Contagious Conversations / Episode 45. Reducing Stress in Schools
Transcript
Claire Stinson: Hello and welcome to Contagious Conversations. I'm Claire Stinson, host of today's conversation. Every episode we hear from inspiring leaders and innovators who make the world healthier and safer for us all. Contagious Conversations is brought to you by the CDC Foundation, an independent nonprofit that builds partnerships to help the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention save and improve more lives.
Joining me today is Heather Martel-Balfour, a social worker and behavioral interventionist for a small rural school in southern Maine. Heather is starting her 15th year in public education with her role spanning from educational technician and paraprofessional to her current role as a licensed clinical social worker.
In this episode, we explore the mental health challenges faced by students and teachers in today's educational environment and the approaches educational professionals use to cope with the strains of the workplace. Welcome Heather.
Heather Martel-Balfour: Hi. Thank you for having me.
Claire Stinson: Yeah, let's get started. And Heather, tell us about your role at your school.
Heather Martel-Balfour: Sure. So, I am a licensed clinical social worker, as you said, and so I act as the school social worker, and that means really being available to address the social and emotional learning needs of students. I also support students in classes through classroom lessons. I meet with students who receive social work as a related service on their individualized education plan. And then I also support staff in figuring out the best ways to help students manage behaviors and face challenging tasks. Together we work through that so that we can form a strong base to support our students.
Claire Stinson: That's quite a role. What do you love most about your job?
Heather Martel-Balfour: There's a lot of things that I love about my job. I would say one of the things that I find really special about this particular role is that I work in a very small school and we are with students from pre-K through 5. So, I really get to see kids grow and develop and make strides, and that's always so rewarding to see. Because we are a smaller school, I also feel like we get to build really great relationships and those relationships are both with students and with families. And I just think it's so important to include families because we are a team and we're all working together.
Claire Stinson: Absolutely. That's really nice to hear. So, I know your school year just started in August, so it's still new, but do you have a sense yet of the overall mood among students and teachers as compared to prior years?
Heather Martel-Balfour: Yeah, I feel like we have had a really great start to the year. Students and staff have been positive, even through some extreme heat that we had last week that is just not typical for us. Students and staff have really been showing up and giving it their all, and it feels like what I refer to as the COVID cloud has lifted a bit and it just is weighing less on our minds. It's not gone, but it's definitely less heavy.
Claire Stinson: Well, that's good to hear. So, you just mentioned the COVID cloud. Do you get a sense of excitement and optimism or do you sense any worry or stress from being behind in the curriculum due to COVID?
Heather Martel-Balfour: Yeah, I mean, I think that parents and educators continue to be aware that there are learning gaps. We have really focused our energy on what we call the COVID classes, and those students were in pre-K, K, first grade, when we went emergency remote. And so there have definitely been very deliberate efforts to catch these students up. And that isn't just academically, I mean, students were impacted socially as well because their opportunities to engage in social interactions were extremely limited at that time. So, we're really trying to make sure that we get them to where they need to be and our staff is fantastic and are always willing to do whatever is needed to get students what they need. And so I really just feel very lucky.
Claire Stinson: Well, that's wonderful to hear. Those are some unique challenges that you faced for sure. So let's talk about the mental load teachers face today, which are enormous. What are some of the major challenges affecting teacher and staff mental health?
Heather Martel-Balfour: I think before we speak specifically about teachers and school staff, you have to think about everybody. Teachers are people too, and school staff are people too. And so all the extra stressors that everybody is feeling right now, teachers are also feeling those.
In Maine, the median housing cost has increased by 31% since 2019. There is a housing shortage, there's a lot on top of food and all the things that are just rising. So, that is the base that they're working from just like everybody else. And then they come into school and I can tell you that these teachers care so much about your child. They want the very best, they want to help them, they want to support them, they want to help their families. And when they can't figure out how to do that or they feel like they're ineffective, even though they're not, it bothers them. It upsets them, it goes home with them. And I think that's the part that families often don't realize.
