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Article Title: How Can Schools Help Reduce Student Stress?
Date: March 1, 2020
https://isminc.com/advisory/publications/the-source/how-can-schools-help-reduce-
student-stress

Video Title: How to Manage Stress as a Student
Date: three years ago
How to Manage Stress as a Student - YouTube

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Article Name: 5 Ways Educators Can Help Students Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Author Name: John Burnett
Date: February 1, 2023
https://www.goguardian.com/blog/5-ways-educators-can-help-students-reduce-stress-and-anxiety

Video Title: How to Manage Stress as a Student

Author: Med school Insiders
Date: July 11, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk2-dKH2Ta4

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Just as many adults deal with stress and anxiety in the workplace, students are no different. They're juggling homework, extracurricular activities, friendships, and life at home. It's never a bad time to introduce new and effective ways of helping them learn how to properly manage their emotions through the use of healthy coping skills.

How can educators support students and promote mental health and wellness in classrooms and in school?

This is a question educators, administrators, and families often ask out of concern for their students. Primarily, as part of their role, school counselors provide interventions to help students reduce stress, anxiety, and depression; however, all educators have the opportunity to share resources, tips, and tools to improve mental resilience and wellness.

What strategies can educators share to address mental health in schools?

Teaching positive coping skills to students can help reduce stress, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. One way to support students is to teach them how to manage their emotions and encourage them to utilize positive ways to manage stressful situations.

Here are some helpful, free, and low-maintenance activities all educators can utilize in the classroom to promote a positive learning environment for all students and support their mental and physical well-being.

1. Mindfulness

Mindful meditation involves focusing on the present moment. This allows us an opportunity to be aware of our feelings, emotions, and surroundings. According to research, deep breathing exercises are an excellent and fun way of sharing mindfulness exercises with students.

There are many benefits associated with practicing deep breathing exercises. It can help students be successful academically and socially by decreasing stress and anxiety, increasing energy and productivity levels, and boosting concentration and focus.

There are some simple ways to incorporate mindfulness in classrooms. Be sure to check out the video above for examples of deep breathing exercises.

2. Positive affirmations

Positive affirmations are simple and effective ways to increase self-esteem and compassion for others. Educators can share positive affirmations with their students to increase their grit and growth mindset.

One of the easiest ways to use positive affirmations in the classroom is to do an online search and find examples to share daily or weekly. It is a best practice to allow students to choose the examples that resonate with them. This will make it easier for students to internalize their words and hone in on their uplifting power.

3. Allow creativity

If you're noticing students are having a hard time focusing, try giving them an opportunity to choose how to complete their work. There are multiple learning styles, and some students are visual learners. One way to support these learners while simultaneously encouraging the usage of coping skills is to allow students to draw, color, write, rap, sing, or perform assignments in class. Not only is art therapeutic, but it can potentially increase their engagement and also allows students ways to express themselves.

4. Move your body

If you notice students are getting antsy and losing focus, try some brain breaks and let them move around. There are many ways to incorporate movement into any lesson. One example involves associating song, dance, or movement with vocabulary words and practicing with your students. This is an excellent tool for memorization and retention.

Additionally, educators can find movement exercises on YouTube or other online platforms. GoNoodle has some GREAT examples of brain breaks you can share in the classroom to increase engagement and bring a sense of joy to school.

5. Music, the universal language

Playing calming music in the classroom is an excellent way to decrease stress for staff and students. Educators can access playlists on YouTube or Spotify and play music during independent work time. This creates a positive environment and can help students focus. Incorporating music in the classroom also builds a sense of community when educators ask students for their input and suggestions for songs.

Bonus Tip

Pear Deck has some excellent resources for educators to use in the classroom to support student wellness. Pear Deck offers interactive templates and features for educators to incorporate into their presentations and lessons. For example, Pear Deck offers some helpful templates for daily check-ins, deep breathing prompts, gratitude, and ways to introduce different perspectives.

This is an amazing FREE resource. Be sure to download your copy!

