Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

Optional Preparation – Ground Rules For Classroom Discussion
10 minutes – Part A: Exploring Metal Illness
25 minutes – Part B: Factors Affecting Mental Health And Wellbeing
35 minutes – Part C: Coping Strategies
10 minutes – Reflection

Part A: Activating Prior Knowledge

Step 1.

Introduce the lesson by informing students that they will be investigating mental illness through the lens of homelessness. Invite students to form groups of 3 or 4 and distribute a Placemat Thinking Template to each group. Each student is allocated a section of the placemat to write in, leaving the middle square blank.

To gauge students' prior knowledge of mental illness, give students a few minutes to write any thoughts and/or knowledge they have about mental illness into their own section of the placemat.

Step 2.

Once students have written their own ideas down, invite students to share and discuss their group's responses.

Step 3.

The final stage of this activity requires each group to come up with a central theme or statement based on the information that each person gave in their section of the placemat. This could be a list of keywords, or a more detailed sentence summing up what they know about mental illness.

Invite each group to present their ideas and knowledge to the class, with ideas written on the whiteboard. Using the responses as a foundation, this is a great opportunity to facilitate a discussion about mental health and mental illness in the community, and in particular, young people.

Part B: Exploring Mental Illness

Step 1.

Give each student a copy of the Student Worksheet and ensure each student has a blue, black and green pen. Invite students to create their own definition for mental health and wellbeing using a blue pen on the space provided on the Student Worksheet.

Allow a few minutes to create their definition as an individual and then ask students to compare and contrast this with their peers, adding any additional information they deem important to their own definition. This can be completed in a black pen to show the changes from their original thinking.

Finally, provide students with the World Health Organisation definition of mental health. Invite students to reflect on this definition and invite them to add further information to their own definition required using a green pen.

Step 2.

Now that students have an understanding of the term mental health, encourage them to think about the terms; risk and protective factors. Read through the descriptions below to help explain the role of each (also on the Risk And Protective Factors Worksheet):

Protective Factors - Protective factors are characteristics that reduce the likelihood of poor mental health either on their own or when risk factors are present. They may be thought of as strengths or assets that help young people to maintain mental wellbeing and be resilient. Protective factors include characteristics relating to individual, family circumstances, peers, school and the broader community.
Risk Factors - Risk factors are characteristics that increase the likelihood of poor mental health. Risk factors include characteristics relating to the individual, family circumstances, peers, school and broader community. The presence of one or more risks factors does not mean a student will develop a mental health difficulty, however as the number of risk factors increases generally so does the likelihood. Some risk factors are particularly toxic (e.g. sexual or physical abuse) while others are less obvious, such as poverty, colonisation and intergenerational trauma. (Source)

Take a moment to ensure that students have a clear understanding of these two factors. It may be necessary to spend some time exploring these factors in more detail, for example using the resources available on the Beyond Blue or Youth.Gov websites.

Step 3.

Now explain to students that they will soon watch two clips from the Life After The Oasis documentary to help identify the personal and social factors that may contribute to a person using drugs and alcohol, and the impact this can have on mental health and wellbeing. The clips feature two characters, Darren and Owen, who were being supported by The Oasis Youth Support Network when The Oasis documentary was filmed 10 years ago, and show how opportunities and experiences have shaped their lives over the last ten years.

Provide each student with a copy of the Risk And Protective Factors Worksheet. The worksheet includes a list of risk factors in Table 1 and protective factors in Table 2. While watching both clips, invite students to circle or highlight the risk factors evident in both Darren and Owen’s stories in Table 1.

Share the following clips with students, beginning with Darren and then moving on to Owen. Before you begin watching, remind students that the clips they are about to see feature real people courageously sharing their stories.

Darren (https://vimeo.com/346336219/2ace7f2662)

Owen (https://vimeo.com/347212785/065d0b0d97)

Once the clips are complete, you could take a moment to reflect on the clips with the class using the following questions:

What is each clip about? What happens in each clip?
What do you think is interesting, surprising or important about each clip?

Note: At this stage, it may be helpful to explain to students that although young people with mental illnesses are overrepresented in homeless populations, it's partly because structural inequalities such as poverty or a lack of safe, affordable housing negatively impact mental health.

