Supporting students’ mental health has never been more important. Teachers are often the first to notice when a student is struggling, and knowing how to respond can make a real difference. From 3 to 9 August 2025, educators from across Europe gathered in Porto for the course Promoting Students’ Well-being and Mental Health in Schools: Strategies for Teachers and Education Staff, a week dedicated to understanding, supporting, and strengthening well-being in the classroom.

The group brought together a mix of experiences and backgrounds. From Poland came Anna from Szkoła Podstawowa im. Króla Zygmunta Augusta w Wasilkowie and Anita from I Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. E. Dembowskiego w Gliwicach. Zdeňka joined from ZŠ Brno, Herčíkova 19 in the Czech Republic, and Andrea from MS/VBS In der Krim in Austria. Katarína and Ivana represented Základná škola s materskou školou Jána Vojtaššáka, Zákamenné 967 in Slovakia. Angela came from Istituto Don Milani di Bari in Italy, Carolin from Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft für soziale Dienste in Germany, and Konstantina and Sirmalou from the Environmental Education Center of Vamos in Greece. Completing the team was Carolina from IES Fuentenueva in Spain.
The week began with introductions and an overview of mental health and well-being in schools—looking at what these terms mean, why they matter, and how they affect both learning and relationships. From there, the group explored how to raise awareness in the school community, recognising early signs of difficulty and building a culture that values openness and support.

Midweek sessions introduced mindfulness and sensory-based activities, with time spent outdoors to experience how small changes in environment and focus can positively affect mood and concentration. Participants also discussed how mindfulness can help students regulate emotions and reduce stress during the school day.
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Later in the week, the focus shifted to inteligencja emocjonalna—understanding emotions in ourselves and others, and using that awareness to build trust, empathy, and stronger classroom relationships. The final sessions looked at cognitive and behavioural strategies, giving participants practical tools they could adapt to different age groups and learning contexts.

By the end of the course, the group left Porto with a clearer understanding of how to address mental health in schools—not just as a reaction to problems, but as an ongoing, proactive part of teaching. They returned home with new strategies, activities, and perspectives to share with colleagues and to bring into their own classrooms, helping to create school environments where students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.

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