Explore how faculty members and special guests at Las Positas College come together to discuss mental health topics inside and outside the classroom. Learn about personal anecdotes, mindfulness practices, and the social qualities of productivity in this engaging community initiative.
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
You are allowed to download the files provided on this website for personal or commercial use, subject to the condition that they are used lawfully. All files are the property of their respective owners.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
Working Together: Mental Health Inside and Outside of the Classroom FALL FLEX DAY 2018 (OCTOBER 23) LAS POSITAS COLLEGE
What is Working Together? We are a team of faculty who meet periodically to engage in productive and lively discussion about hot topics both inside and outside of the classroom. This group was founded in early 2016 and has remained active ever since. Howard Blumenfeld (Mathematics Faculty/Professional Development Coordinator) Sheena Turner-August (Psychology Faculty) Marsha Vernoga (Nutrition Faculty) Marty Nash (English Faculty) Elizabeth Owens (Mathematics Faculty) Steve Chiolis (Humanities/English Faculty)
Special Guests We are fortunate to have some special guests join us today! Jaime Gano (Health Educator) Cheryl Dicksinson (Mental Health Counselor in the Student Health Center) Peter Hartman (Mental Health Counselor in the Student Health Center) Rebecca Ferelli (DSPS Counselor/Instructor)
Personal Anecdotes We believe in the power of sharing personal experiences. Four of us will share our stories with you now. **Names of four people sharing will go here**
Mindfulness and Mindlessness Howard Blumenfeld "One of the reasons mindfulness can be difficult to talk about, in particular when discussing mindfulness with the busy people who run our companies and institutions, is that these people tend to spend little time thinking about themselves and other people, but a lot of time thinking about strategy, data, and systems. " -David Rock
Mindfulness and Mindlessness The human brain is a highly social organ. Physiological and neurological responses are directly and profoundly influenced by social interaction. People who feel reprimanded, betrayed, or unrecognized at work experience a perceived threat response equivalent to getting hit in the head by an object. People who do not feel valued at work will limit their commitment and engagement to the workplace. The threat response (triggered in social interactions) is typically longer-lasting and more intense than the reward response.
Status Feelings of low status = similar feelings to sleep deprivation & chronic anxiety Performance reviews can provoke a threat response Perception of status increases when people are given genuine praise The values of an institution define what "status" means
Certainty Strong levels of uncertainty make people feel threatened and on high alert. Strong levels of uncertainty diminishes memory, reduces performance quality, and can make people lose focus. Mild levels of uncertainty can make people curious and lead to novel solutions to problems. Effective leaders promote a perception of certainty through transparency, providing rationales for decisions, and reducing ambiguity.
Autonomy People do not like to feel micromanaged. People are more productive when they are given flexibility in their schedule and trust in their abilities to get the tasks done. The pursuit of work-life balance is often a greater motivator for people to leave a job than moving on to another one based on an increase in salary.
Relatedness Feelings of loneliness and isolation can be very stressful (just as much as physical pain). Healthy relationships require trust, goodwill, empathy, and time spent together. Organizational leaders should deliberately assemble teams that minimize potential conflicts while promoting feelings of inclusion and warmth.
Fairness Lack of perceived fairness leads to feelings of hostility and distrust. People are more committed to feelings of institutional fairness than financial incentives alone and some people with stay with an organization because they perceive it as being fair. Leaders who play favorites create an atmosphere of distrust and lack of productivity from those outside of their inner circle. Trust and collaboration are not possible in an institution with a perceived unfair social environment.
Small Group Conversations You ve heard our stories. Now it s time to hear from you! Let s break up into small groups.
Conversation Starters for Small Groups Have you ever experienced a challenging situation inside or outside the classroom involving student behavior that made you feel concerned about them? How did you respond? How can you identify a student in need? What are some signs that you notice? What are some ways in which we can support students emotional and mental needs and challenges?
Share Out Let s share some of the highlights of our small group conversations.
Next Steps Where does this conversation go from here? What comes next?
Thank you! The Working Together Team would like to thank you for participating in our FLEX day session and we look forward to working with all of you in the near future. Together we can make a difference! Special thank you to our guest facilitators today!