When we walk out the door, we're not done. Even if we're not going home with paperwork or something to do, which most staff do have to do that, they're going home with these students on their brain. They're thinking about different strategies they could try. You don't just get to shut that part of your brain off. And so it's a lot because a lot of people can go home and be done with work, and it's really difficult for a teacher to do that.
Claire Stinson: Absolutely. And you've been doing this for 15 years. Would you say that it's more challenging now than ever before?
Heather Martel-Balfour: Yes, absolutely. There's just more dynamics. I have seen definitely some increases in just kids learning how to self-soothe, learning how to interact when they are upset about something. And so we're really trying to teach all of these skills and those skills are really important for learning. I work in a district where administration is supportive of that and recognizes the need for that foundation, and teachers also recognize that foundation, so we are able to work together as a team. But it's definitely challenging because again, you always want to see your students succeed.
Claire Stinson: Well, sure, I'm sure every school wants to set their students up for success, but these are some enormous challenges that teachers are facing. So, let's talk about your school. You work in a small rural school in Maine. What challenges do you think students and school staff face that may be particular to rural settings?
Heather Martel-Balfour: I would say that one of the biggest challenges is the lack of community partnerships. And by that I mean, okay, it's career day. We're going to go visit this business and we're going to learn about it. We just don't have a lot of businesses in Dayton. And that's okay. That's part of what makes Dayton special, but it just is hard to build those partnerships in a way that students can go and see something happening. They can't go to the grocery store and learn how to pick out items and go to a cash register and just those kinds of skills. But then there's also lots of really great things about being in a rural school. Like I mentioned before, we get to build these great relationships and we get to know these families and we get to see them just grow, and it's a really exciting thing to be a part of.
I would also say that probably a challenge would be that there's no public transportation. So, we are relatively close to some local cities, and so there are lots of services in those cities. So again, that's a plus for us. But if you don't have your own transportation, getting to those services is problematic because you definitely can't be walking. For some smaller schools, this would be a problem, but we are fortunate that we've been able to partner with some other nearby districts, and so we've been able to get some great opportunities that maybe we wouldn't otherwise.
Claire Stinson: So some unique challenges, but also some real benefits that you all face.
Heather Martel-Balfour: Yeah, I mean, I think that every school is different and there's pluses and minuses to it all. In a bigger school, maybe there's more opportunities for things, but it's harder to build the relationships because there's so many students and literally every staff person in our school knows every student by name. I just think that's really special. And it's not that staff in larger schools don't make the same efforts. They absolutely do. It's just more difficult.
Claire Stinson: Right. Not everyone has that, but that's wonderful that you all have that. So, Heather, we're living in some difficult times right now, and as the nation emerges from the COVID pandemic and we all face increasingly common concerns like school-related shootings, what mental health challenges are top of mind for you and other teachers as you head back to school this year?
Heather Martel-Balfour: Safety is always at the forefront of our minds. I feel like that's sort of the filter that we run everything through. And like all schools, we have security measures in place, but it's an always evolving landscape. Last year we had an incident where there was basically a prank school shooting call made to 911, and it was very traumatic. It was not at our school, but it was in a local school and all of the schools nearby, we took extra security precautions. And what is good is that from that they did some extra learning and some extra talking and some extra conversations, and they were able to determine like, ‘What can we do better next time? What will be of most benefit?’
Still, I remember being in my office and hearing that and being like, ‘Oh my gosh, it's happened here.’ And that is terrifying because again, something like that happens, teachers are no longer going, ‘I need to make sure they learn A, B, C.' It's, 'How do I keep my students safe? How do I protect them?’ Those are big responsibilities and teachers take them very seriously and so do administration. It's tricky.
And then I think what complicates these things is we live in a world of constant news, and so students may inadvertently hear something, see something that leads to questions and worries on their end. I mean, I was a senior in high school when Columbine happened, and I remember being like, ‘Well, this is crazy.’ And now these are just things that happen and that's not okay. I have fourth graders who are scared. We need as a country to do better and to figure out ways to make our students feel safe. Because if you don't feel safe, then you can't learn. That's the bottom line. And if we want our kids to learn, then they need to feel safe.
Claire Stinson: Absolutely. Really good points. And thank you for explaining those challenges. These are such unique challenging times we live in right now. How do you see some of these issues impacting the mental health of your students?
