George Lucas Educational Foundation

Mental Health

Find compassionate perspectives and evidence-based strategies to foster school environments that promote psychological well-being and support students experiencing behavioral, emotional, or social challenges.

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  • Why Bullying Is Too Narrow a Lens for Addressing Conflict in Middle School

    Everyday conflict can get in the way of academics in the middle grades. Kids need to learn the essential social competencies that will allow them to get back to productive learning.
    Paige Tutt
    743
  • A side profile of a young woman. Part of her face is comprised of triangles that are breaking off of her face.

    When Students Are Traumatized, Teachers Are Too

    Trauma in students’ lives takes an emotional and physical toll on teachers as well. Experts weigh in on the best ways to cope.
    112.7k
  • Boys Are Falling Behind. What Can We Do About It?

    Boys are underperforming in school, harming their future job prospects and potential for economic mobility. A new book argues it’s the system that needs fixing, not boys.
    4.6k
  • Illustration concept showing teen under stress

    A De-escalation Exercise for Upset Students

    A simple technique that takes just a few minutes can help an agitated student regain the state of mind needed for learning.
    24.4k
  • A black and white illustration of a young woman looking distressed

    The How and Why of Trauma-Informed Teaching

    In an extraordinary Twitter chat, educators discuss building trauma-informed social and emotional learning environments.
    32.8k
  • Helping Students Reacclimate to Being With Others All Day

    Many students are still a little overwhelmed at being around their peers, though they’re also excited. Some simple strategies can help them adjust to being back in school.
    10.5k
  • Illustration of a boy with scribbled lines on his head that indicate stress and anxiety.

    In High School, the Kids Are Not All Right

    With social and academic pressure mounting, a teacher shares what he’s learned about tracking his students’ mental well-being.
    33.3k
  • Teacher talking to a student about her oppositional behavior

    Addressing Persistent Defiance

    Any student may refuse to cooperate at times, but handling students with oppositional defiant disorder requires that teachers have a plan.
    26.7k
  • Trauma is ‘Written Into Our Bodies’—but Educators Can Help

    Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California’s first surgeon general, on the impact of multigenerational adversity, SEL in the classroom, and the transformational powers of meditation.
    14.3k
  • Using SEL to Meet the Current Needs of Students and Staff

    Social and emotional learning provides a guide for what schools can do to help students and teachers perform at their best.
    272
  • How to Maslow Before Bloom, All Day Long

    Morning meetings are a good place to start, but what you really need is a toolkit of strategies to meet your students’ social and emotional needs all day long.
    13.8k
  • Madisen Steele, Trauma-Informed Practitioner, talking with an elementary school student

    Understanding Trauma-Informed Education

    The principal of an internationally recognized trauma-informed school explains what this form of education is—and what it isn’t.
    15.9k
  • Illustration of a dark and beautiful storm behind a young person’s face

    Reaching Students With Emotional Disturbances

    A seasoned educator shares four ideas for supporting students who have suffered emotional trauma.
    26.9k
  • Teaching With Depression

    Teaching With Depression

    A look at some of the common symptoms teachers report—along with strategies and resources that can help.
    21k
  • Geometric line drawing of a brain.

    Aiming for Discipline Instead of Punishment

    Brain-aligned discipline isn’t compliance-driven or punitive—it’s about supporting students in creating sustainable changes in behavior.
    22.2k

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George Lucas Educational Foundation

Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.
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