In conclusion

If educators are noticing students are struggling, they can share these proactive ways to address the mental health crisis. By incorporating coping skills in their daily lessons, teachers can help increase students' self-esteem, strengthen their emotional resilience, and support their overall well-being.

Other helpful resources

Organizations like The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Mental Health America (MHA) provide resources, tips, and tools for educators and families. Additionally, there is a new suicide and crisis hotline available for all students. If students are in crisis, they can call 988, which is a toll-free crisis intervention hotline.

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5 Ways Educators Can Help Students Reduce Stress and Anxiety

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School counselor John Burnett writes about strategies educators can share to address student mental health.

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Video Title:Tips for Managing Stress
Author Name: Mind, the mental health charity
Date:2 years ago
(Link):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh5HyJ1rxzk&ab_channel=Mind%2Cthementalhealthcharity

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Video title: 5 Ways Educators Can Help Students Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Author: John Burnett
Link: https://www.goguardian.com/blog/5-ways-educators-can-help-students-reduce-stress-and-anxiety
Date: 20230201

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Just as many adults deal with stress and anxiety in the workplace, students are no different. They're juggling homework, extracurricular activities, friendships, and life at home. It's never a bad time to introduce new and effective ways of helping them learn how to properly manage their emotions through the use of healthy coping skills.

How can educators support students and promote mental health and wellness in classrooms and in school?

This is a question educators, administrators, and families often ask out of concern for their students. Primarily, as part of their role, school counselors provide interventions to help students reduce stress, anxiety, and depression; however, all educators have the opportunity to share resources, tips, and tools to improve mental resilience and wellness.

What strategies can educators share to address mental health in schools?

Teaching positive coping skills to students can help reduce stress, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. One way to support students is to teach them how to manage their emotions and encourage them to utilize positive ways to manage stressful situations.

Here are some helpful, free, and low-maintenance activities all educators can utilize in the classroom to promote a positive learning environment for all students and support their mental and physical well-being.

1. Mindfulness

Mindful meditation involves focusing on the present moment. This allows us an opportunity to be aware of our feelings, emotions, and surroundings. According to research, deep breathing exercises are an excellent and fun way of sharing mindfulness exercises with students.

There are many benefits associated with practicing deep breathing exercises. It can help students be successful academically and socially by decreasing stress and anxiety, increasing energy and productivity levels, and boosting concentration and focus.

There are some simple ways to incorporate mindfulness in classrooms. Be sure to check out the video above for examples of deep breathing exercises.

2. Positive affirmations

Positive affirmations are simple and effective ways to increase self-esteem and compassion for others. Educators can share positive affirmations with their students to increase their grit and growth mindset.

One of the easiest ways to use positive affirmations in the classroom is to do an online search and find examples to share daily or weekly. It is a best practice to allow students to choose the examples that resonate with them. This will make it easier for students to internalize their words and hone in on their uplifting power.

3. Allow creativity

If you're noticing students are having a hard time focusing, try giving them an opportunity to choose how to complete their work. There are multiple learning styles, and some students are visual learners. One way to support these learners while simultaneously encouraging the usage of coping skills is to allow students to draw, color, write, rap, sing, or perform assignments in class. Not only is art therapeutic, but it can potentially increase their engagement and also allows students ways to express themselves.

4. Move your body

If you notice students are getting antsy and losing focus, try some brain breaks and let them move around. There are many ways to incorporate movement into any lesson. One example involves associating song, dance, or movement with vocabulary words and practicing with your students. This is an excellent tool for memorization and retention.

Additionally, educators can find movement exercises on YouTube or other online platforms. GoNoodle has some GREAT examples of brain breaks you can share in the classroom to increase engagement and bring a sense of joy to school.

5. Music, the universal language

Playing calming music in the classroom is an excellent way to decrease stress for staff and students. Educators can access playlists on YouTube or Spotify and play music during independent work time. This creates a positive environment and can help students focus. Incorporating music in the classroom also builds a sense of community when educators ask students for their input and suggestions for songs.

Bonus Tip

Pear Deck has some excellent resources for educators to use in the classroom to support student wellness. Pear Deck offers interactive templates and features for educators to incorporate into their presentations and lessons. For example, Pear Deck offers some helpful templates for daily check-ins, deep breathing prompts, gratitude, and ways to introduce different perspectives.

