3 Steps Educators Can Take Toward Suicide Prevention Among Youth

  • Jill Rockwell
  • Jun 29 2018
Categories

Suicide touches everyone, in one way or another. Perhaps you welcomed Anthony Bourdain into your living room by watching his popular CNN show, Parts Unknown. Maybe your favorite handbag was designed by Kate Spade. Maybe a close friend, family member, or student died from-or attempted-suicide.

            According to the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, tragically, suicide is the third leading cause of death among youth ages 15-24.  As educators, we encounter hundreds of students each day, students with complex needs beyond academics.

Given the current staggering statistics and the recent tragic events involving suicide, we’ve outlined three steps for you to take toward suicide prevention among your students.

  1. Know the warning signs of suicide, but don’t stop there.

The Suicide Prevention and Resource Center, has identified behaviors that may indicate an individual is at risk for suicide including:

  • Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself
  • Looking for a way to kill oneself, such as searching online or obtaining a gun
  • Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
  • Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
  • Talking about being a burden to others
  • Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
  • Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly
  • Sleeping too little or too much
  • Withdrawing or feeling isolated

Following the loss of her 16-year old student from suicide, high school teacher, Brittni Darras, explains how watching for signs of suicide alone is not enough. In this video, find out how she is fighting the battle against suicide in her classroom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofjRnIpXBF0

  1. “Fuel Connection” with Empathy.

Perhaps you’ve already seen this Brene Brown video, but it’s worth watching again. The difference between empathy and sympathy is brilliantly explained in this short animation involving a fox, a bear, and a deer. (Yes, it’s as good as it sounds.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw

Sometimes we think we need to solve other people’s problems. Sometimes we avoid others because we don’t know what to say. However, as you heard in the video, “Rarely can a response make something better. What makes something better is connection.”

Make a point to connect with your students (beyond academics) and encourage them to connect with one another every day. Here is some inspiration from a kindergarten classroom:

https://youtu.be/hMn0MOmVw_Y

  1. Share Resources with Your Students.

We can’t assume our students know where to go when they (or their friends and loved ones) need help. Listed below are some valuable resources to pass along to your students:

In this final video, teenager, Sadie Penn bravely talks about her personal experience with attempting suicide and the importance of positive mental health and suicide awareness. Pay attention as she recalls what one teacher said to support her in a very powerful way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRo5Db_7yVI&feature=youtu.be

Regardless of age, gender, race, religion, fame – suicide doesn’t discriminate, but it can be prevented. As noted by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, “Everyone has a role to play.” As educators, we can take steps to meet the diverse and complex needs of our students and, ultimately, save lives.

Please share this post and keep the conversation going. What steps toward suicide prevention do you currently have in place in your classroom or in your school?

Here are a few classes related to this topic:

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Jill Rockwell
Jill has over 13 years of experience as a licensed teacher in the areas of Special Education, Reading Education, and Health Education. She embraces diversity and has worked with students in grades K-12 in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and California. Jill completed her Master of Science degree at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls while teaching full time. She fully understands the soaring demands of today’s teachers. Her courses are designed to maximize the time of all educators by providing engaging, meaningful, and applicable activities which can be used to enhance teaching practices. She focuses on research-based best practices and technology integration throughout her own instructional practices. Together with her husband and two young boys, Jill enjoys traveling, biking and the changing seasons of the great outdoors in Wisconsin. 

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