Heather Martel-Balfour: It has definitely led to an increase in anxiety. And I don't know that we can necessarily attribute those increases to one specific factor, like you think we've had COVID, we have the school shootings, but then you also have everyday things like screen time and what is being viewed, what video games are being played. As a society, I feel like we're starting to have more research on the impact of those types of things on children, but it's an evolving field. We have to join together as a society and figure out how are we going to figure this out together because it can't just be schools figuring it out. We want to help our students and we need the communities to also support us in helping them. And I feel really fortunate that we have that here.
Claire Stinson: We'll be right back with Heather Martel-Balfour.
Mental health is an issue that many people are struggling with today. How Right Now is a communications campaign designed to promote and strengthen the emotional well-being and resilience of people disproportionately impacted by mental health challenges. Developed in partnership with CDC and the research organization NORC at the University of Chicago, How Right Now connects communities with mental health resources to help those dealing with stress and worry. Learn more about the resources available at cdc.gov/howrightnow.
And now back to our conversation with Heather.
So, Heather, CDC has a website of mental health resources that everyone, including teachers, can access for dealing with stress. We’ll also have additional resources available. What kinds of resources would you like to see included?
Heather Martel-Balfour: I am definitely all for the more resources, the better. What works for me might not work for somebody else. So, I think it's all about having options and finding what is the best fit for you. I also think that in addition to those resources, we need to be thinking about ways that we can help teachers to do their job more efficiently. There's a lot on their plates, lots that they need to do in the course of a day outside of just the regular teaching the general curriculum. Because as teachers, they're responsible for meeting the needs of all students and not all students look the same, act the same, think the same way. And so they really have to be able to differentiate throughout their day in a variety of ways. So, I think it's about providing resources, but also about creating systems that support teachers and being able to do what they need to do.
Claire Stinson: Right. It sounds like it needs to be a comprehensive effort.
Heather Martel-Balfour: Absolutely.
Claire Stinson: So what steps can teachers take daily to reduce stress that might be helpful for other teachers and staff?
Heather Martel-Balfour: I think educating ourselves and our staff about the impacts of trauma on the brain is so significant because kids do well if they can. That's raw screen. Kids do the best they can in the moment they're at with the circumstances they have. And when you talk about kids who have experienced trauma, then you're talking about biological changes and there's a lot that impacts their self-regulation and then impacts their ability to learn. And then you come to school with all that and it's a heavy load for the student, but also for the teacher to manage. And the teacher, if they know strategies that are trauma-informed, then they can use those strategies and that can go a long way in the classroom. Foundationally speaking, sleep, nutrition, exercise. And that's so hard. I struggle with that. I mean, I can preach it, but it's hard to do, especially when you're a mom and a wife and a daughter or a husband, all those things.
Specifically for teachers, I would say that it's really about finding moments. Finding moments in the course of your day where you can just stop and take a deep breath and kind of refocus. I have my Apple watch and I have a little alert that comes up randomly throughout the day that's like, ‘Take a deep breath, relax,’ and that's what I need. And then I'm like, ‘Oh yeah, okay, I was holding my breath.’ You don't notice the tension that you hold, and then that just feeds into the stress. So, I think things like that. And then rituals. I wake up 20 minutes before my daughter in the morning so I can eat breakfast in silence. I come to school with a cup of coffee because I just find that comforting. And so these aren't things that are going to revolutionize anything, but they are things that can help make a difference.
The other thing that I see teachers in my school do a fantastic job of is modeling self-regulation for students. And so the teacher may feel frustrated with something and that's okay because teachers are people too. They're allowed. And so when they feel frustrated, they might say, ‘I'm feeling frustrated that this is happening. I'm going to go sit down at my desk for a minute and then I'll come back and talk to you when I feel better.’ And how powerful is that to see an adult doing the very skill that we ask our students to do. And not only are they seeing the teacher do it, but they're seeing it in action in the moment and how it's helping. And so by modeling those skills, teachers can also help reduce their stress by doing breathing work and talking about the feelings they notice in their bodies in a very calm way.
