Traditional high schools aren’t set up to prioritize teen mental health. And how could they? Seemingly bigger concerns—bigger class size, bigger operations, bigger emphasis on textbooks and homework—means that student well-being takes a backseat. Educators aren’t allowed the bandwidth to engage with each student on a deeply relational level.

Today on the podcast, we’re learning why it’s so important that they do—directly from students themselves. My guests are Bella Christian and Journey Morrison, two recent graduates of my micro-school, LEADPrep. We’ll hear their firsthand perspective on how caring, collaborative relationships with teachers and peers positively impacted their mental health, personal growth, and academic success.

Bella and Journey share how they’ve gone on to thrive in college as a direct result of the interpersonal skills and confidence they gained in the close-knit, project-based learning environment of a micro-school.

 

About Bella Christian and Journey Morrison:

Bella attended LEADPrep for two years and graduated in 2019. She recently completed her associate degree and is planning to continue with college after first taking a year off to travel and work. She’s passionate about psychology and videography and hopes to pursue one or both of those subjects in the future. A fun fact about Bella is that she enjoys writing music. Journey also graduated in the Class of 2019, having attended LEADPrep for two years. He’s completed two years of college and this is his third summer teaching at digital media and filmmaking camp for middle school and high school students. He recently changed his major to history from communications but is hoping to meld both of those areas of interest by pursuing documentary film. Journey is crazy about Mango, his adopted leopard gecko.

 

Jump in the Conversation:

• [1:45] Bella’s mental health struggles at public school until she got to LEADPrep
• [2:43] Journey felt lost in the crowd in a traditional high school setting
• [6:33] Bella: Positive relationships with teachers lead to positive academic outcomes
• [7:53] Stephen Covey’s concept of “emotional bank accounts” applies to teacher-student relationships
• [11:53] Addressing students’ and parents’ subconscious resistance to micro-schooling
• [14:45] Journey: Personal growth happens when you approach the unfamiliar
• [20:28] The best piece of advice for college students
• [23:55] What students want us to know about teen mental health
• [29:01] Journey’s Magic Wand: An environment free of judgment, where every student who’s struggling is able to articulate their need for help and receive it
• [29:35] Bella’s Magic Wand: For more understanding, caring, and communication amongst student peers and adults 
• [30:34] Maureen’s Take-Aways

 

Links and Resources:

• Episode 61: Examining Polarity Thinking with Lindsay Y. Burr
• Episode 56: Getting to the Brainy Business of School Change with Melina Palmer
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
• Email Maureen
• The Education Evolution
• Facebook: Follow Education Evolution
• Twitter: Follow Education Evolution
• LinkedIn: Follow Education Evolution
• EdActive Collective
• Maureen’s book: Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids
• Micro-school feature on Good Morning America
• The Micro-School Coalition
• Facebook: The Micro-School Coalition
• LEADPrep