Pre-service teachers need to enter their first classrooms with knowledge that will allow them to create a successful learning environment. One of the largest epidemics facing classrooms today is anxiety/test anxiety. It's been reported that 5-19% of school-aged children are struggling (Lowe & Raad, 42, 2008). Anxiety is an IEP and students can receive special education services to help further learning. Some ways we can help our students thrive with this disorder include:
- Teach students that anxiety is normal, "it's okay to be anxious!". This allows our students to breathe and feel okay.
- Teaching students how to take deep breathes to calm their minds and bodies.
- Allow students to take a break from class and go on a walk with a Para-professional. This will allow students to breathe and calm themselves before returning.
- Help students envision themselves elsewhere, give them a mini-escape before taking a test.
- Adjust assessment to give students the opportunity to have real results. As a future educator, I will never want to place a "D" on an anxious learners report card. This may not be indicative of the student's ability level.
(Tips retrieved from: Twelve tips to reduce your child's stress and anxiety by: Amy Przeworski)
Takeaway: Understand your students. Learn their abilities, knowledge levels, and capacity. Assist your learners where they need it. Fight anxiety with coping methods and understand the prevalence.
Adam
References
Lowe, P. A., & Raad, J. M. (2008). Anxiety. In N. J.
Salkind & K. Rasmussen (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Educational
Psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 38-44). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE
Publications. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX2660600021&v=2.1&u=nhc_main&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&asid=8dbe78d93707e9721049af7a755cd428
Przeworski, A. (2013, February 19) Twelve tips to reduce your child’s stress and anxiety. Psychology Today. Retrieved October 11, 2014, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-worry-mom/201302/12-tips-reduce-your-childs-stress-and-anxiety
Przeworski, A. (2013, February 19) Twelve tips to reduce your child’s stress and anxiety. Psychology Today. Retrieved October 11, 2014, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-worry-mom/201302/12-tips-reduce-your-childs-stress-and-anxiety
Adam! I really enjoyed your topic and post. I can relate in a lot of ways because I most definitely suffer from anxiety and especially with tests. I like what you said about the teachers reinforcing that anxiety is normal and okay to feel. I think its important for teachers to step up and play the role of a nurturer. If they want what is best for their students, they need to create a relationship and environment where students feel comfortable and safe to feel this way.
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