Claire Stinson: Yeah, absolutely. And teachers are role models for students, so it sounds like it would be a win-win if the students are seeing the teachers do that and self-regulate and they're kind of learning how to do that for themselves. So, what about students?
Heather Martel-Balfour: As far as students go, one thing that we do is we try to incorporate movement breaks. There are lots of resources online of different fun breathing activities for kids that help them to calm their bodies, but also kind of feel like a game. So again, it's teaching those skills and not teaching those skills as something separate, we do over here, but teaching these skills is just part of our day. So, we have a teacher here who works with each student to identify their preferred coping strategy for when they're upset and then makes them a little label and the label is taped to their desk. If the teacher sees that they maybe need a coping strategy, they'll just go over and very quietly point to it. Not drawing any attention to the student, but just giving that silent reminder like, ‘Hey, maybe you need to do this for a moment.’ It's teaching the use of those skills.
In addition, in our school, every classroom has what we call a cool down corner or a calming corner, and it's just a place where students can go for a couple minutes if they're feeling upset, irritated, sad, it can be whatever they need to be in that space for. There's a timer. They have to set the timer. At the older grades, they have a little reflection sheet that they have to use, and then there's some fidgets. So, it's meant, again, as a way to reset and help students understand that just because you're upset now doesn't mean you have to be upset for the rest of the day. Just because you're sad now doesn't mean you have to be sad for the rest of the day. I think those are important skills to learn.
The other piece I would say that I've noticed a real increase in is need of students to, in their opinion, be perfect, not make mistakes. There's this big fear of making mistakes, and if it's wrong, then that's very upsetting. And so, one thing we are really working on is the idea of a growth mindset and understanding that the real learning happens when you make the mistake and that nobody comes to school knowing everything otherwise we wouldn't need to be here. And so that's the other thing we do as staff, is we like, ‘Oh, look, I made a mistake.’ Point it out because we want to normalize it because mistakes happen and that's okay, and it doesn't say anything about who you are or your character or what we think of you. What matters is what you do after the mistake.
Claire Stinson: That's a really important point. Thank you for explaining all of this, and these are great tips for anyone to deal with stress. I love that your school is modeling this because this is great for anyone to hear, for tips to reduce stress. Heather, what do you see as the biggest opportunities for overcoming these challenges, which are enormous for teacher mental health?
Heather Martel-Balfour: That's kind of a multilayered question. So, I feel really fortunate in our school that we have administration and teachers that are very supportive of all these things and are willing to try them. Even if maybe it feels uncomfortable at first and give it a go, I feel like that's made a huge difference and I just want to give a shout-out to the staff here because I appreciate them.
I would also say that it kind of goes back to those conversations we were having earlier about as a society, we need to look at the research and figure this out together and come up with best practices for how we're going to do things. When I think about social media, we have sort of evolved from everybody can have social media and now parents are starting to rein it back in because we've seen that it cannot always be positive. And even as adults, we're realizing, ‘Oh, I maybe need to spend less time on this.’ So, I think we need to figure that piece out together. What are the things that are contributing and how can we change them? And that's big picture thinking. That's obviously not school-level thinking, but I do feel like it's so important.
And then continuing to incorporate social-emotional learning into our classrooms and our curriculums. And what that looks like is things like, this is how you handle your big feelings. This is how you solve a problem. This is what you do when there's conflict. And there's a lot that I feel like people worry about with social-emotional learning, but for us, it really is all about helping students to figure out how to be the best student they can be and making sure that they know how to manage their emotions in a way that allows them to be academically successful and socially successful.
Claire Stinson: Thank you so much for explaining all of these challenges that teachers and students face in today's world. These are so important for everyone to hear and understand. Thank you for being a part of Contagious Conversations.
Heather Martel-Balfour: Yeah, thank you for having me.
Claire Stinson: Thanks for listening to Contagious Conversations produced by the CDC Foundation and available wherever you get your podcast. Be sure to visit cdcfoundation.org/conversations for show notes. And if you like what you just heard, please pass it along to your colleagues and friends, rate the show, leave a review and tell others. It helps us get the word out.
Thanks again for tuning in and join us next time for another episode of Contagious Conversations.
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