Want Adults to Know

This is the best piece of market research I've come across in a long while.

If Student Voice and well-being really do matter in your schools, this is an absolute must-read.

Powerful stuff. Don’t make assumptions. Listen. Listen. Listen. Teachers are not the experts they often make out to be. “Our mental health is as important as our physical health and much more important than academic success.”

Some great questions covered in this article:

  1. What do you want the adults in your life to know about teen mental health?
  2. What do adults tend to do that is not helpful for teens?
  3. What are some things adults say that are not helpful?
  4. What can adults do that would be more helpful?
  5. What do you want to hear adults say?
  6. Anything else you want to convey to the adults in your life?

Read the article and feedback here

Actually, the title of the article is somewhat misleading, as it is more than just teenagers from Shanghai who want to communicate these messages with their teachers (and parents).

With best wishes for the busy month of August ahead - do look after yourselves, and your students.