# data[].attributes.body
Anxiety disorders that might affect education and academic success.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Teachers Should Know

Anxiety disorders cause people to feel frightened, distressed, or uneasy during situations in which most people would not feel that way. Left untreated, anxiety disorders can make it hard for students to get schoolwork done or study. It may affect their relationships with peers and teachers, too. In some cases, students with anxiety disorders miss a lot of school days. Or they may avoid school altogether.

Common anxiety disorders that affect kids and teens are:

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). With GAD, children have many worries and worry much of the time. They may also have physical symptoms, like headaches, stomachaches, muscle tension, or tiredness.

Phobias. A phobia is an intense, unrealistic fear of a specific thing. Some kids have a phobia of dogs. Others have a phobia of spiders or snakes. A child with a phobia will go to great lengths to avoid the thing they fear.

Social anxiety. Kids and teens with social phobia have an intense fear of being judged. It affects them in social or other situations. They will avoid situations where they may have to meet new people or perform.

Selective mutism. Some students are too fearful to talk at all in certain situations. Kids and teens with selective mutism are able to talk in their homes with their family, but are too fearful to talk in many situations outside their homes (like in school) or with people other than close friends. They may whisper or use gestures to communicate.

Panic disorder. Some students have panic attacks, a sudden and intense episode of fear. They can include physical symptoms like a pounding heart, shortness of breath, or dizziness. Panic attacks can happen unexpectedly.

Separation anxiety. It's normal for babies and very young children to have some separation anxiety when they are apart from a parent or caregiver. But when separation anxiety lasts beyond the early school age years, students may have trouble coming to school or even going to friends' houses. They have a hard time separating from their caregivers.

Students with anxiety disorders may show symptoms that fit into one or more of these categories:

have trouble concentrating in class or completing classwork

feel self-conscious and avoid certain situations

have physical symptoms, such as a racing heart, fast breathing, tense muscles, sweaty palms, a queasy stomach, and trembling hands or legs

take medication to help reduce anxiety

may need to work with a school counselor or therapist

What Teachers Can Do

Teachers can help students by:

talking with parents to learn more about the student and how you can best support them

allowing students extra time to do work

learning how to coach students to self-calm with breathing and other relaxation techniques

giving them daily schedules

modifying assignments and reducing workloads when necessary

promoting relaxation techniques and allowing for breaks throughout the day

supporting parents in helping kids get to school, even if it means arriving late or adapting class schedules

allowing them a safe space and ability to go speak with a counselor, if needed

easing anxiety in the classroom by pairing with a peer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Anxiety Disorders Factsheet (for Schools)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What teachers should know about anxiety disorders, and how to help students in the classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
My Favorite Failure #1-Procrastination

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We've all been there: The deadline is looming, but instead of focusing on the task at hand, you find yourself scrolling through social media, binge-watching a new series, or - let's be honest - doing absolutely anything other than what you're supposed to be doing. This phenomenon, commonly known as procrastination, affects nearly everyone at some point in their lives. But why does it happen? And more importantly, how can we conquer it?

In this article, we'll explore the hidden psychology behind procrastination, uncover why our brains are wired to put things off, and discuss effective ways to outsmart our own tendencies. Let's dive in.

The Brain Science of Procrastination
Contrary to popular belief, procrastination isn't a sign of laziness or poor time management. It's rooted in our biology. The human brain has two major systems that control our behavior: the limbic system, which handles immediate emotional responses, and the prefrontal cortex, responsible for long-term planning and decision-making. When these two clash, procrastination happens.

The Limbic System vs. The Prefrontal Cortex
The limbic system is all about instant gratification. It pushes you towards easy, pleasurable tasks - like watching YouTube videos - instead of challenging ones. On the other hand, the prefrontal cortex is the 'logical' part of the brain. It's the one saying, "You really should be working on that project right now."

Why Your Brain Wants You to Fail
The term 'fail' might seem a bit strong, but when it comes to procrastination, your limbic system certainly isn't doing you any favors. This part of the brain has been hardwired through millions of years of evolution to prioritize immediate survival and pleasure over long-term success. It's not about making you fail per se, but it certainly doesn't consider your long-term goals.

The Four Triggers of Procrastination
Fear of Failure: When the stakes are high, the fear of failing can be paralyzing.
Overwhelm: Large, complex tasks can seem insurmountable, leading to procrastination.
Lack of Immediate Reward: Tasks that don't offer immediate gratification often get pushed aside.
Perfectionism: The desire to do something perfectly can cause you to put off even starting.
How to Outsmart Your Brain
Break It Down
Divide larger tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks. Your brain finds it easier to tackle tasks that seem achievable, reducing the stress and overwhelm that triggers procrastination.

Set Mini-Deadlines
Imposing mini-deadlines can trick your brain into taking action. The limbic system, tuned to immediate consequences, will take these deadlines seriously.

Reward Yourself
Attach small rewards to mini-milestones. These can be as simple as a 5-minute break or a piece of chocolate. This hacks into your limbic system's love for instant gratification.

Limit Distractions
There are tools and apps that can block distracting websites during your work hours. When distractions are out of sight, they become out of mind, making it easier for your prefrontal cortex to take the reins.

Make it Public
Announce your goal and your deadline to someone you respect. The added pressure can act as a motivator, prompting your prefrontal cortex to kick into high gear.

Conclusion
Procrastination isn't about being lazy or unproductive; it's about understanding the internal battle between different parts of your brain. By recognizing the triggers and implementing strategies that play to the strengths and weaknesses of your own brain's architecture, you can master the art of getting things done.

So the next time you find yourself putting off important tasks, remember: you're not failing, you're just human. And being human means having the ability to outsmart even our most puzzling tendencies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Hidden Psychology of Procrastination: Why Your Brain Wants You to Fail and How to Outsmart It

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We've all been there: The deadline is looming, but instead of focusing on the task at hand, you find yourself scrolling through social media, binge-watching a new series, or - let's be honest - doing...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Key points

Different types of procrastination require different interventions.

Nervous system regulation is key to changing habits.

Who amongst us hasn't had the experience of knowing what we should do to feel better yet continuing to do the exact opposite? If you're like most people, you probably have plenty of experience with procrastination. You might even be reading this post to avoid something you really need to be doing.

Most people learned to view procrastination as laziness, lack of motivation, or character weakness. The good news? There's a reason you keep falling into the abyss between good intentions and successful outcomes-and it isn't what you think.

What's Really Going on with Procrastination

Procrastination is not solely a mindset process. While your mind does impact your mood and choices, you might be surprised to learn that procrastination is first and foremost a physiological process. Procrastination is what happens when your brain perceives a real or imagined threat.

At this point, you might be wondering, "Why is my brain perceiving a threat when clearly and logically I'm totally fine?"

In a fight between your mind's logic and your brain's survival functions, the brain usually wins. If your brain feels unsafe for any reason, including stress, overwhelm, burnout, or trauma, your autonomic nervous system will deploy a fight/flight/freeze response. These physiological survival responses (which serve us well when we are in danger) often get mislabeled as procrastination or laziness.

This is usually the point where people say, "Wait a second... this sounds like an excuse."

Awareness of procrastination as a function of your nervous system does not excuse inertia; it explains it. Explanation is not a synonym for excuse. Understanding the physiology behind your habits is key to sustaining long-term habit change. To break through procrastination, it helps to know that there are two types.

2 Types of Procrastination

The two types of procrastination are parasympathetic nervous system procrastination (PNSP) and sympathetic nervous system procrastination (SNSP). Part of the reason you might be stuck trying to jump the intention-action gap is that each type of procrastination requires a different set of interventions.

1. Your parasympathetic nervous system is the brake pedal of your body. You need it to slow you down, relax, and digest your food. But if your parasympathetic nervous system perceives danger, you might feel exhaustion, muscle fatigue, glued to your screen, locked on your couch, sluggish, and forgetful. You may feel a sense of heaviness or dread, and you may struggle to make decisions. This is known as a Parasympathetic nervous system procrastination. freeze response. The solution to a freeze response is to up-regulate. Up-regulation techniques include letting your eyes slowly wander around a room, gentle stretching, and accessing anger in a safe and contained way.

