August 2, 2022
It’s no secret that children today face a lot of stress. Stress is a natural response to events that make us feel overwhelmed or threatened. From pressure to succeed in school to the ever-growing demands of social media, it’s no wonder that so many kids struggle to cope with it all.
When tensions are high, students tend to lose focus and, ultimately, fail to absorb the information being taught. With advice from teachers who have dealt with children hands-on, we’ve compiled a list with 8 actionable tips to help children manage and prevent stress in and out of the classroom.
1. Help Children Develop a Strong Sense of Self-Identity
Helping children develop a sense of self-identity can be a challenge, but it’s important to do so in order for them to feel secure and confident. A strong self-identity gives children a sense of stability and security, which is essential for healthy development and coping with stressors. When they know who they are, they are more confident in themselves and their abilities.
One way you can help is by providing positive reinforcement whenever they do something that you approve of. This can be something as simple as telling them “good job” or “I’m proud of you.” It’s also important to give them opportunities to try new things and explore their interests. This can help them figure out what they’re good at and what they enjoy. Finally, it’s important to be there for them when they need you. Listening to them, supporting them, and helping them through tough times will all help them develop a strong sense of self-identity.
2. Advocate for Physical Activity
Physical activity is important for anyone’s overall health and well-being—especially children’s. It can improve mood and cognitive function. Ashley Griffin, a math teacher at North Edgecombe High School, is no stranger to keeping kids active. Her school offers “Power Lunch,” where teachers encourage different physical activities. From YouTube yoga classes to playing a quick sports game, North Edgecombe students engage in physical activity daily. Ashley often walks around the track with her students and notices a big difference in their moods after lunch is over. “I can sense a centering in them that they wouldn’t get from spending an hour just sitting with friends or scrolling through TikTok,” she said.
If your school can’t offer a “Power Lunch,” throwing on a yoga video or even simple stretches for your students to participate in is a great way to keep them active.
3. Introduce Breathing Exercises into the Daily Routine
Another great way to help children manage any stress or anxiety is through breathing exercises. Breathing exercises help calm the mind and body, are simple to learn, and easy to do. The best part – they can be done anywhere, even the classroom.
Here are a few exercises you can bring to the classroom:
4. Create an Inclusive Classroom Environment
This one may sound like a no-brainer, but amid the busy highs and lows of the school day, treating all students equally, showing your students respect, and embracing each of their differences is not always at the top of mind.
Creating an inclusive environment in the classroom is important for a number of reasons. First, it allows all students to feel comfortable and respected in the classroom. This is especially important for students who may stress over feeling marginalized or excluded for any reason. Additionally, an inclusive classroom allows all students to learn from each other and to benefit from each other’s perspectives.
5. Encourage Children to Express Their Feelings… And LISTEN to them
Creating a safe and supportive environment in which your students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings goes hand in hand with Tip #4. The kicker here is to actually listen. Don’t just “yes” them or shoo them away. Listen, react, offer advice, and model healthy emotional expressions yourself with no judgment.
Additionally, you can provide opportunities for children to express their feelings through creative outlets such as art or writing.
6. Model Healthy Coping Mechanisms
So many children struggle to find an outlet for their stress. Ashley Griffin has said she notices that when some children are stressed, it can come out as misbehavior in the classroom. Often, children use anger and outbursts as an outlet for their stress.
It is important for teachers to model and teach healthy coping mechanisms to their students. This can help them deal with difficult situations in a healthy way. Some ideas include teaching kids to:
7. Have Them Set Realistic Goals
Having children set realistic goals for themselves is a great way to keep them on track and reduce stress. This is great to do at the beginning of each school year or quarter as a big stressor for many school-aged kids is doing well in school.
When children are able to set goals and achieve them, they build self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment. This can help them in all areas of their lives. Have them come back to their goals that they write down throughout the year to check in on their progress if they begin to feel overwhelmed.
8. Implement Flexible Seating in the Classroom
Offering flexible seating options such as standup desks has proved to be a great way to help mental health in students. Sitting for long periods of time creates a stagnant energy that is unhealthy for both students and teachers. Giving students the option to stand at their desks prevents cognitive drain. When students are able to move around, they are able to think more clearly and learn more effectively.
These are just a few many tips on how to help your students prevent and manage stress. For teachers, resilience is key. We hope these sparked some ideas to place positive change in your own classroom. For more help with resiliency, you can check out our resiliency training at: Biofeedback Training Program
9. Give kids tools to see and understand how their body responds to stress (and de-stressing activities)
Edgecombe County, North Carolina
Attn: Rural Opportunity Institute (ROI)
3661 Sunset Ave #5061
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
United States
Email: info@ruralopportunity.org
Email: naomi@ruralopportunity.org
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