Useful Websites

Assignment completion: Have your students set goals. Setting academic goals may give students motivation to complete assignments. Once a goal is written down, it makes achieving the goal more realistic. Goals should not only be written down, but should be in visible sight to remind your student that these goals need to be accomplished.

Problems with social skills: Encourage more group work. This will make your student feel included with the rest of their peers. Another way to encourage social interaction is to make sure that there is fun in the classroom. Fun activities and events can include educational games that involve interaction with peers. Use rewards like classroom parties so that students have an opportunity to interact with peers on a non-academic level.

Thoughts of death: Frequently monitor your student’s feelings and behavior. One way to do this would be to have journal writings every day. Some journal prompts may include: I wish my teacher knew…, Write about a difficult time in your life that you have overcome, I am happiest most when/I am saddest most when, A fear I would like to over-come is.., etc. Having personal journal prompts will help you as a teacher to understand the life of your student and how and why they feel the way they do.

Lack of motivation: Give frequent feedback on academic and behavioral performance. James Pennebaker from the University of Texas has done research on the importance of feedback for students. Pennebaker states, “When people are trying to learn new skills, they must get some information that tells them whether or not they are doing the right thing. Learning in the classroom is no exception. Both the mastery of content and, more importantly, the mastery of how to think require trial-and-error learning.” Frequent feedback is shown to increase proper academic performance in students. When students do well on assignments, they will be motivated to continue to excel further in their academic performance.

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Additionally, other instructional strategies to help students who suffer from depression include but are not limited to developing modifications for students when their mood has fluctuated, developing organizational skills, teaching problem solving skills, and having daily or weekly communication with parents or guardians on the behavior and mood of your student.

http://www.edudemic.com/classroom-strategies-for-helping-depressed-teen-students/

“Classroom Strategies for Helping Depressed Teen Students”

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file:///C:/Users/Victoria/Downloads/Depression_Supporting_Students_at_School.pdf

Supporting students in school with depression

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https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression/art-20045943

Supporting a family member or friend who has depression