Smith, H., and A. McGrandles (eds), The Impact of Mental Health And WellBeing On Effective Learning & Teaching: A Practical Guide For Those Responsible For Learners. Airdrie: Swan and Horn

(178 pages, £19.99, Book 1, ISBN 978-1-909675-05-6

This first book out of two books by the authors deals with issues that are affecting educators in ways that are thought-provoking and useful. The book begins with a reflection from Professor Ken Jones that is helpful in setting the tone of the book. It is noted that if we are to support individual learning effectively, we have to begin by addressing the needs of the whole group of learners. This says something about the challenges that are present if we are to meet the needs of others through our pedagogy.

The book explores a number of key aspects of mental health and well-being in relation to pedagogy. There are stimulating chapters on the complexities that are associated with learning; the contextual factors affecting mental health and well-being; the behavioural problems that are associated with learning environments; the consequences of self-harm; and the challenges that are related to divorce, separation, and reconstituted families. Increasingly, we see a union between education, health, and care, and this book will interest academics and students who are involved with these areas of practice. The content of the book is based on the work of a number of key theorists and this theoretical content is applied to the book in helpful and accessible ways. Key psychologists who are associated with mental health and well-being (for example Bandura; Freud; Rogers and Vygotsky) are considered and their work is applied in interesting ways that are highly relevant to the challenges that are facing today’s educators. The style of writing within the chapters enables a series of reflective activities and this in turn provides a balance of theory and practical content. In the chapter about ‘eating disorders’, the reflective activities allow the reader to reflect on how they are likely to be affected as they encounter learners with mental health and well-being needs. This provides the book with a focus that is both lively and highly relevant to what is occurring in educational establishments in 2018.

The book evidences meticulous planning as a formidable set of authors have come together to pool their talents in exploring a most important educational theme, in ways that are complementary and stimulating. I imagine that a number of us have entered our classrooms thinking ‘what if such and such a learner is present and how will I cope?’. The book explores a number of key, complex, individual needs and this provides a helpful series of reflections for experiences that a number of teachers will have found challenging and complex. As opposed to denying that profound problems can exist for our learners, this book offers a helpful insight into how to meet the needs of complex individuals who are trying to make sense of pedagogical processes. The vast experience of the authors is employed in order to produce a book that is rich in relevance and scope. The provision of the book’s content ensures that a topic that might be considered to be taboo is explored with skill and with sensitivity. How many of us have really reflected on the profound consequences that divorce, separation and reconstituted families have for pedagogical processes? Likewise, there are countless references that are made to ‘ADHD’ (Attention Hyperactivity Disorder), however, there are fewer reflections made on how to address the challenges that are associated with ADHD in pedagogical contexts.

My first consideration of the needs of those who are experiencing mental health and well-being needs occurred upon reading ‘The Bell Jar’ by Sylvia Plath (1963) and Ken Kesey’s (2005) classic novel ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’. An analogy is made by Kesey to the ‘rabbits’ who are ‘hippity hopping in their world of rabbithood’. Of course there is nothing wrong with ‘rabbits’, or a world of ‘rabbit hood’, however, we need someone to provide resources to deal with what is being experienced. In the past, we have turned to God and to the law to deal with those who have profound mental health and well-being needs. It is helpful for educators to have this book when they are trying to enable best practice in teaching and learning.

• Kesey, K.  2005. On flew over the cuckoo’s nest. London: Penguin
• Plath, S.  1963. The bell jar. London: Faber & Faber.

Dr Ewan Ingleby, September 2018

Share on Facebook

Tweet