Author: Aghunney

Mental Health Update

Academics and
Mental Health

In recent years, there has been increased pressure for schools to improve the academic performance of students as evidenced in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 . According to the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (2003), 5-9% of children have a serious emotional disturbance. That is, one or two children in every U.S. classroom have a diagnosable mental health concern which hinders social, emotional and academic functioning. This is a serious problem, considering that approximately 80% of these children do not receive any mental health services. It is clear that in order for students to succeed academically, mental health concerns must be addressed.
What the Evidence Says
A study showed that mental health concerns contributed to educational disparities through adulthood, strengthening the argument that early intervention is essential.
A review of school-based social-emotional learning (SEL) studies found that SEL programs contribute to a reduction in the number of suspensions and expulsions, an increase in school attendance and improvement in students’ attitudes regarding school. Students also showed improved grades and standardized test scores increased significantly.
A review of model school mental health programs by the American Psychological Association showed there were several positive academic impacts, including:
Improved problem-solving skills in students.
decreased the number of special education referrals in schools
Improved school climate and parent engagement
Improved learning skills and increased reading achievement
Increased high school graduation and post-secondary education

In This Issue:
Academics and Mental Health
Quote of the Month
Motivating Students to Do Their Homework
The Impacts of Homework

Quote of the Month
Give a man a thought, he’ll pass a test. Teach a man to think, he'll pass life's tests.
-Rene Descartes

References
American Psychological Association (n.d.). School-Based Interventions with Successful Academic Outcomes. http://www.apa.org/ppo/issues/pschoolbased.html
Brewster, C & Fager, J. (2000). Increasing Student Engagement and Motivation: From Time-on-Task to Homework. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Portland, Oregon. http://www.nwrel.org/request/oct00/textonly.html Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning. http://www.casel.org/sel/academics.php Columbia University Teen Screen Program (n.d.) Mental Health and Academic Achievement in Youth. http://www.teenscreen.org/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=95 President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. (2003). Achieving the promise: Transforming mental health care in America. Final report. Rockville, MD. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Communications and Outreach (2005). Helping Your Child with Homework. Washington, D.C. http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/homework/homework.pdf. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement Programs for Improvement of Practice (1992). Hard Work and High Expectations: Motivating Students to Learn. Washington, D.C. http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content3/work.expectations.k12.4.html

Motivating Students to Do Their Homework

Homework is clearly an important part of learning, however many students do their homework assignments haphazardly or don’t complete them at all. A key reason for this is the lack of motivation. Students who enjoy doing their homework will get the most of each. Described below are some ways you can help students become motivated.
Explain the assignment to students. Sometimes students do not do their homework simply because they do not understand what is expected of them. Make your expectations clear and show students that you’re excited about the topic. If you can’t get excited about an assignment, chances are students can’t either.
Give feedback in a timely fashion. When there’s a delay in returning graded assignments to students, it can cause them to question how much of a priority it is to complete homework in the first place. If there is a delay in returning homework, let students know why and when they will returned.
Make comments. Show students you recognize the effort they’ve made in completing their homework by writing encouraging comments. Ask questions when appropriate or point out areas for improvement. This shows students that their hard work is valued.
Recognize individual differences. Students lack of interest in completing homework may be because the assignment does not reflect their abilities. Students having difficulty mastering the skills needed to complete an assignment may not complete the assignment for that reason. Similarly, more advanced students may not complete their homework because it is not challenging enough. Pair struggling students with a homework buddy or add challenging bonus questions for advanced students.
Emphasize mastery. Although grades are important, homework should provide students the opportunity to master skills they’ve learned in class. Encourage students to not only get the correct answer, but to use the right approach. One good way of doing this is to mark the various steps involved in answering a question. For assignments which this step by step approach is not feasible, give credit for things like organization or neatness. This will teach students that the individual steps needed to complete an assignment are important.
Give rewards. Although it is more preferably for students to complete homework because they are self-motivated, rewards can be useful for those who have a harder time getting excited about an assignment. Avoid using rewards too often to keep them from losing their effectiveness. Make sure that rewards that are given are truly deserved but are at the same attainable.

The Impacts of Homework
The academic impacts of homework in schools has been an issues of debate for years, According to the US Department of Education, the academic impacts of homework increases with increasing grade level. Students who are given homework, on average, do better academically than those who don’t. Homework also gives students the opportunity to practice the skills they learned in class and work independently.

This story can fit 150-200 words.
One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse content from other marketing materials, such as press releases, market studies, and reports.
While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product or service, the key to a successful newsletter is making it useful to your readers.
A great way to add useful content to your newsletter is to develop and write your own articles, or include a calendar of upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product.
You can also research articles or find “filler” articles by accessing the World Wide Web. You can write about a variety of topics but try to keep your articles short.
Much of the content you put in your newsletter can also be used for your Web site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web publication. So, when you’re finished writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it.

This story can fit 75-125 words.
Selecting pictures or graphics is an important part of adding content to your newsletter.
Think about your article and ask yourself if the picture supports or enhances the message you’re trying to convey. Avoid selecting images that appear to be out of context.
Microsoft Publisher includes thousands of clip art images from which you can choose and import into your newsletter. There are also several tools you can use to draw shapes and symbols.
Once you have chosen an image, place it close to the article. Be sure to place the caption of the image near the image.

This story can fit 100-150 words.
The subject matter that appears in newsletters is virtually endless. You can include stories that focus on current technologies or innovations in your field.
You may also want to note business or economic trends, or make predictions for your customers or clients.
If the newsletter is distributed internally, you might comment upon new procedures or improvements to the business. Sales figures or earnings will show how your business is growing.
Some newsletters include a column that is updated every issue, for instance, an advice column, a book review, a letter from the president, or an editorial. You can also profile new employees or top customers or vendors.

This story can fit 150-200 words.
One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse content from other marketing materials, such as press releases, market studies, and reports.
While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product or service, the key to a successful newsletter is making it useful to your readers.
A great way to add useful content to your newsletter is to develop and write your own articles, or include a calendar of upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product.
You can also research articles or find “filler” articles by accessing the World Wide Web. You can write about a variety of topics but try to keep your articles short.
Much of the content you put in your newsletter can also be used for your Web site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web publication. So, when you’re finished writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it.

This story can fit 75-125 words.
Selecting pictures or graphics is an important part of adding content to your newsletter.
Think about your article and ask yourself if the picture supports or enhances the message you’re trying to convey. Avoid selecting images that appear to be out of context.
Microsoft Publisher includes thousands of clip art images from which you can choose and import into your newsletter. There are also several tools you can use to draw shapes and symbols.
Once you have chosen an image, place it close to the article. Be sure to place the caption of the image near the image.

This story can fit 100-150 words.
The subject matter that appears in newsletters is virtually endless. You can include stories that focus on current technologies or innovations in your field.
You may also want to note business or economic trends, or make predictions for your customers or clients.
If the newsletter is distributed internally, you might comment upon new procedures or improvements to the business. Sales figures or earnings will show how your business is growing.
Some newsletters include a column that is updated every issue, for instance, an advice column, a book review, a letter from the president, or an editorial. You can also profile new employees or top customers or vendors.