REACH - 13. Mental Health Education in School
4 Mar 2020 (6pm - 10pm)

REACH
[4:55 PM, 3/4/2020] : Parliament: All schools to have peer support networks by 2022; more emphasis on mental health education

 📢 Topic: 📢
What do you think of the mental health peer support structure for students?

https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/parliament-all-schools-to-have-peer-support-networks-by-2022-more-emphasis-on-mental-health

[4:55 PM, 3/4/2020] : Parliament: Students with special education needs to get more help and teaching support

 📢 Topic: 📢
What do you think about these initiatives to extend support for students with special needs?

https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/parliament-students-with-special-education-needs-to-get-more-help-and-teaching-support
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[5:44 PM, 3/4/2020] Ricky Lim:
(1) Many Students in Singapore do experience some sorts of peer bullying in Schools :-
- either physically or verbally by classmates.
- and in social media - via whatsapp, facebook, instagram, twitter etc.

(2) Students also experience academic pressure like exam, test and projects (especially group projects - where students will need to work with others to complete the projects)

The above 2 scenarios are the source of mental stress many students will have to deal with while in Schools.
Thus the initiatives to focus on mental health education - to help Students to cope with mental pressure and bullying will be a good move.
Parents will only know about the Students problem much later --- when their children open up to their Parents in casual talk --- and it will be less timely or too late to address the children mental stress when it happen.

(3) In addition to help Students to cope with mental stress, Education at primary and secondary schools should also impart Humanity values on positive character building and wholesome value system - which I felt has not been the emphasis in our Education system.
十年树木，百年树人。
A person with positive value system - will likely to contribute wholesomely and positively to the Country and Society ==== as compare to a person who is smart but with negative value system - that will do more harm to the Society and Country than contributing.

(4) For students at IHL, polys and JCs - education surrounding knowing Asia and the World - geography, culture, economies, geopolitical knowledges will be a plus so that when they graduate - students will possess wider perspectives and bigger horizon - how Singapore as a Nation interact with the World for peace and prosperity.

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Kelvin Law
[6:25 PM, 3/4/2020] : I must emphasise that parents are the primary educators of character.  Schools can only reinforce.  Parents must role-model.  In fact ALL adults should role-model.

Jonathan
[6:25 PM, 3/4/2020] : Agree
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[6:38 PM, 3/4/2020] Ricky Lim:
(1) Shaping positive character buildings and value systems must be multi-facet - and not single facet.
(Note :- Some parents may not be as perfect as they sounds and look to be - and need reinforcement in positive values).

(2) Society (eg. education system), religious bodies, mainstream media, Government and Leaders--- should also play the role model - projecting positive and wholesome value system and sound characters.
Eg. non-corrupt, honesty, competence, compassion, selfless etc --- are examples of positive value systems that are not impart by one facet (eg. Parents) --- but also institutions, Educators, Government, media etc.

身是菩提树，心是明镜台。
常常时拂尘， 以免若尘埃。

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Thomas
[7:40 PM, 3/4/2020] : Children been bullied in school has a future resultant case of low self esteem and also suicidal. School must be trained to spot , stop and counsel the bullied child to prevent future problem

Kelvin Law
[7:43 PM, 3/4/2020] : Why only school?  A lot of bullying happens online through social media?  Who is monitoring those?  Parents must also do their part to be involved with their children and not expose them to social media too early an age
It is not about being a "cool" parent.  It is about being A parent.
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[8:01 PM, 3/4/2020] Ricky Lim:
(1) Our class is quite big - about 30 to 40 students per class.
Thus it is pretty tough for teachers to spot students who are in trouble or being bullied. (Especially those who are quiet or more reserved).

(2) Unless there is a mental counselling session, where teacher set aside once a month to go through one by one with their student to ask them any problem they face with bullying.

(3) Or there is an online system, whereby students are kept in class every month to go through an online questionnaire - to determine if any students are being bullied - by any classmates or in social media.

(4) Only then, the above Education system will be able to discover and spot any students in trouble or being bullied.
Based on what I know in conversation with quite a number of youth, school bullying is more common than known. In fact, most if not all students encounter some sorts of bullying in class and now social media --- also extend the surface of bullying into cyberspace.

(5) Of course, Parents are the best next person to discover whether their children have been bullied in schools.
2 way communication with our kids -- by winning their trust is the best way to open up the kids to Parents and discover whether our children have been bullied or not and in what ways.

(6) Training our kids to be strong mentally and physically will be the best ways for our children to develop themselves to be mentally (strong EQ) and physically tough - and can withstand and defeat any bullies in physical form or via social media.

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[8:19 PM, 3/4/2020] : Teachers need to be trained in handling bullying.
If a kid indicates he or she is bullied and the teacher confronts the bullies for bullying the child, would the bullies pick on the child even more when the teacher is away?

[8:22 PM, 3/4/2020] : Teacher should refer to the disciplinary master and let him handle the bully case. He is more trained in this area.

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[11:34 AM, 3/5/2020] Ricky Lim:
Tips on how to contribute well in this REACH whatsapp forum:-

1. Focus on subject matters.

2. Ignore noise or those who do personal attacks or those who intend to cause disruption to participants who are giving good feedback - but not adding values to the topic at hand.

3. Engage with those who are serious or provide good suggestions or points or feedback that can help to value-add to the topic.

4. The format of feedback is free flow - whether long or short or not too long not too short.

5. Important is the substance and content of the feedback.

6. The real target audience is the Government.

7. And any good feedback when implemented will benefit the Nation and the people.

8. Those who contribute with the above mindsets are truly coming in with the right mindset and right spirit in contributing to the Singapore Together Movement to work hand in hand with the Government to benefit Singapore and Singaporeans.