Schools, Society and Mental Well Being

Code

EDUC4116

School

Education

Level

4

Credits

30

Semesters

Autumn UK, Spring UK

Summary

This module focuses on the relationship between society, education and mental well-being. The context of the early twenty first century is exerting new pressures in the lives of young people and educators, via influences such as globalisation, economic austerity, rapidly developing technology and the evolution of new identities. Research indicates that in the UK and other countries, there is an increasing prevalence of mental-ill health amongst young people together with stress-related illness triggered by the demands of performativity in the experience of teaching staff. The central question that the module seeks to critically explore is the scope and role that educators can play in understanding and supporting mental well-being both within themselves and in their relationships with others.

The module is taught in an experiential and process-lead way, beginning with an audit of personal/professional experience. The prevalence of mental ill-health is traced and the impact of trauma is explored. You are then introduced to a theoretical /skills based model of helping and supporting before exploring a series of commonly presenting themes encountered in school settings.

The module concludes via a critical consideration of the opportunities and limitations of providing support in school settings as well as quality assurance procedures in the form of supervision and self-care of the educator.

Target Students

Students registered on the MA Education programmes.

Classes

This module is taught through a series of seminars.

Assessment

• 100% Coursework: 6,000 words or equivalent

Assessed in both autumn & spring semest

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding 
On successful completion of the module, students will have knowledge and understanding of: 

• theoretical perspectives and definitions of mental well-being, including issues of assessment and classification e.g. DSM V  
• how educators, institutions and communities are positioned in relation to mental well-being: understanding the role, scope, systems and potential influence of supporting understanding contemporary critiques of helping and supporting in school settings  
• contemporary processes impacting on the well-being of young people e.g. globalisation, technological/media developments, economic recession and the evolution of postmodern identities  
• quality assurance mechanisms e.g. self-care and supervision to protect practitioners from emotional burn out and co-dependence.  
   

Intellectual Skills
On successful completion of the module, students will have intellectual skills in:  

• critically considering the relationship between society, schools and mental well being  
• understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of interventions, particularly intensive support  
• the challenge of working with a number of recurring issues in providing support: attachment and loss, shame, identities, bullying and peer pressure.  

Professional Practical Skills
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:  

• undertake self-reflection as a key task in understanding personal social-emotional process and apply this as a pre-requisite to effective supporting and helping of others  
• access an extended repertoire of helping skills for application in personal and professional contexts, particularly in work with young people. 

Transferable Skills
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:  

• access an extended repertoire of helping skills for application in personal and professional contexts, including work with in the wider school community e.g. colleagues, parents.  

Conveners

• Dr Katharine Wakelin