A reoccurring theme that I have picked up on over the past couple weeks, and something that I would like to incorporate into all of the grades or courses I teach, is that of dealing with student stress. In preparing them for life after highschool, be it post secondary education, working in a trade, or otherwise, stress is a part of any life, and without the proper coping mechanisms, the dealing with it is made that much more difficult.
I think that for many teachers the memories of crazy hormones, late nights, too much junk food, relationship turmoil and family strife is downgraded in favour of validating the "real" stresses such as mortgages, troubled marriages etc. The teenage years are arguably the most difficult to deal with (both for the teens themselves, and all of those around them), and any tips on how to control or combat stress would be beneficial to all in the long run.
Addressing the topic is one thing, and can be included in lessons such as exam/test writing, or more general informational lessons for the rest of their lives. Knowing the physiological aspects of teenagers will be a major asset to us teachers who will be dealing with those chemical changes on a daily basis, and hopefully some tips (such as those found in the Teacher Resources provided) for all students will equip them with the ability to cope.
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Day 16 Thursday July 24
Q & A period *blog readback due – hand it in to Leanna
Day 17 Friday July 25
Eportfolio sharing & honouring
Here is a space for us to continue to explore issues related to education. With limited class time, a blog can allow us freedom to think and write when we are able and ready. A blog can also help us create and explore with a community of learners. Looking forward to the dialogue!
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Day 16 Thursday July 24
Q & A period *blog readback due – hand it in to Leanna
Day 17 Friday July 25
Eportfolio sharing & honouring
“If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything.” Win Borden
4 comments:
I think this is a great topic, Danika. It makes me think of show time in the theatre program at the high school where I volunteer. When the production runs, we coach the students to get sleep earlier that week. We talk about healthy food options that are quick to prepare and easy to bring, and we constantly remind them to drink water.
Why can't we coach our students like this on a daily basis using some common stress releasing ideas? Sleep, water and good food could all be included, but you could end your classes by reminding students to take ten minutes to be alone without distractions, or to focus on nothing other than one favorite thought. Maybe you give the class one minute in which they take five deep breaths. These quick daily reminders might help students make dealing with stress, or at least decompressing, a part of their life.
These are some very important ideas that you brought up Lana. It's so important for teachers to think outside of the lesson plan. It's a great idea to causally remind students that the things we put in our body greatly effect our moods and stress levels, I wish more teachers would have said things like this when I was in school.
When I was in junior high I had a band teacher how practice relaxation teniques with us at least once a week. We would all find somewhere to lie down and close our eyes. She would then instruct our breathing and then once we were all relaxed she would turn offf the lights and put on some classical music. At the time we all thought that this was a great break from instruction, however, looking back on it I can vividly remember the clarity and perspective it gave me.
Maybe I should start employing this technique again when school is stressing me out!
I agree I think student stress is a big problem, and learning how to cope with stress is very important. Encouraging students to have healthy eating patterns, drinking water, excising and having a healthy life social life, is an import part of life.
At a high school I TOCed in, they had 25min of silent reading, not homework time but silent reading. I loved it; it was a nice way to relax during the day take a few min read your book. I don’t know what the thought was behind it whether it was to help students relax or improve literacy, but I was relaxed after. Reading is a great way to escape. I wish more schools did this.
Individuals that are stressed, exhausted, and fatigued are not effective or creative in the classroom. I think that it is important to set up tools for yourself and students in the classroom. It might be a good idea to have a board or an area that has tips on how to deal with stress. Have helpful tips or suggestions for the students such as: managing time efficiently, being organized, having a good study environment, being optimistic, and getting enough sleep the night before (I know that I am bad for that one, I stay up all night to study instead of sleeping). As a teacher you could even have breathing exercises, listening to music, water running, or stretching in a classroom during a lesson or even before a test to calm the students. We all are exposed to stressful situations, but we also create a lot of stress for ourselves that is unnecessary.
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