Mentalizing
What is it?
Mentalizing is the ability to understand our own behaviour and that of others by considering underlying mental states (such as thoughts, feelings, beliefs, desires, and fears).
It involves a genuine curiosity about someone else’s inner world, as well as reflecting on your own inner world and how these shape your actions.
It also means being aware that, when mentalizing becomes more difficult, you may start to make assumptions about what the other person is thinking or feeling.
Why is it important?
Mentalizing supports you in understanding others’ behaviour (e.g. students), even in difficult or emotional circumstances.
Mentalizing provides you some tools to keep investing in a positive relationship with students.
Mentalizing helps you to feel more comfortable and resilient in your role as a teacher.
Developmental perspective
In adults, the capacity for mentalizing is already more fully developed.
With students, the situation is different: their brains are still developing, and they learn to mentalize through interactions with the adults around them.
Vulnerable life circumstances (e.g., trauma), young age, and cognitive and/or emotional difficulties can limit the capacity to mentalize, which in turn affects the way students relate to others.