Initial response Close study Significance Informed reaction

Note to teachers

This is a highly emotional and psychologically sensitive memoir. Knowledge of your students and their personal, family and/or communal experiences with mental health, drug use, and violence does need to be taken into account when considering this text for study. Deveson’s harrowing memoir about her son’s mental health deals with significantly affecting themes. The care (or lack thereof) that accompanied Jonathan’s schizophrenia – and the impact of this on Jonathan, Deveson’s other children, Deveson herself and their friends – invites readers to seriously question the healthcare and support services in our society for those who experience mental health conditions.

Introduction

One person in a hundred will experience schizophrenia. While most cases appear in the late teens or early adulthood, schizophrenia can appear for the first time when a person is middle aged or even older. Generally, the earlier the symptoms develop, the more severe the condition. While it does affect both men and women, schizophrenia is more common in men and is usually more severe in men.

It can be frightening to watch schizophrenia develop in another person, but is particularly frightening for the individual experiencing the symptoms. This disorder affects the way a person acts, thinks, and sees the world; people with schizophrenia have an altered perception of reality. They may have auditory or visual hallucinations, speak in strange or confusing ways, or have paranoid delusions, believing that others are trying to harm them or that they are being constantly watched. In trying to negotiate the line between the frightening realities created by the disorder, people with schizophrenia may withdraw from the outside world or act out in confusion or fear.

There are a number of guides available to help people understand schizophrenia. These include:

Although the picture painted in Tell Me I’m Here is quite hopeless, in that getting the appropriate support and help was nearly impossible for the Devesons, things have improved significantly today. There is still considerable work to be done, but there is more hope with treatments and support, and acknowledgement that mental health needs to be treated as seriously as any physically manifesting condition.

Pre-reading: mental health – social response

To understand the importance of this text, students need to have a grasp of mental health: both how it is perceived in contemporary Australian society, and how it was seen and treated in the past.

Split the class into two groups. One will focus on the history of mental health, the other on more contemporary understandings and social responses.

You could use Professor Patrick McGorry’s appointment as Australian of the Year (2010) to distinguish the historical and contemporary responses, largely because his work at that time significantly changed the landscape with regard to the general public’s understanding of mental health (and thus the public purse).

The history of mental health in the English-speaking world cannot be without reference to Bedlam (now Bethlehem Royal Hospital). Although the hospital operated from much earlier, perhaps the historical overview could start in the 1800s.

Task

You will be assigned to one of two groups:

1. Past (1800 to 2009) As a group, make a timeline of historic approaches to mental health (looking at how mental health conditions have been treated will provide you with useful dates and social attitudes).

Determine the most important turning points in approaches and attitudes based on this timeline. Divdie these among members of the group. Each student or sub-group will contribute information to a Padlet (or similar) to share with the class.
2. Present (2010 to the present day) As a group, research how mental health is managed in Australian society today. Media perception, approaches in schools and hospitals, police training, support systems, current research – all are aspects that could be considered.

Split into sub-groups based on this research. Each sub-group will contribute information to a Padlet (or similar) to share with the class.

(AC9E10LE01)   (AC9E10LE04)   (AC9E10LY01)   (AC9E10LY03)   (AC9E10LY05)

Previous Page Next Page

Genre/form

A narrative with an expository function, Tell Me I’m Here is a hybrid text. Deveson uses the narrative style of the memoir/autobiography, but the book also includes (among other genres/forms):

  • diary entries (p. 80)
  • email communications from healthcare professionals (pp. 76–77)
  • Georgina’s poetry (pp. 58–59)
  • quotes from authoritative texts (p. 64)
  • epigraphs
  • notes taken by Jonathan’s probation officer (p. 75)

This hybrid style is intended to educate the reader, as well as facilitate Deveson telling her and Jonathan’s story in a way that engenders sympathy in the reader. Because she does not assume reader knowledge, she includes various forms of data and multiple perspectives to provide information in a way that is seamlessly part of a narrative. In this way, Deveson can show Jonathan’s humanity in a way that encourages readers to understand that his behaviour is the result of a psychotic disorder, not a lack of control or character.

