Stress in the Classroom

Everyone experiences stress. People experience different forms of stress. It may not seem true, but young children also face stress daily. Children face stress inside and outside the classroom. Many school-aged children are affected by school-related stressors.

A stressor is any event that either speeds up a reaction rate or keeps the reaction rate the same. For the school-aged child, daily stressors may include anxiety about school, conflicts with teachers, competition with peers or siblings, lack of parental interest, personal injury or loss, poor grades, fear of success or failure, and fear of medical visits and procedures.

The teacher should identify symptoms and recognize when the child is facing a stressor. Children need help from the teacher and parents in learning how to cope with the stress that they face. The main goal for a child with stress is to relax and encourage the child to openly talk about the problems they are facing.

The following website provides information on stress management and how children cope with stress.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/familydevelopment/components/7269ad.html

Guest Blogger Kimberly Dietrick