2. Your sympathetic nervous system is the gas pedal of your body. You need it to feel energized, to mobilize, and to get out of bed when it's cold. When your sympathetic nervous system perceives a threat, you might experience racing thoughts, "productive procrastination" (aka doing everything on your list except the one thing you Sympathetic nervous system procrastination. really need to be doing), not being able to relax, restlessness, irritability, and elevated heart rate. This is known as a fight-or-flight response. The solution to a fight/flight response is to down-regulate. Down-regulation techniques include jumping, pushing or pulling, laying on the ground, and making extended eye contact with someone you trust.

What if I Don't Feel Like Doing This?

Fortunately, you don't need to feel motivated for down-regulation and up-regulation techniques to work. Motivation is the consequence of emotional regulation, not the antecedent. Don't beat yourself up if you "don't feel like" doing something-and don't wait until you feel motivated to take action. A micro-yes that moves you forward is preferable to a macro step untaken.

So, forget motivation-and do this instead: When you want to get moving, don't berate yourself. Shaming self-talk produces stress hormones which will further aggravate your body's threat response.

Instead, ask yourself if you're stuck in a sympathetic (gas pedal) or parasympathetic (brake pedal) response. Then follow these three steps.

1. Say to yourself (preferably out loud), "There is nothing wrong with me. I'm stuck because my nervous system is trying to help me."

2. Pick the easiest of the three and do it.

Do:
Procrastination Essential Reads

Disclaimer: There are no biohacks, emotional regulation tricks, or coping skills of any kind that will make an unsafe situation safe. Sometimes when "doing the work" doesn't work, it isn't because you aren't trying hard enough; it's because you aren't safe enough. Always check with a medical doctor to rule out any medical origins of a symptom before attempting a psychological intervention.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Feeling Stuck? 2 Types of Procrastination

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Coping With End of Semester Burnout

Close to the end of the semester, we sometimes (usually) begin to feel burnt out. We feel exhausted, drained, and so tired of doing any schoolwork. We feel unmotivated, guilty, and frustrated. We find ourselves using phrases like "I don't even care anymore", and we cannot WAIT for our last exam to be over. Burnout is a very common issue amongst students, and it makes it difficult to finish the semester in a way that we would want to. This is why it is important to learn how we can cope with send of semester burnout and prevent further burnout.

Recognize Burnout

Part of coping with burnout is being able to recognize it; knowing what it looks like and feels like. Burnout is when we are under chronic stress for a prolonged period of time that causes physical, emotional and cognitive exhaustion. The chronic stress can be because of school, work, or other things going on in our lives (like COVID; more on this later).

Some Signs of Burnout:
Every person has a different experience of burnout, so it is important for you to recognize your unique experience of burnout so you know when to intervene.

The Importance of Self-Care/Rest/Fun/Sleep

When we are super busy with school, we forget to do activities that help us feel rested and relaxed. Think of our energy supplies like a river. The river drains out into a lake, and is fed by small springs. It needs input for there to be output. If we are constantly draining our river with school, work, and other obligations, then our river will run dry. We need to make sure that we are both feeding our river, as well as balancing the amount of water coming in with the water coming out.

It is important for us to identify the things that give us energy, personally. Some of the things that can feed our river are rest, fun, spending time with loved ones, and self-care. Self-care is anything that helps nourish our minds, bodies and soul. It does not have to be an expensive face mask, bath bomb, or spa day. It can be those things, but it can also be boundary setting with friends and family, alone time, eating grilled cheese in bed, a yoga practice, going for a run, spending time in nature, showering for the first time in days, doing laundry, or making cookies and eating most of the dough. Summed up, self-care is doing things that helps feed our river.

Sleep is also incredibly important in feeding our river. We need to make sure that we are having enough, quality sleep. Sleep is important in stress reduction, balancing our hormones, for cognitive function, and for overall physical health.

How To Improve Your Sleep:

Bare Bones

We become burnt out when we give and do more faster than we are able to replenish or own stores of energy and resources that we need for our own well-being. This usually means that we need to start to take things off of our plate to make more room for the things that we need to replenish our energy (e.g., rest, doing fun things, relaxing, etc.). We need to take everything off our plates that we do not need and do only what we absolutely need to. For example, maybe you need to forgo cleaning for a week or two if having that on your plate is too much.

Time Management

Practising good time management will be helpful in making the essential school items on your "plate" easier to handle.
Doing a "Work Back"
One way you can practise time management, is to do a "work back" (the name I've invented for this tool). A Work Back is a way of scheduling assignments and studying material in a way that alleviates stress and allows for more rest and self-care.
"Chunking" Your Work
One way to be more efficient with school work is to break up your tasks into content-based tasks, versus time-based tasks. For example, "I am going to complete this chapter of biochem today" versus "I am going to study biochem for 2 hours today". This motivates us to be more efficient with our time to get that "chunk" of work done.
Complete Your Chunks in Time Chunks
Once you have assigned a "chunk" of content, you can complete that entire chunk in "chunks" of time. We are generally more efficient when we are able to take regular breaks. Set a timer for 25 minutes, put your phone away on silent, and then take a 5 minute break. Do this a couple of times before taking a longer break. Do this until the "chunk" of work is complete!

Here For a Short-time, Not a Long Time

An important thing to remember with the end of the semester, is that it will end shortly. As much as it sucks, and it is hard, it is here only for a short-time. Sometimes holding that in our awareness often can make it easier to get through the last couple weeks of the semester.

Role of COVID

As a psychotherapist who works with many students, I have been noticing that students have been more burnt out this year than normal. COVID has made burnout more prevalent amongst students, and more difficult to deal with. COVID has been such a difficult time for so many people, and has caused feelings of burnout in the general population, but it has also heightened and contributed to the end of the semester burnout in students. It is important for you to remember that this is a really difficult time for you as a student, and it is okay if you might be feeling more burnt out than normal. Be gentle with yourself as much as possible during this time. Speaking kindly and gently to ourselves, like you would to a friend or a loved-one, when we are having a hard time can make the world of a difference!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Katherine Schmidt, RP #8442 is a Registered Psychotherapist at MyLife Counselling in Guelph. She works with individuals 18yrs and up through anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and grief. Learn more about Katherine here. Coping With End of Semester Burnout Close to the end of the semester, we sometimes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A note on terminology: The academy uses a number of possible terms for the concept of learning goals, including course goals, course outcomes, learning outcomes, learning objectives, and more, with fine distinctions among them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Writing Effective Learning Goals - Center for Teaching and Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Oftentimes when instructors are developing courses, they start by thinking about a reading list or a list of topics to lecture on. This is considered a forward-thinking process of designing a course. By contrast, Wiggins and McTighe (2005) recommend a backward design approach that encourages you to consider your outcomes [...]

# data[].attributes.body
Scroll down the page a bit to see info about No Red Ink.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
NoRedInk simplifies the process of building strong writers and critical thinkers.

Why NoRedInk?

Practice

Practice exercises help students target and master key writing and grammar skills. These hands-on exercises use a variety of question types to guide students from the sentence level to the paragraph level to the passage level. Students get to drag and drop punctuation, restructure sentences, highlight claims, evidence, and reasoning, and more. Because Practice is adaptive, students see hints, lessons, and extra questions when they're struggling and see more challenging questions when they get things right.

Quick Writes

Quick Writes provide a lightweight way to get students writing frequently. NoRedInk's collection of Quick Writes features skill-building prompts, text-based prompts, novel analysis prompts, and prompts that get students writing about everything from fun hypothetical scenarios to their fondest personal memories. Quick Writes help teachers achieve a range of objectives, including developing specific writing skills, building writing fluency and stamina, and assessing understanding of course content.

