Understanding the Heavy Load of the Emotional Backpack to Improve Mental Health in Schools

How can we support students who are so overloaded that they struggle to learn?

Some children carry significant emotional baggage that can significantly affect their behaviour and academic performance. You may have heard the term emotional backpack used to describe the baggage we all bring to school. The contents of this emotional backpack could be isolated stressors like an argument at home, a bad night’s sleep, or not eating breakfast. Or they could be ongoing issues like trauma, abuse, or even physical illness or injury. Recognising the severity of these issues and their impact on your students is essential.

Others can’t see what’s inside your backpack, which can get heavy: imagine a bag loaded with rocks, some tiny pebbles, and other giant boulders.

Here’s some advice to improve school mental health by recognising and unloading our emotional backpacks:

Signs That a Student’s Backpack is Overloaded
Look for uncharacteristic changes; these may be big or subtle.

Facial Expressions, Body Language and Behaviour

• Do they appear angry, sad, fearful, tired, blank, or withdrawn?
• Are they avoiding eye contact?
• Have you noticed any changes in behaviour? For example, is a student who is usually attentive suddenly sleepy, distracted, or disengaged? Or perhaps a typically quiet child is suddenly fidgety or overly active?
• Do they have a low frustration tolerance? Appearing uncomfortable, irritable, snapping at the slightest annoyance or showing signs of sensory seeking through fidgeting, chewing or rocking?
• Have you seen any changes in their relationships? Maybe they appear to be having friendship issues or to be attached to a particular staff member.
• Maybe they have low self-esteem, are overly pleasing, trying to make everyone happy and proud of them, struggling with negativity, making mistakes, confrontation or tension.

Difficulties at School

• Does the child refuse to participate in lessons or struggle to complete classwork?
• Are they very critical of themselves, struggling to cope if they make a mistake or can’t do something? Perhaps they use negative self-talk, saying things like “I’m dumb,” “I’m stupid,” and “no one likes me.”
• Are they frequently asking to go to the bathroom?
• Does the classroom seem overwhelming for them? Maybe they struggle with noise levels or how busy the school environment can be.
• Have you seen an increase in lateness and school absences without a valid reason?

How to Help a Student Unload Their Emotional Backpack

As education staff members, while you may not be a mental health expert, you play a pivotal role in helping students unload their emotional backpacks. By stepping in as an emotional Champion for a student you’re concerned about, you can create an environment that fosters emotional well-being for all, making a significant positive impact.

• Be curious. Pay attention to your students’ emotional states. When something changes and seems troubling, try to engage the student to learn more.
• Ask in the right way. Don’t ask, “What’s wrong?” or suggest how they may feel; this can make a student defensive and shut down. Instead, try, “Something feels different with you today, and I just wanted to check that you’re okay.”
• Monitor your tone. Don’t let your tone suggest you’re accusing or frustrated with the student. Try to keep it neutral and nurturing.
• Hold space. Offer a safe emotional space for children to feel their emotions deeply and fully with reassurance and support. Ensure that you are actively listening to their experience with empathy, understanding, and patience. Allow children to explore and express their emotions authentically and fully through whichever means they feel comfortable with. This may be talking, writing, drawing, playing or using the ‘one step removed’ approach.
• Check in regularly. When you know a student is struggling, don’t just observe them; make it a point to monitor their emotional well-being and academic progress.
• Teach emotional wellness and emotional regulation strategies. Help children learn how to N.A.M.E. their feelings in healthy ways, which stands for Notice, Accept, Manage, and Express. Normalise talking about feelings and ensure your classroom is emotionally enabling. Use visuals, offer regular opportunities for children to check in with staff and themselves in various ways, and provide a range of coping strategies and tools that are readily available for children to use when needed.

Sunny Kids Shine®  provides resource packs, staff training for professionals and in-person or online 1:1 and small group tuition for children aged 3-11. Our award-winning curriculum helps make BIG feelings child-size, as children learn to become Feelings Detectives®, with parents, caregivers, and professionals as their Emotional Champions. Set your children up for success, with a personal, social and emotional foundation to help them SHINE through school and beyond!  

SHINE stands for Self-awareness, Healthy habits, Independence, Nurturing qualities, and Emotional intelligence. For further information or to book a FREE initial consultation today, please visit https://www.sunnykidsshine.com/ or email [email protected]