Fit for school - Greens want to improve the mental health of Saxony schoolchildren
Bulimia-Learning", Overloaded Teaching Plans, Grading and Performance Pressure, Stress and Bullying: The Greens in the Saxon State Parliament are concerned about the mental health of children and young people. "Our goal must be to maintain the curiosity, creativity, and learning joy of children that they bring to school throughout their entire school time. We want schools where learning, living, and laughing are equally valued," writes the Green education expert Christin Melcher in a position paper.
Christin Melcher: School Can Make You Sick
However, the reality for many students is different, explained the MP from Leipzig. Although the educational and teaching mandate in the school law is formulated holistically, academic knowledge is given a higher priority than personal well-being and mental health. "School can make you sick. The Corona pandemic acted like an accelerant and was a turning point for young people. The effects are still felt today." Lack of resources such as teacher shortages are exacerbating the situation.
Melcher referred to studies showing that young people are increasingly unhappy. The youth today is characterized by "anxiety, uncertainty, and little hope for the future." The happiness research attributes this to global crises and constant comparison with others, facilitated by social media.
Melcher: Put Mental Health More in the Spotlight
"Given the number and severity of crises in our time, the mental health of children and young people must be given more attention. We must change how we do school," explained Melcher. The task of school should be to make young people strong and resilient for their journey in an increasingly complex world. "Children and young people can only learn well if they are healthy and happy." To achieve this, the Greens propose a package of measures.
Specifically, they are calling for a "new learning and testing culture with fewer performance assessments and alternative feedback formats." The prevailing performance pressure has been shown to be of little help in building competencies and self-confidence. More children and young people should be given the opportunity to learn together for longer, for example in comprehensive schools. The topic of mental health - dealing with stress, nutrition, sleep, and exercise - should be directly addressed in the classroom, for example in a school subject called "Happiness" or "Psychological Health and School."
Start school later and conduct more research on the topic
The Greens advocate for starting school later. Assessments of learning progress can be combined with a recording of mental health. "In PISA studies, the school climate and well-being of students are also recorded - because it is important for learning success. It is time to take these results just as seriously and put them in the spotlight as the performance levels recorded." In addition, the Green faction supports more research on this topic. At the same time, it is important to improve psychotherapeutic care for children and young people.
The Green Group shares Melcher's concern about the mental health of children and young people in schools, as stated in their efforts to maintain their curiosity and joy of learning. Melcher, from The Green Group, suggests that mental health should receive more attention in schools, as the current situation is making numerous students sick and increasing youth unhappiness.
