Mental Health Awareness

Book cover of Kelly Yang's Parachutes. On the cover are two illustrated figures of Asian women, who are sisters. In the background are multicolored parachutes. To the right of the book is an illustrated green ribbon, with a sticker in front of it reading

Mental Health Awareness: Parachutes

It’s not a secret that people compare American schools with other countries’ schools, and Chinese schools are known as some of the strictest in terms of exams—particularly their college entrance exams called gaokao. In Kelly Yang’s book Parachutes, this topic is introduced right away. We find out...

Book with yellow cover and Asian American girl on the cover. Title reads

Mental Health Awareness: Yolk

In Yolk, author Mary H.K. Choi portrays a pair of estranged sisters. They’ve grown apart following their childhood in Texas and now both live in New York City separately. June is three years older, very successful in her vile finance job, and Jayne is in college and a bit egregious and...

Outline of person's head with a heart where the brain should be. Text reads

Mental Health Awareness Month: You'd Be Home Now

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s also the last full month of school for traditionally-scheduled districts. I think mental health is the last thing on our minds as we rush through final units, encourage students to turn in missing work, improve those failing grades to passing ones, and...

Text: Download Lesson; Image: Your Brain Needs a Hug book cover

Mental Health Awareness: Your Brain Needs a Hug

The words are never right. The time is never perfect. And life keeps piling stress after stress onto the people we love. What do we say to someone who might be struggling with a mental illness? I usually ask if I can help in any way or send them their favorite junk food with a heart-felt note. But...

Text: Download Lesson; Image: Are u ok? book cover

Mental Health Awareness: Are u ok?

Being a teenager means a lot of things, but starting to date and get into romantic relationships or friendships sticks out as a huge milestone. The thing most teens need is guidance to make a healthy choice when choosing with whom to be friends or more than friends. Many students have seen toxic...

Text: download Lesson; Image: Kind of Sort of Fine by Spencer Hall book

Mental Health Awareness: Kind of Sort of Fine

A bright part of every teacher’s day is getting to the class that your star student is in. You know the one. We see them reach for the sky every time we ask the class a question, they volunteer their personal time to help us staple packets, and they befriend the quiet kid during partner activities....

Text: Download Lesson; Image: Girl in Pieces book cover

Mental Health Awareness: Girl in Pieces

To be mentally healthy requires work, and many youth and their families turn to some kind of therapy, counseling, or inpatient program to aid in that work. Sometimes it’s just a friendly listening ear or an elder who might have been in their shoes once. Whatever the outlet or regimen recommended,...