Abstract:

For health educators, how do you construct a depression and suicide unit that is considerate, sensitive and empowering? This session offer strategies that will help the educator confidently deliver uplifting depression and suicide lessons in meaningful and long-lasting ways. Learn strategies that make both you and your student comfortable. Strategies incorporate multiple intelligences and domains, and are adaptable to a wide range of audiences. This session directly corresponds to several AAHE (American Association for Health Education) responsibilities.
Health educators play an important role in the prevention of suicide, and the detection of depression. Rates of depression and suicide for our health education students are alarming. Depression can be a debilitating condition, interfering with life in and out of the classroom. Depression can also be preventable and treatable!
Oftentimes the health educator struggles to deliver creative and meaningful lessons on these subjects. This session will offer multiple teaching strategies that may be used separately, or in combination, depending on the curricular needs. Students will remember these classroom experiences, and be better equipped to reduce the rates of depression and suicide. This interactive session will include music, literature, poetry, film, art, and more. The session will include information on assessing the needs of your population, accessing valid information, planning, implementing and evaluating meaningful education, communicating, acting as a resource, and coordinating school health personnel. This session is being delivered by a health educator that has taught on the subject for over a decade.
There will be several objectives met by this session. These objectives correspond to standards of health education. Participants will be better able to: assess needs of students; plan, implement and evaluate valid lessons; coordinate with health professionals; communicate mental health information; provide resources and act as a resource; access online resources; involve members of the comprehensive school health team; infuse poetry, music, film, literature and art into curriculum; emphasize the importance of support groups.

Keywords:

Health education, strategies, K-12, teacher preparation.