Guided Drafts

Guided Drafts provide scaffolding to students throughout the writing process, freeing up teachers to deliver individualized support where it's needed most. As students work on their essays, they're reminded of important concepts and have access to genre-specific lessons, tutorials, and exemplars that help them grow as writers. NoRedInk's Guided Draft prompts span more than 10 genres, from Narrative and Expository to Persuasive and Literary Analysis.

Teachers use NoRedInk to . . .

Self Review & Peer Review

Self Review and Peer Review activities emphasize the importance of revision in the writing process. During Self Review, students answer a series of questions on the substantive content of their essays, then make revisions based on their self-assessments with the support of exemplars and tips. Mastery-based Peer Review guides students through providing meaningful, actionable feedback on each other's work.

Assessment

NoRedInk gives educators access to formative and summative assessment tools that help them identify student strengths and areas for improvement and track skills growth. Planning Diagnostics and Unit Diagnostics help teachers gauge student skills at the start of a new semester or unit and decide where to focus their instruction. After a cycle of instruction, practice, and feedback, Growth Quizzes offer detailed insight into how students have progressed.

Take student writing to the next level with NoRedInk Premium

Premium gives schools full access to NoRedInk's writing curriculum and guided composition tools.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Unlock Every Writer's Potential | NoRedInk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
NoRedInk simplifies the process of building strong writers and critical thinkers. Why NoRedInk? Practice exercises help students target and master key writing and grammar skills. These hands-on exercises use a variety of question types to guide students from the sentence level to the paragraph level to the passage level.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
About Us The purpose of The Winston Grammar Program is to help students understand the structure of language and comprehend the principles of traditional grammar. The Winston Program uses innovative means to achieve conventional ends. It does away with the traditional grammar textbook, lecture approach, and heavy emphasis on memorization.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How is it Treated?

Auditory Processing Disorder is relatively rare - with only about 3-4 percent of the population truly having APD - and is not always fully understood.

Currently, APD is recognized as a "specific learning disability" under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This qualifies a student for reasonable services and accommodations at school if they have been diagnosed with APD by an audiologist.

Following a diagnosis of APD, a customized list of recommendations to best help the child succeed is created by the audiologist and provided to the child's family and school for consideration. Each child and diagnosis is different, so careful attention is taken to ensure that the child's individual needs are met appropriately.

Some examples of recommendations include:

Specific and strategic seating arrangements in class

A device to help raise the level of the teachers voice above the classroom noise, called an FM system

Written or picture-based instructions to accompany verbally presented instructions

Specific focus on auditory processing skills in a therapy setting

Can it be Cured?

The areas of the brain responsible for auditory processing abilities continue to grow and develop throughout childhood until around age 13, when the auditory system is considered to be more mature and adult-like.

Due to this gradual maturation, it is possible that a child who was diagnosed with APD before age 13 could essentially "grow out" of APD. Additionally, a child's auditory processing skills may also improve if he or she is receiving therapy for APD.

For these reasons, it is recommended that children diagnosed with APD before age 13 be re-tested every 1-2 years until after their 13 th birthday to monitor for any changes or improvements with their auditory processing skills.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), also referred to as Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), is a disorder of the auditory (hearing) system that causes a disruption in the way that an individual's brain understands what they are hearing. It is not a form of hearing loss.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Share This: `

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading. Students with dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words. Dyslexia affects individuals throughout their lives; however, its impact can change at different stages in a person's life. It is referred to as a learning disability because dyslexia can make it very difficult for a student to succeed academically in the typical instructional environment, and in its more severe forms, will qualify a student for special education, special accommodations, or extra support services.

What causes dyslexia?

The exact causes of dyslexia are still not completely clear, but anatomical and brain imagery studies show differences in the way the brain of a person with dyslexia develops and functions. Moreover, most people with dyslexia have been found to have problems with identifying the separate speech sounds within a word and/or learning how letters represent those sounds, a key factor in their reading difficulties. Dyslexia is not due to either lack of intelligence or desire to learn; with appropriate teaching methods, students with dyslexia can learn successfully.

How widespread is dyslexia?

About 13-14% of the school population nationwide has a handicapping condition that qualifies them for special education. Current studies indicate that one half of all the students who qualify for special education are classified as having a learning disability (LD) (6-7%). About 85% of those students have a primary learning disability in reading and language processing. Nevertheless, many more people- perhaps as many as 15-20% of the population as a whole-have some of the symptoms of dyslexia, including slow or inaccurate reading, poor spelling, poor writing, or mixing up similar words. Not all of these will qualify for special education, but they are likely to struggle with many aspects of academic learning and are likely to benefit from systematic, explicit, instruction in reading, writing, and language.

Dyslexia occurs in people of all backgrounds and intellectual levels. People with dyslexia can be very bright. They are often capable or even gifted in areas such as art, computer science, design, drama, electronics, math, mechanics, music, physics, sales, and sports.

In addition, dyslexia runs in families; parents with dyslexia are very likely to have children with dyslexia. For some people, their dyslexia is identified early in their lives, but for others, their dyslexia goes unidentified until they get older.

What are the effects of dyslexia?

The impact that dyslexia has is different for each person and depends on the severity of the condition and the effectiveness of instruction or remediation. The core difficulty is with word recognition and reading fluency, spelling, and writing. Some individuals with dyslexia manage to learn early reading and spelling tasks, especially with excellent instruction, but later experience their most debilitating problems when more complex language skills are required, such as grammar, understanding textbook material, and writing essays.

People with dyslexia can also have problems with spoken language, even after they have been exposed to good language models in their homes and good language instruction in school. They may find it difficult to express themselves clearly, or to fully comprehend what others mean when they speak. Such language problems are often difficult to recognize, but they can lead to major problems in school, in the workplace, and in relating to other people. The effects of dyslexia reach well beyond the classroom.

Dyslexia can also affect a person's self-image. Students with dyslexia often end up feeling "dumb" and less capable than they actually are. After experiencing a great deal of stress due to academic problems, a student may become discouraged about continuing in school.

How is dyslexia diagnosed?

Before referring a student for a comprehensive evaluation, a school or district may choose to track a student's progress with a brief screening test and identify whether the student is progressing at a "benchmark" level that predicts success in reading. If a student is below that benchmark (which is equivalent to about the 40th percentile nationally), the school may immediately deliver intensive and individualized supplemental reading instruction before determining whether the student needs a comprehensive evaluation that would lead to a designation of special education eligibility. Some students simply need more structured and systematic instruction to get back on track; they do not have learning disabilities. For those students and even for those with dyslexia, putting the emphasis on preventive or early intervention makes sense. There is no benefit to the child if special instruction is delayed for months while waiting for an involved testing process to occur. These practices of teaching first, and then determining who needs diagnostic testing based on response to instruction, are encouraged by federal policies known as Response to Intervention (RTI). Parents should know, however, that at any point they have the right to request a comprehensive evaluation under the IDEA law, whether or not the student is receiving instruction under an RTI model.

A comprehensive evaluation typically includes intellectual and academic achievement testing, as well as an assessment of the critical underlying language skills that are closely linked to dyslexia. These include receptive (listening) and expressive language skills, phonological skills including phonemic awareness, and also a student's ability to rapidly name letters and numbers. A student's ability to read lists of words in isolation, as well as words in context, should also be assessed. If a profile emerges that is characteristic of readers with dyslexia, an individualized intervention plan should be developed, which should include appropriate accommodations, such as extended time. The testing can be conducted by trained school or outside specialists. (See the Dyslexia Assessment Fact Sheet for more information.)

What are the signs of dyslexia?

The problems displayed by individuals with dyslexia involve difficulties in acquiring and using written language. It is a myth that individuals with dyslexia "read backwards," although spelling can look quite jumbled at times because students have trouble remembering letter symbols for sounds and forming memories for words. Other problems experienced by people with dyslexia include the following:

Learning to speak

Learning letters and their sounds

Organizing written and spoken language

Memorizing number facts

Reading quickly enough to comprehend

Persisting with and comprehending longer reading assignments

Spelling

Learning a foreign language

Correctly doing math operations

Not all students who have difficulties with these skills have dyslexia. Formal testing of reading, language, and writing skills is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of suspected dyslexia.

