This week in AVID we are covering mental health basics. In this course, students are introduced to the topic of mental health and the ways in which they can implement coping strategies to manage their own challenging thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The course will recognize that students can be faced with external circumstances beyond their control which can impact their mental health. Students will learn how to support friends and family who may be struggling, how to recognize when to seek help, and how to access appropriate resources to do so. COVID-19’s impact on mental health will be addressed.

TOPIC AREAS AND DESCRIPTIONS

• Introduction to Mental Health: Defining mental health, how the brain works, and impact of stress

• Understanding Mental Health Challenges: Exploring mental illness and the impact of trauma

• Mental Health Coping Strategies: Applying ways to maintain and improve mental health

• Staying Healthy in Times of Uncertainty: Identifying and coping with unexpected events

• Seeking and Offering Help: Understanding when to seek help and how to offer support

**Created by Everfi

I recently listened to Brene Brown's The Gifts of Imperfect Parenting, and as a parent, it was exactly what I needed to hear right now.

There is no parenting handbook, and we are truly doing the best we can. Within the next few weeks, I'll share some of the biggest takeaways for me.

Here's the first:

Guidepost #1- Cultivating Worthiness in Our Families

"I’m enough! Love and belonging are my birthrights. Worthiness doesn’t have prerequisites."- Brene Brown

As a family, and even within our classroom, we create a safe space to allow people to live and express their emotions. They can be who they are, they can share their struggles, and we will work very hard to never use vulnerabilities against each other.

It's important that we are clear on this because vulnerabilities should never be used as ammunition.

As a culture, we tend to make light of and make what we consider harmless jokes.

Our children learn this from us and transfer it into their everyday lives using this same mechanism of using a fellow classmate's vulnerabilities to tease them.

We want to discourage this because everyone has a different journey, and we would never want someone to feel shame or unworthiness.

My name is Mrs. Tolman and I am the 9th Grade AVID teacher. I come from a family of educators who firmly believed that an education never ends.
During the summer of 2021, I was certified as a Yoga Instructor with Breathe for Change. A program that is designed to create Social Emotional Learning Facilitators and teaches how to guide trauma informed yoga. We have successfully been able to bring yoga into our campus and currently offer five yoga classes before and after school. It has been amazing to see the practice come to fruition on our campus. During the 2021-2022 school year I served as a Teach Plus intern, where I had the opportunity to co-author a request for Texas Policy Change.
I have completed my Masters of Science Education in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, along with the Integrated Leadership Principal Preparation Program.

I am currently pursuing my Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction.

Email: lmteran@bisd.us
Website: www.TolmansClass.com
Location: Rivera Early College High School, Ruben M Torres Boulevard, Brownsville, TX, USA
Phone: (956) 831-8700
Twitter: @tolmansclass