Keenan, Eilis (2022) Enhancing the Experiences of Children with Social Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties in a Primary Class. Masters thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.
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Abstract
The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Operational Guide (2019)
declared that in December 2018 in Ireland 19,073 adolescents and children were in receipt of
their services. There are thousands of children placed on waiting lists desperately seeking
appointments due to the lack of staffing and resources. These statistics establish the urgent
demand for sufficient support and guidance at primary school level.
The research for this study took place in a school that acquired the DEIS Band One
School Support Programme of Delivering Equality of Opportunity to Schools (DEIS), the action
plan of the Department of Education and Skills for educational inclusion. The school comprises
an urban setting and there are over three hundred and fifty pupils enrolled. The focus children
were in second class.
There was a specific focus placed upon working with children with social emotional
and mental health difficulties. I utilised a self-study approach within an action research
framework. I reflected on my practice with the objective of enhancing my personal and
professional knowledge and understanding and developing the care that I offer to the
children. This research comprises two cycles that utilise Circle Time and the Trauma Informed
Practice Approach. Circle Time involves the children and the teacher sitting within a circle
completing an activity, task or discussion together. Trauma Informed Practice supports the
educators understanding regarding how trauma can impact children’s actions and behaviour
in school. In collaboration with pupils, colleagues and parents, and the initiative in place, the
values: communication and the significance of forming strong relationships were established,
enlightened and inspired throughout.
Circle Time, with the assistance of a speaking object, encouraged a positive
communication thread amongst the educator and the children. It motivated them to develop
the confidence to engage in the group dialogue. This in turn, along with valuable reflection in
their Happy Scrappies, led to the transformation of peer and teacher-child relationships
within the class. Thematic Analysis reinforced the demand to further analyse and explore the
themes of promoting positive ways of being, communication and relationships and
motivation. These themes compounded my understanding of social emotional experiences of
the children in my class. These discoveries resulted in a radical change in my understanding
of teaching children with social emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH). They
enhanced the level of care and understanding within my practice and further denoted the
values of establishing communication and forming of positive relationships within the school
community.
Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
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Additional Information: | M.Ed. Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education |
Keywords: | Enhancing; Experiences; Children; Social Emotional; Mental Health Difficulties; Primary Class; |
Academic Unit: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education |
Item ID: | 17309 |
Depositing User: | IR eTheses |
Date Deposited: | 09 Jun 2023 13:28 |
URI: | https://mu.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/17309 |
Use Licence: | This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here |
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