"But Long Before, Having Hurt, I'd Send the Pain Below" MTBoSBlaugust-The Toughest Challenge I Face as a Teacher (Day 5)

This past school year I believe, we were asked what our leaky windows were.  Someone created a collaborative document and everyone added to the list as he or she saw fit.  What I added as a leaky window was the mental health issues that our students bring into the classroom.  My school setting is a challenging one with our great diversity, despite being a small town of about 2200.  Many of our students have difficult backgrounds for various reasons.  This can manifest itself in many ways, some of our students are extra dedicated and work to better their situations.  However, others have a harder time and carry heavy baggage with them.  This extra baggage very much has an effect on the climate of certain classes.  We have excellent guidance counselors and some access to additional counseling services, but we really need more.  I truly believe that we all need more training as a whole staff to help create the best environment for these students to thrive in.