Course Development: EDUC 411 - Mental Health In Education

Institution: Binghamton University

Term Proposed: Fall 2015

Term Accepted: Fall 2016

Responsibility Overview: Served on select committee dedicated to designing a new class for undergraduate education minors, as well as graduate education students at Binghamton University. The course introduces students to the mental health issues faced by students and teachers within the education system. The first half of the course focuses on clinical mental health and discuss the internal and external factors that contribute to mental health issues in students across the developmental lifespan from preschool to college, and dismantling stigma. The second half has an education focus and discusses how teachers can manage mental health and related behavioral issues in the classroom. The class is now embedded into the education curriculum at Binghamton University today. 

Personal Reflection: This was my first opportunity to be involved in a course development from idea to fruition, and as such was a tremendous learning experience and awarding project to be a part of. Mental health in education is a topic that is just recently beginning to garner the necessary attention it needs and it was an honor to be able to bring this coursework to the Binghamton University students. I developed the necessary skills to build a 4-credit full semester class, and pass it through the necessary channels to cement it as a permanent class in the curriculum.