How Elementary Teachers Support Student Mental Health and Well-Being Through Collaboration with Mental Health Supports and Resources

This Master of Teaching Research Project is a qualitative study that addresses the topic of supporting mental health and well-being through school settings, specifically through a collaborative approach. Existing literature suggests that our schools are in an ideal position to not only support mental health and well-being but to also foster it, educate on the subjects around it and to identify and intervene when mental health supports and services are needed. With this in mind, this study aims to explore how exactly these results are achieved, guided by the following question: How do a small sample of elementary teachers support student mental health and well- being through a collaborative approach? Overarching themes include the barriers these teachers face throughout the process, as well as their responses to said barriers that include but are not limited to limitations of available resources, misunderstanding, and timely access to resources. Ultimately, as a beginning teacher, my intention is to discover the strategies used in supporting student mental health and well-being through a collaborative approach with mental health supports and service providers, so that I can, while responding to the challenges, promote and support mental health and well-being in my own classroom and also influence and impact the school environment from a collaborative approach. Additionally, I offer my research outcomes to inform the further development of other teachers’ practice and to impact future educational policy and program development