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The bottom line is that mental health challenges are, in the words of the U.S. Surgeon General, “real and widespread.” In fact, he called it a mental health epidemic that we have in the United States among youth and young adults. And it’s interfering with students’ ability to learn and earn the degrees they’ve come to college to seek. But we can make a difference, a bigger difference than we might realise, simply by becoming a natural mentor, someone students can turn to, or could turn to if they felt the need.
And to do that, we don’t have to become a lifelong mentor to them and spend hours. Instead, we can do it in simple and small ways if we’re simply intentional about what we do. And the more of us who do these simple kinds of things, the stronger the emotional safety net feels for our students, the more they’ll learn, and the more likely they are to earn the degrees that they came to our institutions to earn. It doesn’t take much.
I’m 59 and I just moved into a new house in a new neighbourhood in a new state, and a new office at a new institution. You’d think I’d be pretty comfortable with who I am by age 59, but I’m surprised at just what a difference it makes when someone stops and takes just a few minutes to introduce themselves, say “Hello,” and connect with me. I feel more secure. Similarly, I think we’d be surprised just what a difference it can make when we spend five, 10, 30 seconds introducing ourselves to students before class, getting to know them, and interacting with them in a human way so that they know we are someone they could turn to for help if they needed to.
Thanks so much for listening. I hope something I’ve said is of use to you, that you can actually put it into practice, or maybe even that it sparks a different idea that’s a way that works for you to be a better natural mentor. I hope you’ll make some comments in the comment section below. It’s a wonderful way to interact with people from around the world who share your interest in making students’ lives better by helping them learn even more.
- Mental health challenges among our students have grown dramatically, and they are interfering with students’ ability to learn and succeed.
- Students fare better in every way—including on the mental health front—when they have more professors who care about and support them.
- With some small, intentional investments of time, we can make a big difference in the lives of many of our students by becoming their natural mentors.
Thank you for taking this ‘Improving Student Wellness by Becoming a Natural Mentor’ course which has been developed with Robert Eaton. We hope you have enjoyed it. Remember to mark this lesson as ‘Mark Complete’ to earn your Course Completion Badge.
References:
- Cuseo, J. (2018), Student–Faculty Engagement. Teaching and Learning, 2018: 87-97.
- Eisenberg, D., Lipson, S. K., Ceglarek, P., Phillips, M., & Zhou, S. (2022). The Healthy Minds Study: 2021-22 data report.
- Felten, P., & Lambert, L. M. (2020). Relationship-rich education: How human connections drive success in college. Johns Hopkins University Press.
- Gallup Research and Purdue University
- Hurd, N., and Zimmerman, M. (2010). Natural mentors, mental health, and risk behaviors: A longitudinal analysis of African American adolescents transitioning into adulthood. American Journal of Community Psychology, 46(1-2), 36-48.
- Wyman, P.A., Pickering, T.A., Pisani, A.R., Rulison, K., Schmeelk-Cone, K., Hartley, C., Gould, M., Caine, E.D., LoMurray, M., Brown, C.H. and Valente, T.W. (2019), Peer-adult network structure and suicide attempts in 38 high schools: implications for network-informed suicide prevention. J Child Psychol Psychiatr, 60: 1065-1075.
Further Reading:
- Eaton, R., Hunsaker, S., & Moon, B. (2023). Improving learning and mental health in the college classroom. West Virginia University Press.
- JED Foundation. (n.d.). Faculty guide to supporting student mental health.
- Felten, P., & Lambert, L. M. (2020). Relationship-rich education: How human connections drive success in college. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Discussions
What are some things you already do to be a natural mentor to your students?
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.