How is dyslexia treated?

Dyslexia is a lifelong condition. With proper help, many people with dyslexia can learn to read and write well. Early identification and treatment is the key to helping individuals with dyslexia achieve in school and in life. Most people with dyslexia need help from a teacher, tutor, or therapist specially trained in using a multisensory, structured language approach. It is important for these individuals to be taught by a systematic and explicit method that involves several senses (hearing, seeing, touching) at the same time. Many individuals with dyslexia need one-on-one help so that they can move forward at their own pace. In addition, students with dyslexia often need a great deal of structured practice and immediate, corrective feedback to develop automatic word recognition skills. For students with dyslexia, it is helpful if their outside academic therapists work closely with classroom teachers.

Schools can implement academic accommodations and modifications to help students with dyslexia succeed. For example, a student with dyslexia can be given extra time to complete tasks, help with taking notes, and work assignments that are modified appropriately. Teachers can give recorded tests or allow students with dyslexia to use alternative means of assessment.

Students can benefit from listening to audiobooks and using text reading and word processing computer programs. Students may also need help with emotional issues that sometimes arise as a consequence of difficulties in school. Mental health specialists can help students cope with their struggles.

What are the rights of a person with dyslexia?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) define the rights of students with dyslexia and other specific learning disabilities. These individuals are legally entitled to special services to help them overcome and accommodate their learning problems. Such services include education programs designed to meet the needs of these students. The Acts also protect people with dyslexia against unfair and illegal discrimination.

Suggested Readings

Moats, L. C., & Dakin, K. E. (2008). Basic facts about dyslexia and other reading problems. Baltimore: The International Dyslexia Association.

Shaywitz, S. (2003). Overcoming dyslexia: A new and complete science-based program for reading problems at any level. New York: Knopf.
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) thanks Louisa C. Moats, Ed.D., and Karen E. Dakin, M.Ed., for their assistance in the preparation of this fact sheet.
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA). IDA encourages the reproduction and distribution of this fact sheet.

If portions of the text are cited, appropriate reference must be made. Fact sheets may not be reprinted for the purpose of resale.
© Copyright 2020. The International Dyslexia Association (IDA). For copyright information, please click here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dyslexia Basics - International Dyslexia Association

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Mental health problems can affect many areas of students' lives, reducing their quality of life, academic achievement, physical health, and satisfaction with the college experience, and negatively impacting relationships with friends and family members. These issues can also have long-term consequences for students, affecting their future employment, earning potential, and overall health. ¹

Consequences for the Student

Mental health problems can affect a student's energy level, concentration, dependability, mental ability, and optimism, hindering performance. 2 Research suggests that depression is associated with lower grade point averages, and that co-occurring depression and anxiety can increase this association. ² Depression has also been linked to dropping out of school. ²

Many college students report that mental health difficulties interfere with their studies. On the American College Health Association 2015 survey, college students identified the following mental health issues as negatively impacting their academic performance within the last 12 months: ³

Stress (30% of students)

Anxiety (22%)

Sleep difficulties (20%)

Depression (14%)

Consequences for Others

Peers, family members, faculty, and staff may be personally affected out of concern for these students.

Depression and anxiety can have harmful effects on relationships and work productivity.

Suicide and suicidal thoughts can affect the larger campus community.

Roommates, peers, faculty, and staff also experience profound grief over student suicides and suicidal behavior.

Consequences for Campuses

Campuses feel the burden when students with mental health difficulties do poorly on course work and drop out of school.

Colleges and universities must be prepared to address the psychological impact of suicides on other students, as well as on teachers and staff.⁴

Poor student retention can mean losses in tuition, fees, and alumni donations.

Consequences for Communities and the Larger Society

The community is negatively affected when students are unable to finish their degrees and contribute valuable skills in a competitive job market.

One study found that five percent of students do not finish their education due to psychiatric disorders and estimated that 4.29 million people would have graduated from college had they not been experiencing such disorders.⁵

References

1. Eisenberg, D., Gollust, S. E., Golberstein, E., & Hefner, J. L. (2007). Prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality among university students. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77(4), 534-542.

2. Eisenberg, D., Downs, M., & Golberstein, S. (2009). Stigma and help-seeking for mental health among college students. Medical Care Research and Review, 66(5), 522-541.

3. American College Health Association. (2015). National College Health Assessment II: Spring 2015 reference group executive summary. Hanover, MD: Author. Retrieved from http://www.acha-ncha.org/reports_ACHA-NCHAII.html.

4. Meilman, P. W., & Hall, T. M. (2006). Aftermath of tragic events: The development and use of community support meetings on a university campus. Journal of American College Health, 54(6), 382-384.

5. Kessler, R. C., Foster, C. L., Saunders, W. B., & Stang, P. E. (1995). Social consequences of psychiatric disorders, I: Educational attainment. American Journal of Psychiatry, 152(7), 1026-1032.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Consequences of Student Mental Health Issues

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mental health problems can affect many areas of students' lives, reducing their quality of life, academic achievement, physical health, and satisfaction with the college experience, and negatively impacting relationships with friends and family members. These issues can also have long-term consequences for students, affecting their future employment, earning potential, and overall health.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Inconsistent Academic Results Can be a Sign of Mental Health Issues

These disorders can also lead to inconsistent academic results. For example, a student may produce incredible work one day and barely be able to complete a single task the next. This unpredictable behavior is a prevalent sign that anxiety or depression might be present. The inconsistency of these disorders can leave students feeling frustrated and teachers confused and unsure how to approach the situation.

When students are depressed or are dealing with anxiety, they are more likely to disengage in the classroom.

This can cause them to participate in behaviors that will allow them to avoid certain events and situations. For example, missing class or going to the nurse during a quiz or presentation are a few ways students may demonstrate an anxiety disorder.

Teachers have to be prepared and know which signs to look for so that they can determine what is really going on with the student and how they can best help them.

Missing Class Can be a Sign of Anxiety

These disorders can also lead to school refusal, or school phobia. This is when a student's anxiety or depression is so severe that they begin avoiding going to school at all. This can begin with missing class, going home early and staying home, but eventually can lead to school drop out. The Centre for Emotional Health at Macquarie University states that 49% of adults with anxiety reported leaving school early and 24% claimed that anxiety was the primary reason for them leaving.

The negative impact anxiety and depression have on students' academic performance doesn't just hurt them and their families, but it has consequences for the economy and society as a whole because they are not receiving a proper education.

Risks That Can't be Ignored

When anxiety and depression are not identified and properly addressed there are long-term risks for students.

A student dealing with one of these disorders can experience negative effects on their attention, interpretation, concentration, memory, social interaction and physical health.

All of these factors play a key role in each student's academic success and achievement. A child who has anxiety is more likely to focus their attention on things that they perceive to be a possible threat rather than focusing on what is important, like learning in the classroom. Individuals will also interpret everyday situations as dangerous or threatening and will often assume the worst case scenario.

When someone is experiencing anxiety or depression the majority of their mental capacity is used to create and process worrisome thoughts. This can make it extremely difficult to focus on positive thoughts and can be very exhausting for the student, which detracts from their learning abilities.

Not only do these disorders impact memory, which makes it hard for students to recall information, but they can also have negative effects on how students engage in social situations. Often, students with anxiety or depression will avoid interactions with their peers and will perceive neutral situations as threats. This, in turn, makes others uncomfortable and results in the student feeling lonely, outcast and increases anxiety and depression.

Physical symptoms like headache, fatigue, nausea and unexplained illness are also risks of untreated anxiety and depression. Children with these disorders have a higher resting heart rate, higher blood pressure, higher cortisol levels and they carry more tension in the body. These physical effects often lead to missed school days causing the child to fall behind.

