Educators in Dubuque, Iowa, are reporting positive outcomes from a new initiative called “Teach to Heal,” designed to address the mental and emotional health of students. The program provides teachers with new strategies to understand and manage student behavior, aiming to create a more supportive and effective learning environment.
Just one month into the school year, teachers using these methods say they are already observing significant improvements in the classroom. The approach focuses on recognizing the underlying causes of student actions and helping children develop emotional regulation skills.
Key Takeaways
- Dubuque schools have implemented a new program, “Teach to Heal,” to support student mental and emotional health.
- The initiative trains educators to understand the motivations behind student behavior and validate their emotional experiences.
- Teachers like Tim McCaw at Prescott Elementary are already seeing positive changes in student conduct and engagement.
- The program aims to help students get their needs met without resorting to disruptive behavior, while still maintaining accountability.
A New Strategy for Classroom Support
Schools across the country are increasingly recognizing the link between emotional well-being and academic success. In Dubuque, the “Teach to Heal” program represents a significant step toward integrating this understanding into daily classroom practice. The initiative moves beyond traditional discipline, focusing instead on a student's entire social and emotional context, including factors at home and school.
The core philosophy is to equip teachers with the tools to de-escalate difficult situations by first understanding the root cause of a student's behavior. Rather than simply reacting to an outburst, educators learn to identify unmet needs or emotional distress that may be driving the action.
This trauma-informed approach helps create a classroom atmosphere where students feel safe and understood. According to proponents of the program, this foundation is essential for effective learning to take place.
Understanding Student Perspectives
A key component of the “Teach to Heal” training involves teaching adults to validate the feelings of young students, even if the source of distress seems minor from an adult viewpoint. This shift in perspective is crucial for building trust between students and teachers.
Tim McCaw, a teacher at Prescott Elementary School who works with up to 40 students daily, emphasized this point.
“The students are going through big things and they perceive it as really big, and it’s really nice for them to hear adults say, ‘This is really big.’ Where as adults, we may not feel like it’s very big, but it’s really important to not dismiss that,” McCaw stated.
By acknowledging a child's feelings, teachers can help them feel heard, which is often the first step toward managing their emotions constructively. This prevents minor issues from escalating into larger behavioral problems.
The District's Vision for Accountability and Care
The implementation of “Teach to Heal” is a deliberate strategy by the Dubuque Community School District to foster a more empathetic educational environment. Brenda Duvel, the district's executive director of special education, explained that the program balances support with responsibility.
According to Duvel, the training helps educators navigate the complex motivations behind challenging behavior. It provides a framework for meeting a student's needs while still holding them accountable for their actions. The goal is not to excuse poor behavior but to address its source.
The Rise of Social-Emotional Learning
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) has become a major focus in education over the past decade. Programs like “Teach to Heal” are part of a national trend to integrate skills such as self-awareness, self-management, and responsible decision-making into the curriculum. Research suggests that students with strong SEL skills perform better academically and have more positive social behaviors.
“The message delivered to kids is that, whether it’s elementary or high school, they don’t have to display big behaviors to get their needs met,” Duvel said. This proactive approach aims to teach students healthier ways to communicate their needs and frustrations.
By investing in this type of training, the district hopes to reduce classroom disruptions, improve student-teacher relationships, and ultimately enhance academic outcomes for all students, particularly those facing challenges outside of school.
Early Signs of Success at Prescott Elementary
Although the school year is still in its early stages, the impact of the “Teach to Heal” program is already being felt. Tim McCaw reports a noticeable change in his students' ability to manage their emotions and engage with their schoolwork.
He believes the strategies have created a more positive and stable classroom dynamic. When students feel that their emotional needs are recognized and supported, they are more available for learning. McCaw sees the program as a vital tool for reaching students who are struggling.
Student Mental Health by the Numbers
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health challenges among children are a growing concern. Prior to the pandemic, 1 in 6 U.S. children aged 2–8 years had a diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder. Initiatives that focus on school-based support are considered critical for early intervention.
“This is exactly what Dubuque needs throughout the whole district, just to reach all the students that are having these needs,” McCaw commented, expressing his hope that the program will be expanded.
Creating a Foundation for Lifelong Success
The long-term goal of “Teach to Heal” extends beyond immediate classroom management. The skills students learn—such as emotional regulation, self-advocacy, and problem-solving—are intended to serve them throughout their lives.
Educators involved in the program believe that creating a safe and caring school environment is fundamental to this process. As McCaw noted, students learn and live their best when they feel secure and valued.
As the Dubuque school district continues to implement and assess the “Teach to Heal” initiative, its early successes offer a promising model for how schools can better support the holistic development of their students, ensuring they are prepared not just academically, but emotionally and socially as well.
