Mental Health Education
Serangoon Garden’s Mental Health Education (MHE) Programme is designed to achieve the following goals for our students, as defined by MOE’s Student Development Curriculum Division (SCDC). It aims to:
- G1: Strengthen students’ resilience and well-being for good mental health
- G2: Guide students to understand mental health as a continuum (mental wellness to mental illness)
- G3: Develop in students an understanding of mental illness and their treatments
- G4: Enhance students’ help-seeking efficacy
- G5: Destigmatise mental illnessfor our students
In line with the goals stated above, the MHE curriculum in Serangoon Garden Secondary School has developed and customised a series of programmes for our students. The table below states the range of topics covered in the MHE curriculum from Sec 1 to 4, outlining the Skills, Knowledge, Values and Attitude which will be covered in the various aspects of your child’s school experiences- including FT Periods, CCE lessons, assembly programmes and Level Signature Programmes.
Below are the lessons found in the CCE 2021 Curriculum and some we have crafted so far that are related to Mental Health Education
| Levels | MHE Curriculum in SGS (Current) | MHE Goals Covered in Curriculum |
|---|---|---|
| Sec 1 | Building Mental Fitness CCE Lesson: In Control - Self-regulation (resisting unhealthy or harmful impulses/ addiction: importance of balanced lifestyle on the use of technology) Building Mental Fitness CCE Lesson: Bouncing Back Stronger - Strengthening Resilience and Coping Strategies - Adopting a Growth Mindset SGS Values Package CCE Lesson: Contemporary Issue Discussion on Mental Wellness - Discussion on the importance of talking about and taking care of our mental wellness vis-à-vis the strive for personal excellence (Case study: Noami Osaka and Simone Biles) |
G1: Strengthen students’ resilience and well-being - Maintaining good mental health - Learning to Face Challenges with a Growth Mindset |
| Sec 2 | Building Mental Fitness CCE Lessons: Stressed or Distressed - Self-monitoring and managing emotional reactions (SLS Caring for our Mental Health) - Demonstrate self-regulation skills to monitor their well-being - Identify healthy strategies to work on improving the regulation of their emotions, thoughts and behaviours. - Reflect on how they can be resilient and manage their reactions to different challenging situations. - Learning about the Mental Health Continuum and differentiate between stress and distress Building Mental Fitness CCE Lessons: Stamping Out ANTs - Understanding triggers and challenging negative thoughts (SLS on Challenging ANTs) Building Mental Fitness CCE Lessons: Failing Forward - Redefining setbacks/ failure as opportunities for growth SGS Values Package CCE Lesson: Contemporary Issue Discussion on Mental Wellness - Discussion on the importance of talking about and taking care of our mental wellness vis-à-vis the strive for personal excellence (Case study: Noami Osaka and Simone Biles) Bridging Differences: L2 Looking Beyond The Label (Contemporary Issue) - Recognise stigma associated with people with mental illness, whose needs and situations may often be overlooked or misunderstood by the society. - Recognize the importance of connecting with people who are different from us (e.g. have mental illness) and avoid stereotyping them; - Make use of the WALLS framework to advocate against stigma associated with mental health issues, and create an inclusive and harmonious community. |
G1: Strengthen students’ resilience and well-being - Maintaining good mental health - Learning to Face Challenges with a Growth Mindset G2: Guide students to understand mental health as a continuum from mental wellness to mental illness - Differentiating stress and distress G3:Develop in students an understanding of mental illness and their treatments G4: Enhance students’ help-seeking efficacy - Learning of coping strategies (COPES) - Seeking help from peers and supporting others (CHEERS) G5: Destigmatise mental illness for our students - Applying WALLS to advocate against stigma |
| Sec 3 | Building Mental Fitness CCE Lessons: Perfectly Imperfect - Differentiate between a healthy pursuit of excellence and an unhealthy pursuit of perfection, and ways to calibrate unhealthy expectations in the journey towards becoming their best selves. Building Mental Fitness CCE Lessons: Hit the Brakes, Consider the Stakes - Learn to control their impulse to engage in risky behaviours by considering the negative consequences of the behaviours and more important things at stake in the long run SGS Values Package CCE Lesson: Contemporary Issue Discussion on Mental Wellness - Discussion on the importance of talking about and taking care of our mental wellness vis-à-vis the strive for personal excellence (Case study: “Tang Ping” Movement in China) |
G1: Strengthen students’ resilience and well-being - Maintaining good mental health - Facing Challenges with Growth Mindset G4: Enhance students’ help-seeking efficacy G2: Guide students to understand mental health as a continuum from mental wellness to mental illness |
| Sec 4/5 | Building Mental Fitness CCE Lessons: My Well-being Capsule - Reflect and tap on their internal strengths: positive mindset and self-efficacy (I Am), and social and emotional skills and strategies, including practising self-compassion (I Can); as well as their external resources: their social support (I Have), to overcome any challenges. Building Mental Fitness CCE Lessons: Navigating the Waves of Adversity - Learn to take active steps to build hope in the face of adversity - Build on what they have learnt about signs of distress, to identify signs that are associated with loss of hope - Provide support to someone who may have lost hope SGS Values Package CCE Lesson: Contemporary Issue Discussion on Mental Wellness - Discussion on the importance of talking about and taking care of our mental wellness vis-à-vis the strive for personal excellence (Case study: “Tang Ping” Movement in China) |
G1: Strengthen students’ resilience and well-being - Maintaining good mental health - Facing Challenges with hope G4: Enhance students’ help-seeking and help-giving efficacy G2: Guide students to understand mental health as a continuum from mental wellness to mental illness |
| All Levels | FT Periods Guidance Lessons covered in 2021 1. Managing Impulsivity 2. Challenging ANTs 3. Expressing Optimism and Gratitude 4. Managing Emotions (Mood Charts and COPES) 5. Health Living: Physical and Mental Well-Being - Good eating habits - Exercise |
G1: Strengthen students’ resilience and well-being - Maintaining good mental health - Facing Challenges with hope G4: Enhance students’ help-seeking and help-giving efficacy G2: Guide students to understand mental health as a continuum from mental wellness to mental illness |
| All Levels | Assembly Programme The Better Way: Growth > Perfection (Assembly Talk) By Student Counselling Centre What is the difference between excellence and perfection - What happens when we insist on being perfect? - Prolonged and heightened stress and anxiety levels Overcoming the fear of failure - Recognizing unhelpful thoughts - Learning self-compassion and growth thinking - Developing healthy social support sources |
G1: Strengthen students’ resilience and well-being - Maintaining good mental health - Facing Challenges with Growth Mindset G4: Enhance students’ help-seeking efficacy |