Dealing with undiagnosed depression or anxiety can result in students feeling like they are constantly missing out on opportunities and this can lead to substance abuse, conduct problems, further mental health problems and even suicide.

Currently, suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. Heather Morgan, a crisis line manager for Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services Suicide Prevention Center says, "We receive calls from college students daily. Since people go through different traumatic events in life; calls, texts and chats can range from relationship issues, LGBTQI questions or concerns, financial, and family issues or concerns - to name a few."

The negative impact of anxiety and depression on student's academic progress and overall well-being is very clear. Early anxiety disorders typically predict adult anxiety disorders making it crucial to address them early on. 85% of depressed adolescents have a history of having anxiety as a child. If these issues can be identified early on while the child is in school there is a better chance for treatment and preventative care so that the above consequences can be avoided.
Teachers and Schools Need to be Prepared
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents have the right to request appropriate accommodations related to their child's diagnosis. Teachers and school staff need to be able to respond effectively and know which accommodations to provide for each student.
Mental health training is crucial in schools, especially for teachers, who are interacting with students on a daily basis and have many opportunities to observe behavior and reach out.
A mental health training program will prepare teachers and staff to look for discreet signs that may indicate disorders like anxiety. These signs include increased inflexibility, over-reactivity, emotional intensity, impulsivity, acting out or escaping to avoid a situation. Very often a student may go to the nurse during a quiz or get kicked out of class on purpose. Teachers may interpret the child as simply being a troublemaker or slacking off, when in reality, they are feeling intense anxiety and are trying to protect themselves.

There's a reason anxiety and depression are referred to as invisible diseases. It can be very difficult to identify these disorders in students unless teachers have a deep understanding of them and know exactly what to look for. Training is necessary because the best way to improve these conditions are to address them as soon as possible.

Isabel, a school superintendent in California says, "In most schools mental health certification is reserved for a social worker or guidance counselor. Yet 99.9% of student contact time everyday is with a teacher, bus driver or coach. Our number one priority should be to train and equip our front line staff to deal with this crisis."

Teachers and classroom staff are on the front lines of helping students seek proper treatment and receive an education in a safe, comfortable environment. When school staff and teachers are properly trained they are able to effectively address anxiety and depression among their students and create a better learning environment that will produce higher academic outcomes.
Student Mental Health Training and Certification
IBCCES and their board of experts , including international leaders in the educational field, Tier 1 University researchers, master educators, and clinical professionals, have designed a Student Mental Health Specialist (SMHS) training and Student Mental Health Certificate (SMHC) certification . 81% of teens with anxiety responded positively to teacher intervention and 71% of students with depression had higher test results after teacher engagement.

The purpose of the SMHS and SMHC training and certification is to prepare teachers and other school staff to provide support for students in the classroom while monitoring changes in student behavior and understanding common disorders or mental health concerns. The IBCCES program is unique because it combines training with independently verifiable certification, providing schools with the resources they need to support students and parents to enhance learning opportunities and the overall school atmosphere.

Benefits of the SMHS and SMHC program include:

Access to relevant strategies that can be implemented immediately

Best practices and latest research in anxiety and mental health disorders

Confidence to handle stressful situations and approach students with useful tools

Ability to improve learning for students and produce better academic results

Credibility and recognition for the staff and school

Ability to create a sense of security in the classroom.

Take the First Step
The SMHS and SMHC program consists of a convenient six step process that can be completed online.

There is no reason why teachers and school staff have to continue feeling unprepared and student anxiety and depression has to continue going unnoticed and unaddressed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Impact of Anxiety and Depression on Student Academic Progress

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These disorders can also lead to inconsistent academic results. For example, a student may produce incredible work one day and barely be able to complete a single task the next. This unpredictable behavior is a prevalent sign that anxiety or depression might be present.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Questioning how divorce affects children's education often leads us to examine specific indicators of academic performance. In this section, we delve deeper into how divorce can influence a child's grades, school attendance and prospects for higher education.

Research indicates that children's academic performance typically suffers following a divorce [ ]. This is likely a combination of factors previously mentioned, from emotional distress and decreased concentration to changes in living arrangements and potential school switches. Below, we'll show how these factors translate into academic performance.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Does Divorce Affect Children's Education? A Closer Look

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Divorce's effects on children's education are numerous. Just how does divorce affect children's education? Join us for a closer look at the various effects of divorce on children's education and the ways we can lessen the impact.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Don Olund - Helping couples and families connect Hinsdale, IL

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Couples in broken marriages want out, but what often keeps them in is fear over how divorce may impact their kids. "Our marriage is broken but do we want to break up the family?" So they work hard to repair the marriage. In some cases too much damage is done and it cannot be fixed. Divorce is imminent. Now the concern is: "How do we do this and minimize harm inflicted upon the kids?" The answer is perspective.

Divorcing couples need a shift in perspective

Don't look at the transition purely from an adult lens. See divorce through the eyes of your child.

7 Kid-safety rules for divorce

These rules make sense from a kid's perspective and should guide adult behavior. The 7 rules are an acronym spelling DIVORCE.

#1:Don't put your kids in the middle

Kids face enough pressure adjusting to divorce, don't add to it by putting them in the middle. Here are 3 "no-no" behaviors:

#2: Interfering in their relationship with the other parent is off limits

Consider it a crime against your child's human right. Interfering is psychologically harmful and in some cases abusive. It can take the form of weaponizing your child to harm your ex. Be careful, i t can come back and bite you in the butt when your kids are older and understand what you've done.

#3: Venting feelings is for kids only

Kids need to process their reactions to the divorce. Give them the freedom to vent without judgment or guilt. If their angry at your ex-spouse, don't encourage it. Simply validate it. Make them feel safe to be angry at you too. Do not vent your feelings about your ex to your kids. You can talk in general about how divorce is hard but don't seize the opportunity to unload negative sentiment you have toward your ex on your kids. Find another outlet to vent your feelings. [Tweet "Kids need to process their reactions to the divorce. Give them the freedom to vent without judgment or guilt."]

#4: Operate better as co-parents than you did as spouses for their sake

You may be relieved you're out of your marriage but you are not out of your obligation to parent together. Your kids need you to function respectfully as a team It's time to put on your adult pants and work together. If it is hard perhaps you can get coaching from a family counselor. If your ex-spouse is unwilling to participate then operate from this position -

"For the sake of our kids, I will operate respectfully and peacefully. I will not engage in uncivil conduct toward the other parent."

#5: Reassure your kids that the divorce is not their fault

Kids may mistakenly assume it is their fault that the divorce happened. Reassure them that decision to divorce was a marriage problem, not a child-problem.

#6:Civility is standard behavior in front of the kids at all times

One of the most psychologically and emotionally damaging effect on kids is parents who are uncivil toward each other in front of the kids or in public settings. Make child transitions peaceable for their sake. Do not allow them to be caught in the crossfire of angry sentiment. Compose yourself.

#7: Encourage the relationship between your kids and your ex-spouse

You divorced each other. Your kids did not divorce anyone. Consequently, their relationship with both parents must remain intact post-divorce. Here are some things you can do to encourage their relationship with your ex-spouse:

1. Make the transition positive. "Today dad is looking forward to take you to his house for the weekend. I hope you have a great time!"

2. Speak positively about the other parent. "Mom packed your favorite stuff animal. Mom always does cool stuff like that!"

3. Encourage your ex-spouse in their relationship with your kid(s). "You're a great parent to our kids."

4. Remember to take a positive approach when a new mate or step-parent is introduced into your kid's dual family.

Now it's your turn

Looking at divorce from the perspective of kids will make you think twice about how you approach parenting them through the transition. What rules are currently working? Which one(s) do you need to do a better job following?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Kid-Safety Rules for Divorce - Don Olund - Helping couples and families connect Hinsdale, IL

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: RSS Couples in broken marriages want out, but what often keeps them in is fear over how divorce may impact their kids. "Our marriage is broken but do we want to break up the family?" So they work hard to repair the marriage.