This is an amazing FREE resource. Be sure to download your copy!

In conclusion

If educators are noticing students are struggling, they can share these proactive ways to address the mental health crisis. By incorporating coping skills in their daily lessons, teachers can help increase students' self-esteem, strengthen their emotional resilience, and support their overall well-being.

Other helpful resources

Organizations like The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Mental Health America (MHA) provide resources, tips, and tools for educators and families. Additionally, there is a new suicide and crisis hotline available for all students. If students are in crisis, they can call 988, which is a toll-free crisis intervention hotline.

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5 Ways Educators Can Help Students Reduce Stress and Anxiety

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School counselor John Burnett writes about strategies educators can share to address student mental health.

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Title: 8 ways teachers can support students' mental health during COVID-19 school returns.
Author: Unicef
Date: around 2021 (no exact date)
https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/8-teacher-tips-student-mental-health

Video title: Getting children's learning and mental health back on track
Author name: Unicef
Date: September 16, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=WbHhY9hyH-s&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.unicef.org%2F&embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.unicef.org&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&feature=emb_title

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As adults, we all have diverse needs and different ways of coping with stressful situations. For children, it is the same. Some children will have dealt well with restrictions and school closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For others, it is challenging to cope with all the changes and uncertainty. Some children will return to school having experienced some level of stress, anxiety, isolation and grief. Some may have experienced increased violence at home.

School teachers and personnel are critical in supporting children's transition back to in-person classroom learning, particularly after extended periods of school closure. In addition to continuing to use the different skills teachers have been using to ensure their students' learning and emotional well-being while schools were closed, the following suggestions might be helpful when schools reopen:

1. Listen to children's concerns

COVID-19 and school closures impacted many children and adolescents' mental health and well-being. As teachers, it is essential to listen to students' concerns and demonstrate understanding as well as empathy. Offer your students the opportunity to have a one-to-one conversation with you to reconnect and discuss any concerns that might have arisen when their school was closed. If a child shares anything that is particularly concerning, please follow the protection or child safeguarding systems in place.

2. Check how children are doing

Before teaching new academic content to students, teachers and school personnel should take time to check how children are doing. Remember that children may have difficulty concentrating at first or may need more time to get back into the routine of learning. Provide opportunities for children to take breaks, move around, and re-connect with their friends and peers.

3. Provide children with accurate information around COVID-19

As children return to school, they may have different thoughts and questions about COVID-19. Children want and need factual information. Use child-friendly and age-appropriate resources available in your country/region that is based on scientific evidence to respond to children's questions about COVID-19 accurately.

While it is important to acknowledge the scale of what is happening globally, make sure to emphasize all the efforts made and precautions taken to reduce risks in the school reopening plans. Do not forget to remind children of school safety protocols, including what to do in case there is a COVID-19 case detected in the classroom.

4. Seek suggestions from children on how to create a welcoming, safe and comfortable classroom

Engage children in making the classroom a welcoming, safe and comfortable space. When doing so, make sure to respect school safety procedures and use available material resources.

Children can provide suggestions; help decorate the walls of the classroom with colourful and welcoming messages and work in small groups so they can support each other to catch up on learning. Let them know that being supportive of each other will help them get through this together. Remember to praise children for their contributions and efforts. Teachers can foster feelings of safety and security by interacting and developing positive relationships with each student and using routines during the day to help children feel safe and secure.

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8 ways teachers can support students' mental health during COVID-19 school returns

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Transitioning back to in-person classroom learning during COVID-19

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Article Title: Stress Management Tools for the School Year
Author Name: Sara Lindberg
Date：Jul 23, 2021
(Link):https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/stress-management-school#bottom-line

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We all experience occasional stress - and some people more than others. Stress is our body's way of handling demands that may cause a physical, emotional, or psychological reaction.

However, when stress is not managed or starts to overwhelm your life, it can lead to more serious issues like anxiety and depression. This is something many students, parents, and teachers are thinking about as we get closer to the start of the school year.

