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Mental Health, Student Identity, and the Inclusive Classroom

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Teaching Inclusive Education through Life Story Inquiry

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Abstract

This chapter aims to explore the complex interplay between disability, mental health, and early educational experiences. Specifically, it sheds light on how having a disability can shape children’s identity development, self-concept, and socio-emotional health as they navigate school environments. This chapter will also bring to light the intersectionality of disability and mental health and call attention to the need for inclusive, empowering classroom spaces where diverse learners feel recognized and supported. Ensuring positive early childhood experiences for students is crucial for fostering healthy identity formation and building resilience—assets that will enable students to flourish into adulthood.

The world needs a sense of worth, and it will achieve it only by its people feeling that they are worthwhile. Try your best to make goodness attractive. That’s one of the toughest assignments you’ll ever be given. (Fred Rogers)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brock University, St Catharines, ON, Canada

    Margo Horne-Shuttleworth & Monique Somma

  2. McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Kathy Ann Wlodarczyk

Authors
  1. Margo Horne-Shuttleworth
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  2. Monique Somma
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  3. Kathy Ann Wlodarczyk
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Correspondence to Margo Horne-Shuttleworth .

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Horne-Shuttleworth, M., Somma, M., Wlodarczyk, K.A. (2024). Mental Health, Student Identity, and the Inclusive Classroom. In: Teaching Inclusive Education through Life Story Inquiry. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-59983-5_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-59983-5_4

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