Step 4.

Once both clips have been viewed, invite students to share the risk factors they identified and discuss with a partner and then with the class. It may be beneficial to write the identified risk factors on the board as visual prompts and to guide the class discussion.

Then direct students to look at Table 2 (Protective Factors) on the Risk And Protective Factors Worksheet. With a partner, encourage students to identify and discuss the protectivefactors that Darren and Owen have now that may support their mental health and wellbeing. Invite them to circle or highlight these factors.

Once complete, invite students to share what they found out with the class.

Part C: Finding And Analysing Health Data

Step 1.

Explain to students that they will now explore and begin developing a wider variety of coping strategies for various situations and challenges. It is important to address the fact that everyone responds differently to stress and challenges, and that the preferred strategy for one person may not work for another.

Read the statement below to the class:

“Regardless of how mentally healthy, resilient, or happy you are, there comes a time in every person’s life when there is a need to cope with something difficult. Coping is something we all do, whether we do it consciously or without thinking. Everyone responds to stress differently. Some may respond by denying there is a real challenge, and will not work towards achieving goals. These people may need support in defining and achieving some short-term goals. Others may work harder, often overworking or setting and expecting very high standards. These people may need help to set more realistic goals.”

Step 2.

Invite students to think about their own protective factors that they can harness to protect their health and wellbeing. Ask students to take out a pen or highlighter, and identify the protective factors in Table 2 that are relevant to them, that may support them in challenging times to protect their mental and overall health and wellbeing.

Step 3.

Divide the class into groups of 3-4, and provide each group with a copy of the Coping Strategy Cards. Invite students to explore the range of coping strategies that could be used to support them in challenging times.

Invite students to identify their preferred strategies by categorising them along a continuum from most helpful to least helpful. Remind students of your classroom guidelines for discussion, explaining that depending on the group dynamic there may not be a consensus as to where all strategies fit; however it will provide a good insight into how different people cope with challenges and stress. The teacher could move between groups to help students reach a conclusion that all students are comfortable with.

Step 4.

Now invite students to access the Student Worksheet and work independently or in their groups to reflect on the following prompts to show their understanding of different coping strategies (also available on the Student Worksheet).

Identify a strategy that you would like to start using, and explain why you think this might support you in challenging times.
Identify a strategy that you could use when you have too much homework or study pressure, and explain why you think this might be helpful.
Identify a strategy that could be used when people around you are angry, upset or stressed, and explain why you think this might be helpful.
Identify a strategy that could be used if you are worried about a friend or family member who has started to withdraw.

Step 5.

Invite student volunteers to share with the class their preferred coping strategy, and write each response on the board. This will enable students to see trends and understand that everyone has different skills, knowledge and strategies that can be used to support oneself during challenging times.

Reflection

Step 1.

Inform the students that the reflection of their learning will be a Tug for Truth. They will be asked to contemplate and justify their ideas related to their understandings of mental illness, risk and protective factors, and coping strategies.

Step 2.

Place the ‘strongly agree’ and ‘strongly disagree’ posters at opposing ends of the classroom. Encourage students to move along the continuum to establish their position, after hearing a statement based on the ideas and content from the lesson.

Inform students that when they take their position, they will need to be able to justify why they chose that place, using ideas and understandings from the lesson.

Suggested statements include:

Having one or more protective factors means you are completely protected from having a mental illness at some point in your life.
Meditation and mindfulness are the best coping strategies to use for stress.
Just hoping everything will be okay is a useful coping strategy.
Crying is an unhelpful coping strategy that people can use.
Searching for help online is a better option than asking a trusted adult or friend.

Differentiated Learning

Extension – In Part B, students could select the risk factors for both Darren and Owen and present them in a Venn Diagram to show the similarities and differences of their risks. In Part C, students could develop an Action Plan for using their own coping strategies, whereby linking them to a range of challenges that will come up for them as they start to transition out of high school and into adulthood.

Provisions for Learning Support – In Part A and C, ensure that student groups are of mixed ability, so that those requiring encouragement and clarification around the content covered can do so with their peers.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

Life After The Oasis - Investigating Mental Health

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