Erin Castillo is an American school teacher who’s created an amazing resource to help teachers check in with their students about their mental health.
Posting the idea on Instagram earlier this month, the photograph shows a teacher’s whiteboard titled “Monday Check-in”, with sections labelled, “I’m great”, “I’m okay”, “I’m meh”, “I’m struggling”, “I’m having a tough time and wouldn’t mind a check-in”, and “I’m not doing great”.
The idea is that students place a post-it note with their name discreetly on the back in the section they want to, and throughout the week a teacher will know to touch base to see how the child is doing.
Castillo explained the concept further in her caption.
“I asked my students to write their names on the back of a post-it note so I could check in with ones in the bottom two sections,” she wrote.
“I explained the green section as them struggling, but speaking to another adult or trying to work through it themselves.
“High school is rough sometimes, but I was happy that a few were given a safe space to vent and work through some feelings.”
Castillo also explained she felt it was important her students knew they weren’t alone, and that they mattered to her.
“I also like that students could visually see that they aren’t alone in their struggles. It was a beautiful minimum day focusing on self care and mental health.”
Castillo’s post went viral after it was shared by many educators. The board’s popularity inspired Castillo to update the post with the announcement that she is offering a free, printable version of the chart on the site Teachers Pay Teachers.
This isn’t the first time Castillo has shared an inspired idea for other educators; in fact, her Instagram is full of projects and ways to make her classroom the best environment for her students it can be.
For example, she’s posted about her board for flexible seating arrangements to help students feel comfortable, and her ‘You Matter’ board, which is designed to encourage her class to reflect on their strengths and their value as people.
Do you know a teacher who cares about their students beyond the expectations of their role? Tell us in the comments below.
Top Comments
I think a better idea would be a locked mailbox somewhere in the room, where students could share whatever was on their mind - a thank you for a great lesson, a special request, a question about an upcoming assignment, mental health struggles, problems at home, etc. - without worrying about the other kids finding out. It's nice that she wants to give her students this outlet but the method needs some work.
How is anonymity preserved in this system?