Sad

A student who is sad may...

be experiencing a short-term situation; it is normal to feel sad, frustrated, angry, etc. sometimes
be struggling with a life event (death, divorce, loss, change, etc.)
be struggling with a frustration
may be developing an awareness of being different
seem unmotivated
be pessimistic
be irritable
withdraw or "seem different"
be tired/fatigued and have have less energy
struggle to focus
forget things
complain of physical symptoms

When supporting a student who is sad, some general strategies involve

acknowledge and validate that all feelings are worth expressing; avoid downplaying the situation or emotion as "no big deal"
asking the student if there is something new happening
reflect the emotion you think you are seeing--to check in with the student; it may be another issue or feeling
being open and willing to listen
ask for a consultation with the counselors--sadness and depression are different things; do not diagnose
offer a fresh start
focus on what you can support at school
avoid making assumptions (about the cause or solutions)
being attentive to how long the mood seems to last
being careful not to isolate the student--keep routines and activities consistent at school
model positive coping strategies

Interventions may include

consider specific lessons on situations or characteristics that you discover in communicating with the child (i.e, how we are alike and different, we need different strategies, self-esteem, etc.)
provide diversions (ex: art, music, gardening, something funny, a special job, etc.)
use a gratitude journal or activity (ask them to name 5 positive things about a situation or the people involved)
use mindfulness strategies (see PDFs below for breathing and spaghetti body examples)
teach emotion vocabulary (example body lesson below) (Second Step has strong resources for emotion vocabulary also)
use a What If t-chart (what if...positives and what if...negatives) to process concerns
interrupt negative thoughts by doing something that makes you/the student happy

Literature Links

The Saddest King by Chris Wormell

Frog is Sad by Max Velth

Glad Monster Sad Monster by Ed Emberley

I'm Not Happy by Sue Graves

When I Feel Sad by Cornelia Maude Spelman

How to Get Unstuck from the Negative Muck by Lake Sullivan

Today I am a Monster by Agnes Green

* If you would like literature links for specific situations (loss/death, divorce, cancer, etc. please ask a counselor for ideas)

Teacher Readings

Sadness and Depression are Not the Same

Sadness: A Normal Emotion