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Over the past few years, we’ve seen the concept of social-emotional learning (SEL) become a political hot potato. Schools and districts caught up in that conflict are missing an opportunity to help students build critical skills. After all, nine in 10 public schools say the pandemic negatively affected students’ behavioral and socioemotional development, according to U.S. Department of Education data.

Ask most educators about recent changes they’ve seen in the classroom, and one that is sure to come up is an increase in disruptive behavior, the type commonly attributed to ADHD. Yet a key challenge educators currently face is how to determine whether a student has ADHD or if they are behaviorally appearing as such for reasons that may be related to other issues, such as those tied to the lingering effects of the school closures and routine disruption caused by the pandemic.

That’s where conversations with caregivers should take center stage. After all, they might just think their child is acting out and be unaware of how to help them. When educators and caregivers align around strategies and work collaboratively, they can help a student successfully navigate the ADHD-related challenges they may be facing at home and at school.

Here are some actionable strategies you can implement to help students operate more successfully in both the school and home environments.

No matter how long they’ve been in the K–12 space, many a professional gets a dose of anxiety on Sundays. Do you spend the day worrying that you’re not truly ready for the week? Maybe you’ve got emails, intervention plans, and IEP reports hanging over your head. Perhaps it’s the fear of the unknown that really sends you into a tailspin. Whatever it is that has you sweating over Monday morning, these tips can help you tame the “Sunday Scaries”!

You don’t have to look far to find an article detailing the state of student achievement these days. Math and reading scores are down from where they were pre-pandemic and educators and parents alike are scrambling to find ways to close the gap. Unfortunately, academic scores aren’t the only concern in need of attention; an extraordinary percentage of our students are facing mental health challenges — many of them dire.

School psychologists are well aware of the toll social media can take on students’ mental health. Yet educators often wonder how much to get involved with issues that might seem like “parenting,” and certainly social media use could fall under that umbrella. The good news is that our input is likely to be appreciated, as confirmed by a recent study from The Pew Research Center, in which nearly half of parent respondents said they’ve looked to teachers for advice on managing screen time.

Everyone gets the back-to-school jitters — even educators. There’s a reason the “Sunday Scaries” is a thing, whether you’re returning from a long vacation or a typical weekend. And of course, this apprehension is not reserved for you and your colleagues. Students and their families likely also feel angst during transitions back to school and work. 

Summertime is often a welcomed period of fun and rest for students, rewarding them with a much-needed break from their schoolwork. However, mental health never takes a vacation, and there are signs of exacerbating problems in the summer months.

A key challenge is the disruption of routine that summer brings. There’s also the reduced access to counselors, teachers, and other positive adult role models that were either a source of comfort and guidance or a positive reinforcement for their mental health. Financial instability is also a common factor, especially with students who relied on school breakfasts and lunches for their daily meals.  

It’s important to note that students from historically marginalized groups are more likely to suffer from reduced access to mental health resources throughout the school year, not just in the summer.

Educators are facing a challenge like never before. I make this observation based on 18 years of deep immersion in the mental wellness field, including practical experience in individual, family, and group therapy settings. Along the way, I found my most rewarding service to be assessing babies and young children as a consultant for early childhood and Head Start programs.