Task

Working in pairs, students will identify 10 genres/forms employed by Deveson in her book. They will research the usual use and linguistic styles of these genres/forms. Each pair will choose ONE genre/form to present to the class (preferably with no or few double-ups – you may need to keep track of which genres/forms have been picked, or assign them yoursef).

The presentation should include:

  • the linguistic features of the genre/form
  • how this genre/form is usually used
  • how Deveson uses this genre/form in her book, with at least ONE specific example from the book
  • what the purpose of using this genre/form might be (i.e. the intended effect on the reader)

(AC9E10LA02)   (AC9E10LA06)   (AC9E10LE03)   (AC9E10LE05)   (AC9E10LE06)   (AC9E10LY02)   (AC9E10LY04)

The language of ‘madness’

We do not use the word ‘mad’ anymore. We have banished it, together with words like ‘lunatic’ and ‘asylum’; even the word ‘insane’ is rarely heard. These words evoke oppressions of the past; today the terminology has changed, become more technical and distancing, yet our oppressions remain. They are the oppressions of neglect. (p. 2)

As a class, do some research on different words for ‘madness’ over time. You may need to guide students to select reputable resources. Some options include:

As part of this discussion, you might like to consult the PWDA (People With Disability Australia) Language Guide. This will be a useful guide for both you and your students in having respectful and inclusive conversations about schizophrenia and disability more broadly. You could also unpack some of the different models that have been used to understand disability over time. Two of these are the medical model and the social model. The move from the medical to the social model has implications for the way society regards disability and its responsibilities towards people with disability. PWDA has produced some excellent resources on this topic. A brief summary is also provided in Reading Australia’s teaching resource for Growing Up Disabled in Australia, edited by Carly Findlay (see Initial Response > Personal Response on Reading the Text > Social vs Medical Models of Disability).

Task

You will be writing TWO short newspaper articles. Both will cover the same facts/event, but one will be written in contemporary times and one will be written as though it is the 1900s.

You will be writing about a series of events that took place in a public setting with a person suffering a psychotic breakdown, similar to the descriptions provided by Deveson in Tell Me I’m Here. Imagine that you have interviewed bystanders; talked with police/paramedics/social workers who attended the scene; and consulted a parent or sibling of the person with a mental health condition.

For each article you will need to use different language to describe what is going on. Pay attention to the adjectives used to describe the person with the mental health condition, and the language of the people around this person.

If you are unsure of the conventions of the genre, consult this guide. Each article should be 250–300 words in length.

Once you have completed both articles, write a short analysis (approx. 250 words) of the impact language has on a reader’s feelings towards people with mental health conditions and their loved ones.

(AC9E10LA01)   (AC9E10LA03)   (AC9E10LA08)   (AC9E10LE08)

Previous Page Next Page

Significance in the wider world

In part, Deveson’s book asks readers to consider how mental health conditions affect real people in the real world. Her own work (some of which is detailed in the book) to develop organisations and networks to support impacted individuals may be used to inspire action in students or within a school community.

Mental health is a very real concern for many Australians. Involvement in community action can bring hope and a sense of achievement. In terms of developing student knowledge of the real-world implications of the text, involvement in a community initiative provides authentic possibilities for students to share their skills and knowledge outside the classroom.

World Mental Health Day is marked every year on the same date: 10 October.

Mental Health Week (or Month), also in October, aims to activate, educate and engage Australians about mental health through community festivals, art exhibitions, music, theatre and seminars. Events happen all around the country – check what is happening in your local state or territory.

Task

Students will develop a series of informative and persuasive speeches for peers – either at a year level or whole school level – to demonstrate the importance of mental health awareness in our community.

Timing

To be most effective in terms of student learning, both with regard to understanding Deveson’s book and in terms of agitating for changing attitudes in a community, this task should be linked to performance/community action within the school. To achieve this, students would need some time (both in and out of class) to establish complex and authentic responses. Two weeks of targeted work would be more than sufficient.

If it is not possible to develop a unit of work which involves the whole school community (or even part of it), students can be asked to prepare and deliver speeches to the class.

The speeches should be approximately five minutes in length.

