Yale Center for Teaching and Learning

Teaching Flexibly and Accessibly: Supporting Student Mental Health in the Classroom

Audience 

Faculty, Staff, Postdoctoral Fellows

Event Time 

Thursday, January 12, 2023 - 1:30pm to 2:30pm

Location of Event: 

Teaching Flexibly and Accessibly: Supporting Student Mental Health in the Classroom

Event Description 

Nearly 40% of undergraduates registered with their disability services office receive accommodations for a mental health-related disability. Yale’s numbers are higher than the national average: the Student Accessibility Services office reports that a full 46% of the 2256 students registered with their office have either a primary or dual diagnosis that includes a mental health disability. As high as this number is, it doesn’t account for students who are un-or mis-diagnosed or who experience episodic depression and anxiety that doesn’t meet the threshold for legal accommodations.… . It is no surprise then that faculty report feeling overwhelmed by the breadth of mental health issues showing up in the classroom, and unsure how to provide sufficient support. In this iteration of Teaching Flexibly and Accessibly we will gather to address these concerns. What mental health topics are manifesting in the classroom, and how can we support students experiencing mental health barriers to their learning? What are the structural components of course design that can help students navigate mental health struggles as they occur over the course of a semester? What are some strategies faculty have used to aid students, and what have they learned from these experiences?… . A panel featuring Judge Karen Goodrow, Lecturer, Political Science and Jordan Colbert, MMFT, Associate Director of Student Accessibility Services, will share how they approach flexible and accessible course design to support student mental health.. . — Event Details: https://yaleconnect.yale.edu/rsvp?id=1951243