"We know that anxiety and depression levels have gone up dramatically for both adults and children over the last year and a half, and stressors will only increase these numbers if they are not managed with coping tools and self-care, and possibly even professional care," says Dr. Gail Saltz, a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill-Cornell Medical College and a psychoanalyst with the New York Psychoanalytic Institute.

Stress, anxiety, and depression impair functioning, keeping children from learning and adults from functioning in their jobs. That's why Saltz says students and adults must be taught to recognize the signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression, and work on developing tools to combat stressors.

We've partnered with Clorox® to bring you this article with stress-coping strategies for students, parents, teachers, and other school employees.

Stress management and coping skills are critical for parents, students, and teachers to thrive during any school year, especially in the upcoming academic year, when COVID-19 is still a concern.

"Kids and teens have been exposed to a far different environment of study and socialization, with many losing interest in academics and reporting a waning in attention span and ability to concentrate for long periods of time," says Julia Turovsky, PhD, clinical psychologist, anxiety expert, and founder of QuietMindCBT.

More specifically, many students spent the last year studying and working for shorter durations and in different environments. Turovsky points out that students may also have lost socialization skills due to a lack of access to other kids, especially in groups.

"Students, teachers, and even parents have described having a 'social battery' that is more easily depleted, meaning they get overstimulated and tired from socializing with both individuals and in groups, and need to return home to rest and recharge," she says. This can lead to high levels of stress for all ages.

However, planning for these changes can prepare everyone for a smoother transition when school starts. Developing stress-management skills can ensure that students, parents, and teachers have the tools they need for a successful and productive school year.

Students will face all types of stressors throughout the school year. Being equipped with tools to help manage the effects is critical to success. Here are some coping strategies:

Practice deep belly breathing

You can practice deep breathing between classes, at lunch, or before and after school.

1. Sit comfortably, with both feet on floor, and place one hand on your abdomen. Make sure your muscles are relaxed.

2. Breathe deeply through your nose until your abdomen rises.

3. Hold this breath for 5 seconds, then exhale slowly through your mouth like you're blowing through a straw.

4. Repeat this pattern for 3 to 5 minutes.

Try progressive muscle relaxation

The American Psychological Association recommends progressive muscle relaxation to combat stress and reduce anxiety.

1. Get in a comfortable position, ideally lying down.

2. Start by tensing your lower leg muscles.

3. While contracting these muscles, breathe in for 5 to 10 seconds, then exhale and release the contraction.

4. Stay in this relaxed position for 10 seconds.

5. Move your way up your body, contracting different muscle groups while breathing in and out, holding for 5 to 10 seconds with each breath, and then relaxing for 10 seconds before moving to the next muscle group.

Participate in regular physical activities

Participating in daily activity through exercise or sports can help reduce the effects of stress. Encourage your child to join a sport or activity, or exercise as a family in the evenings.

Recognize and accept all emotions

Turovsky says kids and teens need to understand that coping skills do not mean that all negative emotions, such as feeling unhappy, irritated, frustrated, deflated, or anxious, will be eliminated. Instead, coping skills should allow them to recognize these emotions, label and validate them, and engage in behaviors to ease them.

Learn to communicate struggles

Turovsky says students should be encouraged by parents and teachers to share when they are tired, distracted, or overwhelmed.

Specific coping skills may be different for everyone, but Turovsky says that for most of us, they may include sharing these difficult emotions with people we love and trust.

Find a few trusted listeners

It's also important that students have someone who will listen to them in an attentive and nonjudgmental way.

Students of all ages should find at least two adults they trust and have access to most of the time. This could include a school employee, family friend, family member, community support person, or mental health professional.

Have your child write the names and contact information down on a card to put in their backpack or phone.

By now, many parents are experts at change and dealing with anything that comes their way. That said, managing a family, work, and school takes its toll, and countless parents and caregivers are already dealing with a high level of stress. Here are ways for parents to manage stress this school year.