# data[].attributes.body
"Students Experiencing Stress

APA Mental Health Primers"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
APA Mental Health Primers

This information is designed to help teachers respond to students who may be in need of support. It is not intended to be used as a diagnostic tool or to replace the use of formal assessments employed by mental health professionals. Additionally, it is important to consider the context of the situation, individual differences, and cultural and linguistic factors.

Teachers are an important part of establishing and maintaining healthy environments for students to learn and grow. Avoiding students who display signs of stress does not help them in any way. They also play an important role in guiding students suffering from excessive stress to professionals in the building who can be of assistance. Teachers can assist students who are expressing stress by providing emotional support, promoting positive peer relationships, and connecting students with other professionals in the school who may be helpful resources.
Download this Primer More Primers

What Is Stress?

Stress is the body's emotional, physical, or behavioral response to environmental change.

Stress can be a short-term reaction in response to an upcoming event, such as homework deadlines, an upcoming exam, or speaking in front of the class. Stress can also result from traumatic or ongoing experiences, such as coping with parents' divorce, public health crises, natural disasters, or community violence, as well as adapting to different cultural or social expectations or values.

Some amount of stress is beneficial and can motivate students to perform better.

Too much stress can be harmful, even if it is associated with sowing the seeds for a positive event (e.g., academic/sports competition or going to college).

Left unaddressed, the negative effects of stress can disrupt a student's behavior, physical and emotional well-being, school success, and friendships.

How Might Stress Be Expressed by Students in School?

Students of any age can show the responses to excessive stress as described below. However, some responses are more commonly seen at certain ages. What a teacher might perceive as a minimal stress or even positive stressor may not be viewed similarly by the student. Refrain from making judgments about how much stress the student "should" be able to handle.

Students of any age can show the responses to excessive stress.

Refer Students to Further Help if Needed

Review your school policy for seeking student supports.

Contact school counselors, psychologist, social worker, and other personnel.

Additional Resources

Empirical Research

Chrousos, G. P. (2009). Stress and disorders of the stress system. Nature reviews endocrinology, 5(7), 374-381.

Heissel, J. A., Levy, D. J., & Adam, E. K. (2017). Stress, sleep, and performance on standardized tests: Understudied pathways to the achievement gap. AERA Open, 3(3), 2332858417713488.

Jennings, P. A. (2015). Mindfulness for teachers: Simple skills for peace and productivity in the classroom (the Norton series on the social neuroscience of education). WW Norton & Company.

Jennings, P. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2009). The prosocial classroom: Teacher social and emotional competence in relation to student and classroom outcomes. Review of educational research, 79(1), 491-525.

McEwen, B. S. (2008). Central effects of stress hormones in health and disease: Understanding the protective and damaging effects of stress and stress mediators. European journal of pharmacology, 583(2-3), 174-185.

The Mental Health Primers are developed by the Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education. This resource was updated in October 2021 with support from cooperative agreement NU87PS004366 funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views or endorsement of the CDC or the Department of Health and Human Services.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teachers play an important role in guiding students suffering from excessive stress to professionals in the building who can be of assistance. Developed by the Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education. Part of the APA Mental Health Primers for teachers responding to students who may need support.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic includes an advice column based on new topics and different writers' thoughts. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
Dear Waves,

The weeks leading up to spring break are intense.

Professors are giving midterm tests and assignments that are worth large portions of students' grades while most students are daydreaming in class about their upcoming beach vacations or relaxing days at home that are right around the corner.

Classes are getting more rigorous as students are getting more exhausted. The desire to just mentally check out gets stronger for students. This pre-spring break burnout is hard to handle.

There are some things students can do to overcome it though. One is to keep their schedule organized.

Buy a planner or put everything in your Google calendar or even just on a phone. Planning out the days and being able to visualize when breaks are between classes can help the day fly by quickly.

Similarly, students can make to-do lists. Put everything on a list from homework assignments to chores to watching your favorite show.

Then cross them off. Crossing off the tasks as they are completed gives me a feeling of accomplishment and productivity.

Another thing students can do to overcome burnout is to take time for themselves. Schedule an evening or a whole day with no classes or homework, just take the time to relax.

Watch a television show, do a face mask or maybe get outside and surf or hike. Trying to be productive every waking minute of the day will only add to the stress and exhaustion.

Students should also try to incorporate some healthy habits into their routine. Eating right and getting enough sleep makes it way easier to push through those final days.

If a s student can stand it, trying cold plunge has tons of health benefits. Even just turning the shower to the coldest setting can help boost your immune system and improve circulation.

Finally, be excited for the upcoming break. Think about ways to spend the time.

Plan the outfits for that trip. Call friends or family to make plans with them.

Spring break is right around the corner, and students should look forward to the time to relax and recuperate. That way they come back to campus refreshed and ready to finish the semester strong.

Best of luck!

___________________

Follow the Graphic on X: @PeppGraphic

Contact Chloe Anna Austria via email: chloeanna.austria@pepperdine.edu

or by Instagram @chloeannaaustria

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Advice Column: How to Avoid Pre-Spring break Burnout - Pepperdine Graphic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pre-spring break burnout can be difficult to deal with. Perspectives Staff Writer Chloe Anna Austria gives her advice on how to work through it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This quick visual guide can help teachers ensure that their daily lessons align with their learning goals and assessments.

Teaching at our best is like anything else we pursue; it's part science and part art. It's a learned skill that requires time and patience to hone. Teachers, therefore, become frustrated when our self-efficacy is threatened by questionable policies and relentless new initiatives, particularly during a pandemic. But having a set of trusted pedagogical strategies can help us keep it together-even under extreme pressure.

In coaching schools, part of the initial work is to engage leadership in learning walks to see what's happening in classrooms before investing time and resources to design professional development (PD). Classrooms will always be the incubator for what's needed in education.

It's challenging for administrators to keep their fingers on the pulse of what's happening in their schools if they're not interacting with teachers in classrooms or listening to them. These visits also allow school leaders to recommend appropriate tools and practices for empowering teachers.

Flow and Alignment

Through no fault of their own, I have found that many classroom teachers don't always see how assessment drives instruction or the alignment between summative assessment, learning goals, formative assessment, and teaching strategies/scaffolds. For example, a career switcher who didn't participate in a preservice program or a teacher whose preservice program included very little instructional modeling may not have a set of pedagogical strategies at their disposal for planning and facilitating instruction.

There isn't only one way to teach. But daily lessons must have flow and alignment.

Classroom teachers need to have fluidity and a reservoir of trusted strategies they know when to use. These strategies must be part of methods for attacking daily instructional problems with flexibility to address unforeseen occurrences. A planning tool and framework for mapping instruction backward can be helpful in maintaining alignment no matter what we encounter in the instructional day.

To help support teachers, I've adapted the tool during lesson/project ideation sessions. It's been helpful for teachers who may not understand how to rewrite standards into learning goals or for those who may need a refresher on scaffolding and creating instructional alignment. Some of the schools I work with have even added the tool into their lesson and performance task templates. See a template and completed example here.

The tool originates from PBLWorks and is inspired by backward design methodology by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins but does not replace McTighe's Understanding by Design resources through ASCD. Instead, the tool is a simple table with four columns, easily allowing educators to map their instruction in alignment with summative assessment and daily learning goals.

Aligning Instruction in 4 Steps

Column one: Determine summative assessment. Well-designed summative assessments drive instruction when they align to standard(s) or a benchmark. The tool should be used to align instruction for summative assessments in the form of products, demonstration of a performance task(s), or literary composition.

For example, a particular unit or project plan can call students to create written, technology-based, or constructed products (e.g., reports, PSAs, model prototypes, etc.). Once we determine what we want our kids to do and make by the end of a specified time, that goes into column one.

