Mental Wellness and Education in the time of Coronavirus

As we approach the fall semester, NYC as a whole and most CUNY students will continue to be affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. This workshop explores how the transition to distance learning has impacted mental and psychological wellbeing in the context of a global pandemic. It will ask how trauma can inform learning, and present some key aspects to wellness practices for educators.

This workshop will begin with participants viewing an introductory video on Trauma-Informed Pedagogy from Professor Mays Imad of Pima Community College. Participants will then contribute to a collaborative online document two of their biggest concerns or questions regarding mental wellness and distance learning. This work will be completed asynchronously.

Workshop participants will review the collective submissions before attending a synchronous meeting during which we will discuss and workshop (1) mental wellness, (2) classroom strategies to nurture wellness, (3) how-to for some strategies to build wellness planning into course design.

At the end of the meeting participants will be encouraged to create a wellness plan for themselves, focused on their roles as educators. This workshop ultimately encourages participants to reflect on the long term trauma impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic in NYC.

This workshop was developed by Talisa Feliciano as part of the Teach@CUNY 2020 Summer Institute.

Learning Goals

  • To gain a basic understanding of mental wellness and trauma and how they inform education, with special consideration to the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic
  • To create individual safety plans for wellness
  • To incorporate the practice of wellness planning into course structure

Introduction

As we approach the fall semester, NYC as a whole and most CUNY students will continue to be affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. This workshop explores how the transition to distance learning has impacted mental and psychological wellbeing in the context of a global pandemic. It will ask how trauma can inform learning, and present some of the wellness practices educators have built to support learning during this context.

I invite participants to engage in two resources: considerations for course design and an introductory video on Trauma-Informed Pedagogy from Professor Mays Imad of Pima Community College. Participants will then contribute to a private, shared space two of their biggest concerns or questions regarding mental wellness and distance learning. They will also be invited to contribute to three separate padlets to workshop (1) mental wellness, (2) classroom strategies to nurture wellness, (3) how-to for some strategies to build a wellness plan into course design. This work will be completed asynchronously.

Attendees will be asked to review the collective submissions before attending a synchronous meeting during which we will discuss major takeaways of the resources given and focus on wellness planning in our courses.

At the end of the meeting participants will be encouraged and supported as they create a wellness plan for themselves, focused on their roles as educators. This workshop ultimately encourages participants to reflect on the long term trauma impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic in NYC.

Activity

[1] Review the following resources:

 

[2] Contribute to collaborative โ€œMental Wellness in Education during Coronavirusโ€ shared document with Questions/Concerns/Resources by June 28th

[3] Contribute to Padlets up until June 28th

1) Mental Wellness for Educators

2) Classroom Strategies to Nurture Wellness

3) How-to for Some Strategies to Build Wellness into Course Design.

*Padlet is a technology that allows users to post on boards text, image, links, or video. You can also respond to othersโ€™ contributions. You do not need to sign in or create an account to contribute. If you are contributing without a login, I ask that you put your name in your contribution. We will be returning to these padlets during the Zoom meeting. Feel free to use these as places of expression and exploration. Padlets can be accessed on mobile devices.*

[4] Reflect on and review the finalized Questions/Concerns/Resources for Mental Wellness document before the synchronous Zoom Meeting Monday, June 29th

[5] Attend Synchronous Zoom Meeting on Monday, June 29th from 4pm-5pm.

*Create a wellness plan for yourself. You can use pages 10-11 of the โ€œGuide to Living with Worry and Anxietyโ€ as a template

*Available in other languages*

*Padlet does not require sign in and can be contributed up until zoom meeting*

Takeaways

Participants can choose to create a wellness plan based on the template found on pages 10-11 of: https://www.psychologytools.com/assets/covid-19/guide_to_living_with_worry_and_anxiety_amidst_global_uncertainty_en-us.pdf

Participants will become aware of and have a basic grounding in trauma informed pedagogy.