Take a meditation break

Even a 5-minute meditation break - in the school pick-up line, before leaving for work or before going to bed - can help reduce stress and clear your mind, according to a 2014 systematic review and meta-analysis. You can also use this time to practice deep belly breathing to further reduce stress.

1. To start a meditation practice, make sure you're in a quiet place.

2. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and focus on the present moment.

3. If your thoughts stray - to events that happened yesterday, to your to-do list, or to anything other than the present - acknowledge them, but then let them go, and bring the attention back to the present moment.

The more you practice mindfulness meditation, the easier it gets to keep your thoughts from spinning out of control.

Practice daily self-care

Parents are often the first group of people to put self-care at the bottom of their to-do list. But Turovsky says self-care is more important than ever. "Eating well, drinking lots of water, getting exercise and rest, and plenty of alone time will go a long way in preventing overstimulation and irritability," she says.

Minimize your media consumption

Taking breaks from watching or reading the news and social media can help reduce stress. Consider limiting the amount of recreational (nonwork-related) time you spend online, or restrict it to 1 hour a day at a prescheduled time.

Surround yourself with supportive people

Social support is critical when managing stress. Finding people you trust - whether friends, family members, or coworkers - can help you mitigate the adverse effects of stress.

Set aside time each week to meet with a friend. If possible, use this time to exercise, since physical activity also decreases stress. Agree to walk together a few times a week or go for a bike ride.

In addition to the strategies listed for students and parents, here are additional ways teachers and other school employees can cope with stress.

Acknowledge your feelings

Like students, Turovsky says teachers and other school employees need to acknowledge that they may be dealing with burnout. When this happens, the best thing you can do is treat yourself with compassion.

"Practicing self-compassion includes recognizing your distress cues and negative emotions and validating them, rather than being self-critical," says Turovsky.

Ask for support from your administrators

"The stress of burnout specifically is affecting many school workers, and this requires their place of work to reduce workload, to limit work hours, to permit hours after-work where they are truly off, and to create a safe workspace," says Saltz.

Teachers and other school employees, she says, should also know that their workplace will support and guide them toward help with mental health issues if they are struggling.

Take a breath break

You can practice deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation - both discussed above - between classes, at lunch, or before and after school.

Practice daily self-care

Ways to managing stress during the school year include:

Here are some tips to make these goals a reality:

Consider using Sunday to plan your meals and exercise for the week.

Keep a spare gym bag in your car in case you have time to take a walk during lunch or after school.

Stock your refrigerator with precut vegetables and fruit for grab-and-go snacks.

Go to bed at a reasonable and consistent time each night.

If handling anxiety and stress on your own isn't working, it may be time to seek professional help.

"Parents need to know the signs to look for, so that they know when it's time to bring their child to a professional for an evaluation and possibly treatment," says Saltz.

They also need to communicate with educators when they think their child needs more help, attention, tools, and support.

Additionally, says Saltz, parents need to know when they may need extra help. "It's hard to help your child with anxiety if you yourself have an anxiety disorder," she says.

Here are common signs of stress:

feelings of irritation and anger

lack of motivation

feeling overwhelmed

nervousness or anxiousness

trouble sleeping

sadness or depression

trouble concentrating

worsening of chronic health problems or mental health conditions

changes in appetite

increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other substances

headaches, body pains, and stomach or digestive issues

It's normal to experience temporary stress. But if you or your child are experiencing extended periods of stress symptoms, it may be a sign that stress is not being properly managed.

Start with your doctor or your child's doctor. They may want to check for physical signs of stress or other health conditions. Ask about a referral to a counselor or therapist. Here are some resources that may help:

We all deal with stress. But knowing how to identify and manage it can help reduce the negative effects and keep you and your child healthy throughout the school year. By taking time for self-care, eating right, exercising, practicing deep breathing, reaching out to friends and family, and asking for help, you can get a handle on daily stressors.

If these interventions are not working and you feel like your stress or your child's stress levels are getting too high, it's time to call a doctor. They can help determine if a referral to a mental healthcare professional is needed.

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How to Manage Stress During the School Year

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While still dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, back-to-school stress is higher than ever. Learn how adults and students can use stress-fighting skills to face this year head on.

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