Column two: Compose learning goals. Developing learning goals for lessons and projects is a critical practice often neglected in PD and, therefore, is often excluded or not well thought out in curriculum unit design. Derived from academic standards and learning frameworks, learning goals are vital to teaching and observing learning and are the backbone of lessons.

Good learning goals drive what students will understand and what they will be able to accomplish following a lesson or project. They need to go beyond objectives on our whiteboard or lesson plan and should be unpacked during mini-lessons as the focal point of the academic conversation between teachers and students.

I can explain how human activity affects the health of bodies of water and the ecosystems they support.

I can collect and analyze data to inform my decisions and design better solutions to real-world problems.

I can present my conclusions to an audience using multimedia tools that more effectively convey my message.

I use learning targets (LTs) to capture learning goals as statements about what students can do regarding completing the product or task in column one of the planning tool. Here are some examples of what can go in column two:

Column three: Develop formative assessments. Each learning goal in column two will need formative assessment to check students' understanding. Teachers can decide on both informal and formal formative assessments. I find conducting two formal checks (quizzes, essays, etc.) for each summative assessment good practice for determining where students need help, remediation, and challenge.

Informal checks can be used daily between our interactions with students to determine their instructional needs. Here are some we can use as quick checks for understanding.

Column four: Utilize instructional strategies and scaffolds. Instructional strategies and scaffolds are what we reach for to teach a particular lesson-or, in this case, the learning goal(s) in column two. Learning goals require us to explain, clarify, and model. Regardless, students will need time to practice-moving from guided (teacher-led) to independent.

Gleaning insights from formative assessment helps us put the appropriate scaffolds and interventions in place by updating column four. For example, to help students with their coding skills, I like using the workshop model to structure station rotations allowing them to move between working independently and working with the teacher or their peers. Both content and elective teachers can also use it for differentiating and choosing scaffolds that work best for their kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Simple Tool for Aligning Instruction and Assessment

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This quick visual guide can help teachers ensure that their daily lessons align with their learning goals and assessments.

# data[].attributes.body
Image link for attribution

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
You Cant Lead Horse to Water - Vector Image

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Vector Illustration of You Cant Lead Horse to Water Idiom Businessman with Horse

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
None of us are oblivious to the fact that many children hate school. The statement is backed by a lot of factors, including made-up health excuses, unreasonable tears, and illogical stubbornness of missing schools, which can especially be true for younger students. While there may be a plethora of reasons for this behavior, the primary ones include overly attachment of kids to their primary caregivers, not being told what to do, and/or most importantly, struggling with the academia and performance pressure.

Through this blog, we attempt to look at the question 'what do children hate about school?' critically and suggest some ways to deal with it.

Why Children Hate School? Or, What Do Children Hate About School?

There can be several reasons for hating school, some of which include:

1. Lack of Freedom

It is claimed that every child is born curious. This curiosity fosters the desire to communicate. Thus, children tend to be talkative and restless. So, the lack of freedom becomes the most common reason for hating school.

In a school, students are confined to a classroom and must ask for permission for almost all actions. Moreover, they are restricted to behave according to the rules of the school. This suppresses their desire to communicate and curbs their freedom, turning it into a reason for many students to hate school.

2. Monotonous Schedule

Schools function on the principles of discipline and proper utilization of time. There is a fixed schedule for classes and activities conducted in a school. Therefore, the students have to adhere to the fixed timings and follow the code of conduct of the school. Children are usually not accustomed to following such a schedule. Also, attending lectures sitting in the same classroom for hours is tiresome. Such a monotonous schedule and fixed timings create an aversion to school.

3. Loneliness and Bullying

Communication is the most primordial and innate human requirement. The inability to express and connect can affect the various aspects of an individual's personality. Moreover, it has an impact on the psychological makeup and can affect mental health as well.

In a school, the lack of freedom often leads to a feeling of loneliness. Additionally, the inability to communicate makes it difficult for students to make friends. Thus, they end up feeling lonely and are unwilling to go to school.

On the other hand, some students try to exert their influence on their peers who seem to be weak and submissive. They often bully them, which instills a sense of fear in that child. This is another reason for students finding school abhorrent.

4. Lack of Interest in the Subjects Offered

Schools typically have certain mandatory subjects and a few or no optional subjects. This means that students are restricted to learning a limited number of subjects. Consequently, they often end up studying the subjects they do not like. Few subject choices lead to a lack of interest in learning.

Additionally, some students might come to fear certain subjects, such as mathematics. This can be the result of their inability to understand complex concepts or failure to secure good marks in that subject.

5. Inability to Learn

The dislike toward school may arise due to certain mental conditions that disrupt the learning patterns. A child may be suffering from a learning disability such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, and others, which makes learning difficult.

Moreover, certain learning disorders, such as A DHD, Dyspraxia, and Executive Functioning, make it difficult for students to learn. Eventually, students find reasons to avoid school and end up hating it.

6. Loads of Homework and Fear of Exams

Homework is something almost every student despises. Spending long hours at school and then putting additional efforts to do homework seems like a burden to growing children. Moreover, homework tasks are often boring and submission dates seem like a threat. Therefore, students tend to escape the responsibility of completion and submission of homework.

Additionally, another potential fear of the students in school is testing. Assessments are a crucial part of education. They are a way of measuring the students' performance. Typically, examinations are reduced to scoring marks. As a result, students who get good marks get a reward, whereas the ones who do not are often neglected rather than focusing on the reasons behind their poor grades.

Additionally, score-based biases are common in schools. This demotivates the students and they begin to find ways to avoid school.

How to Deal with it?

Learning is a requisite for human existence. Schools play a vital role in imparting education. Additionally, parents play an important part in the learning process. Thus, parents must participate equally with their children to assist them at various levels of learning. A collaboration between schools and teachers is the key to promoting better learning and development of a child. Learning is an interactive process where students are free to participate and express themselves. Teachers and parents contribute toward making a child confident enough to express their opinions and feelings. The classroom environment and the environment at home play a significant role here. Here are some ways to support learning both at school and home:

A teacher must create a positive environment in the class that encourages the students to do their best.

The parents must initiate a healthy conversation with their child and listen to the issues he/she needs to discuss.

Instead of nagging, parents must practice friendly gestures and talk to their children to find a solution to the issues plaguing them.

Both teachers and parents should be quick in identifying an unusual behavior of a child and try to find out the cause for the same.

Parents should ensure that they work hand-in-hand with the teachers for the development of the child.

Receiving and providing regular feedback on the child's performance is necessary for both the teacher and the parents.

It must be understood that education is not merely getting good grades and maintaining a good status in society. It goes beyond the boundaries of school. Collaboration and understanding can together contribute to providing a good learning experience. However, if any of the reasons included do not fit, parents and teachers both should not hesitate to meet a counselor to figure out the reasons for a child hating school.
Visit our blog for more education-related articles.
For more such content on teaching methodologies, visit our .
 Create. Engage. Inspire.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Why Do Many Students Hate School?...1.Lack of Freedom...2.Fixed Monotonous Schedule.....How To Deal With It?...Collaboration and understanding....

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Throughout my years teaching middle school, I have had the experience of seeing many "work refusals". These are the situations when kids, for a variety of reasons, just refuse to start the work you give them. They might shut down and rest their head on their desk or lash out in anger, shouting about how they just will not complete your assignment. This can be extremely frustrating for educators, especially when teaching a well-designed lesson that you thought would go so well! Let me say that sometimes our lessons themselves can have little or no impact on whether or not a student refuses to work. There are quite often bigger challenges at play that we'll delve into. Quite honestly, even with a special education background, my college and training did not really prepare me for what to do when students refuse to work. These are skills and strategies I had to develop on the ground running while working with young adults. It's an area I'm especially passionate about because all kids deserve to learn and feel good about themselves. It's always important to remember that kids who are refusing are reaching out for help in some way, and you CAN be the one to help them.

