Mental Health Disorders

The following academic tips should assist you in working with students who have mental health disorders in post-secondary education.

Academic Tips

  • Arrange meetings later in the day to accommodate sleep and medication issues

  • Provide copies of instructor notes or PowerPoint presentations

  • Recommend a reduced course load

  • Recommend online courses, incompletes or hybrid classes when absences are excessive

  • Be firm and clear with absence policy and give frequent reminders

  • Give verbal reminders of assignments and test dates

  • Suggest dropping a class or two if academic load is too heavy

  • Suggest recording lectures and meetings to improve memory retention

  • Preferential seating can make these students more comfortable

  • Be tolerant of frequent visits, questions, and concerns

  • Inform student in advance of any changes, give details

  • Inform student of poor test/homework grades in private

  • Know that medication can cause unwarranted side effects