Execution

Have the class split into small groups. Any assessment here will be based on collaborative work and outputs. It will be important to have a mix of strengths; flag this with the students (particularly if you are having them self-select groups).

Group roles will include:

  • public speaker
  • researchers
  • speech writer
  • community action co-ordinator
Part 1

Research Mental Health Week/Month and any local bodies dealing with mental health issues. This will involve the usual print and web-based research, but potentially also discussion and interviews with community groups.

This contact provides students opportunities to work with community agencies. This will be possible to varying degrees depending on the location of the school and your school policies. If face-to-face meetings aren’t possible, video, email, phone and other electronic media communications will serve the students well.

Students may wish to contact organisations such as (but not limited to):

Part 2

Develop a series of presentations for the school community to raise awareness of mental health issues. This may include:

  • a presentation to the principal
  • a speech at assembly
  • interviews with knowledgeable individuals from the community which can be presented to the year level

This step could also include fundraising/community action within the school.

(AC9E10LA05)   (AC9E10LY02)   (AC9E10LY07)

Previous Page Next Page

Synthesising core ideas

Rich assessment task 1 (Productive)

Deveson’s stated aim for this text is to inform and change how people with mental health conditions are treated in our society.

Other ways of producing a text to achieve this educative function may be through a performance or the production of a short film.

To complete this task, students are to choose ONE of the following options:

Take an episode or chapter from Deveson’s book and create a script for a live performance or short film depicting the events in that episode/chapter.

OR

Take one of the ideas from Deveson’s book relating to the way people/society/institutions react to people with mental health conditions, and produce a script for live performance or a short film.

An assessment rubric is available (PDF, 82KB).

Extension

Write a short analysis (300–400 words) outlining the decisions made to develop the script and final performance/film.

Decisions to discuss include:

  • language styles and choices
  • genre
  • awareness of history
  • a need to inform/educate

This piece should be completed in coherent prose, using evaluative and analytical language.

(AC9E10LA01)   (AC9E10LA02)   (AC9E10LA06)   (AC9E10LA08)   (AC9E10LE08)   (AC9E10LY01)   (AC9E10LY02)   (AC9E10LY03)   (AC9E10LY06)   (AC9E10LY07)

Rich assessment task 2 (Receptive)

Deveson’s presentation of Jonathan’s experience is heart-wrenching and devastating. It is important that young people understand that the treatment for mental health concerns has changed considerably since the late 1980s. It is also important that they understand that society’s views on mental health are not the same as those expressed and experienced by Deveson, her family and acquaintances at the time she wrote the book.

This task is designed to both extend students and demonstrate that society has moved on from those very negative and judgemental responses to mental health conditions.

Task

Students are to write a comparative piece that explores how social and/or institutional practices and attitudes to people with mental health conditions have changed since 1990.

Based on teacher advice/instruction, students can either:

  • use a collection of media texts that look at approaches to mental health in today’s society (students can draw on work completed for earlier tasks); OR
  • use excerpts from one of the texts suggested below; OR
  • use excerpts from a text of their choosing (in consultation with you).

The response can be written in an analytical or creative style. The emphasis here is on looking at how different periods of history treat social and individual issues.

Students are to analyse TWO texts (Tell Me I’m Here and another text of their choosing), including the interplay between character and setting, voice and structure, and how ideas, issues and themes are conveyed. This comparison facilitates the gaining of a deeper understanding of the ideas, issues and themes that reflect the world and human experiences.

The response should be approximately 800 words in length.

Suggested texts

An assessment rubric is available (PDF, 79KB).

NOTE: The rubric can be modified to suit different text and writing options, though a creative response to this task will still be considered analytical.

(AC9E10LA01)   (AC9E10LA02)   (AC9E10LA03)   (AC9E10LA05)   (AC9E10LA06)   (AC9E10LA08)   (AC9E10LE01)   (AC9E10LE03)   (AC9E10LE04)   (AC9E10LE05)   (AC9E10LE06)   (AC9E10LY01)   (AC9E10LY03)   (AC9E10LY04)   (AC9E10LY05)

Previous Page Next Page
Previous Section Next Section