Beyond Problem-Solving: Homeroom Teachers’ Reflective Practice as a Tool for Mental Health Support in Chinese Schools

TL;DR

This study explores how Chinese homeroom teachers use reflective practice to support student mental health, revealing its characteristics and role within school systems.

Contribution

The study provides empirical insights into homeroom teachers' reflective practice for mental health education in Chinese schools.

Findings

Homeroom teachers' reflective practice includes cognitive, emotional, motivational, and behavioral characteristics.

Silent reflection is common but often undervalued among homeroom teachers.

Mental health education efforts mainly occur at MTSS Tier 1 and Tier 2 with limited collaboration.

Abstract

This study explored the psychological characteristics of homeroom teachers’ reflective practice with a focus on student mental health, addressing a gap in empirical research. This study conducted semi-structured interviews with seventeen Chinese homeroom teachers and applied thematic analysis to examine how reflective practice supported mental health education. It also evaluated this practice from the perspective of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). The findings reveal the cognitive, emotional, motivational, and behavioral characteristics of homeroom teachers’ reflective practice. Cognitive characteristics centered on three aspects—the focus of reflection, the thinking process, and the formation or transformation of cognition—with student mental health being a primary concern. Emotional elements were less explicitly mentioned but were embedded in teachers’ narratives. Motivational characteristics comprised autonomy and physical–mental states, supporting or impeding reflection. Behaviorally, homeroom teachers engaged in silent, written, and dialogic forms of reflection, with silent reflection being common yet often undervalued. The study also indicated that homeroom teachers’ work in mental health education mainly involves MTSS Tier 1 and Tier 2, with insufficient collaboration with other professionals and characteristics distinct from traditional MTSS practices. Overall, the study highlights the multifaceted nature of reflective practice and its implications for enhancing school-based mental health education.