Students and teachers are enjoying winter break, and excitement is running high! It is hard to believe we have completed the first four months of school and we are approaching a new year. After the winter performances and class parties are over, we spend time with the people we love to ring in the new year. It’s so important to keep self care in mind throughout this time. One challenge of the holiday season is…
When classroom tasks get a little too difficult, it’s common for teachers to hear “I can’t do this” from their students. Most at-risk kids have some self-defeating behaviors, including those that result in personal failure, and even students who don’t face extra challenges in the classroom get frustrated. Helping students push past their self-perceived limitations results in the beginnings of success. This leads into a success building upon success behavioral cycle. In order to get…
According to social scientists, a mindset based on self-doubt leads to two common coping mechanisms among children and young adults. The first is called “self-handicapping,” which is when students underperform as a way to shield themselves from the psychic consequence of working hard yet doing poorly. The other is “subjective overachievement,” which is taking heroic measures to guarantee a successful outcome, and attributing that success solely to effort. The overachieving variant of self-doubt is common…
According to a new experimental study by George Mason University professor Robert Youmans and University of Illinois doctoral student Jared Ramsburg, meditating before class can lead to better grades. The pair of researchers conducted three classroom experiments at a California university to see if meditation might help students focus and better retain information in class. A random selection of students followed basic meditation instructions before a lecture, and the students who meditated before the lecture scored better…
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is currently the premier evidence‐based psychotherapeutic treatment for anxiety and depression in both adolescents and adults. CBT focuses on the development of personal coping strategies that target solving current problems and changing unhelpful patterns in our thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes, including exaggerated thoughts. It also teaches behavioral and emotional regulation according to the design of the cognitive triangle, as shown in the diagram below. At the center of the cognitive triangle…
The benefits of art in a child’s education are widespread. Art can help kids express themselves and understand the world around them, and it is usually a fun, hands-on experience. For low-income students, studies show that kids who have more arts education in school see long-term benefits by both academic and social standards. Additionally, art can help students with their mental health. Tori Wardrip, an art teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Billings,…
The anxious thoughts of students aren’t always just passing worries; they’re becoming deeply rooted, widespread mantras for young people across America. Anxiety is the most common mental health challenge that young people today face, and it’s the top reason why students seek mental health services in colleges across the country. In severe cases, anxiety is stopping teens from doing homework, reaching out to friends, leaving their homes, and even leading to depressive and suicidal thoughts.…
Anxiety is increasingly becoming a serious issue for American teens. A whopping 62% of incoming high school freshman surveyed by the American College Health Association said they had experienced overwhelming anxiety last year. While teens from many backgrounds experience anxiety, it’s often the more affluent families who find the problem most baffling. Adults aren’t surprised when teens from poor neighborhoods feel anxious about safety or home dynamics, but it can be harder to understand what’s…
Studies show that anxiety disorders among children are on the rise, and they are quickly becoming some of the most common child psychiatric conditions. As many as 10% of children suffer from them and require medical treatment. Experts believe that school anxiety in particular is becoming more prevalent among younger kids, including preschoolers, perhaps because of societal expectations and changes in standards of education. Our society expects more and more from children at increasingly younger ages,…
It seems that school these days is more and more stressful for students of every age. These apps are a great help for stress management and dealing with anxiety disorders, trouble sleeping or relaxing–you name it! Check them out and you’re bound to find one that works for you. Rainy Mood. Many people find the sound of rain calming, and with Rainy Mood, you can listen to it on loop even when there’s not a…