Let me say that we ALL have bad days here and there! If a student puts their head down during a lesson and won't finish an assignment because of a headache, it doesn't mean you need to sound the alarm. This article specifically focuses on the students who repeatedly refuse to complete work and need specific targeted strategies to help them overcome these challenges.

What does work refusal look like? Really, it can be different for every student. Some students put their heads down and don't pick them up, despite encouragement and prompting. Other students will look you straight in the eyes and say, "I'm NOT doing it!" while they are clearly expecting a response from you! Other kids might just ignore your directions completely and continue doing what they want to do, whether that is coloring, reading, or any other activity they are engaged in. All of these behaviors are work refusals because they are avoiding doing the tasks that the adult is expecting.

What are the reasons for work refusal? If a student is outwardly refusing to do work in the classroom, there is always a reason. Quite often, we don't know the individual reasons. Some students have had a history of trauma. Again, we may or may not know about the potential trauma. Other students might be dealing with social or emotional challenges at home or in their personal life. Some examples might include a family divorce, a new baby at home, the death of a family member, and feelings of loneliness with a parent working increased hours. Those truly are just a few small examples. Sometimes, when the challenges in a child's life become so difficult for them, they can have a need to control parts of their life that they can control (like doing work in school or not). Some learners might be diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder, while others aren't. Other times, a child or teen may truly be bored and not interested in the topics. Regardless of the actual reason, it's important to take a step back and recognize that the child or young adult is struggling with SOMETHING, whether or not we can see it. Thinking in this way encourages educators to be solution-focused, which is what really matters anyway.

Important note: This entire article is intended to be a bank or toolbox of strategies for teachers to consider when kids are struggling. I know that classroom teachers cannot do it all, and they shouldn't be expected to. Schools need to support educators in these tough situations, and that includes support from admin and other support staff. Additionally, the biggest changes are made when the teachers, families, and the student work together. Please know that if you are dealing with these very challenging classroom situations, I want to have your back, not put more on your plate.

Strategies are meant as supports. They're interventions and techniques you can put in place to try and work towards your goal of helping the student get back on track. However, strategies are not a magic wand. They might take time to work or some won't work for your particular learner. And even the most perfect classroom management and support strategies won't fix every problem or challenge. With all that said, strategies can make a difference for your struggling learner. When you're not sure what direction to go, they're worth a try. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, so it is about finding what works for you and your learners. With all that said, I hope you can find some of these strategies and ideas helpful.
Here are some simple do's and don'ts for kids who refuse to do work: DON'T:

Don't just punish. If a child or young adult is struggling with some social or emotional challenges at the moment, a punishment is only going to push them away further. Your punishment will appear as harsh, mean, and uncaring. I know that educators do not intend for punishments to feel that way, but for many students, they do, including those with trauma in their past. This isn't to say you should "let the student get away" with any behavior. Instead, you can use logical consequences, which I explain below.

Don't send the student out of the room. I can't stress this enough! As an educator, I know this is sometimes a preferred option because it deals with the situation swiftly. It does not fix the problem, though. In fact, it will most likely make it worse in the long-term. The student might feel anger and resentment towards you. The message you are sending is that you can't deal with the situation and you need to send the student out to another teacher or the principal. If a student is just sitting at their desk and refusing to work, it should not be a reason to send them out of class. Kids and young adults are getting much more education being in your room and hearing the discussions than being in the principal's office.

Don't get in a power struggle. No one ever wins in a power struggle! So much energy is wasted is wasted and even if the student eventually complies, it will be filled with resentment. Read up on more ways to avoid power struggles.

Don't just assume the child is lazy. So many times, it is often actually easier for the child to comply and do their work and refuse. So, it's clear that there is something else in play. Reframe your thinking to remember that the child is struggling and needs your support.

Don't act out of frustration or anger. When you start to feel frustrated due to a child's behavior, remember this phrase: "He's not giving me a hard time, he's having a hard time." There is no shame in taking a deep breath and walking away from a situation. As adults, it's important we are calm and collected so we can make the best choices in each situation. It's okay to feel frustrated with a situation, just don't act on that frustration.

Don't use threats. You might be tempted to say things like, "If you don't do your work, I'm going to call your parents," or "Finish this or you can't go to gym." Sometimes, these threats can only make a student dig their heels in deeper and you might regret what you've said later on. Instead, be mindful about what you say and make sure your consequences fit the crime.

Don't embarrass the student. Again, publicly calling the student out might result in a power struggle or escalating the situation. Instead, consider ways to privately support the student to help both of you get what you need.

Do:

Keep teaching. Just because a student doesn't lift their pencil up, doesn't mean they're not listening and learning. Continue teaching, talking, and even involving that student if they want to participate. Remember that the ultimate goal is to educate the student, not force them to work. If they are in the classroom, keep teaching them!

Give wait time. When a student refuses work at first, sometimes all they need is a little wait time. It's okay to let them have their head down or keep their arms crossed. Give some time and wait to see if they come around within 5 minutes or so.

Ignore the small behaviors. If the student crumples up the paper, breaks their pencil, or scribbles all over it, avoid the impulse to tell the student they shouldn't do that or give any further instructions. When things like this happen, the student is either agitated or attention-seeking. One intervention that will help in this instance is just giving space.

Be reflective. Consider what you could be doing that might be triggering the student to refuse to work. For example, are you using a harsh tone? Did you embarrass the student by calling them out for something right before? Sometimes, there isn't anything apparent, but it's always worth considering first!

Focus on the relationship. For many kids, relationship is everything. Put the work aside for a bit. Spend time with your student during lunch, talk with them after class, and really just get to know them. Teach them about you as a person, too! Once a relationship is built, many times your students will have a much easier time working for you because they know you care. This isn't a quick process, but it's always important and worth it. Read up on more ways to build relationships with kids and young adults.

Consider learning challenges. Sometimes students refuse work due to social and emotional challenges, but other times it might be because they think the work is just too hard for them. Consider if the student needs interventions with reading, writing, or math. Sometimes learners might even need direction instruction with executive functioning skills to help them get started and work through challenges. If you are a regular educator, consider discussing the student with the special education teacher or interventionist to get some ideas and strategies.

Meet with the student privately. It's important that this is seen as supportive and not punitive. Talk to the student, ask them what's going on, and problem-solve about how you could help. You might say, "I noticed your morning work isn't being finished, what is going on with that?" When meeting with a student who is struggling to complete work, the most important thing is to just listen! Try to avoid interjecting your own thoughts about what's happening or giving your point of view. Let the student talk and sometimes you might be amazed at what you learn. Perhaps the student shares that they hate where they sit because someone keeps talking to them, or that they haven't been getting any sleep at night due to a crying baby. Be open-minded, listen, and be prepared to problem-solve with the student to help them.

Use logical consequences (and consider them ahead of time). Logical consequences are outcomes from behavior that make sense. For example, if a student is refusing to finish their morning work, a logical consequence would be using some break time later in the day to finish at least 5 problems or sending it home as homework to be done later.

Discuss those consequences with the student. Consequences shouldn't be a surprise to your student. Let them know ahead of time in a positive way. For example, you might say to the whole class, "Everyone needs to finish their work so we can finish watching the rest of the movie."

Use de-escalation strategies to help calm the situation. In the moment, it can quickly become a power struggle when a student outwardly tells you they are not doing the work. It is critical to know how to de-escalate a situation. My favorite strategy has always been saying, "Let's talk about this later." It gives you the perfect way out of a heated situation with a student while letting other students around know you're not ignoring the behavior, you're just dealing with it later. Read up on more de-escalation strategies and use this free printable de-escalation strategy worksheet.

Give choices. For students who struggle with work completion, consider giving limited choices for assignments. Limiting the number to two is usually best so that it's not overwhelming, but it still gives control and choice. You might say, "Would you rather write about this prompt in your journal or draw a scene from the text and write a sentence about it?"

Consider reducing work. Another one of my favorite ways to give choice is to allow the student to choose which 10 problems they will finish. Similarly, you might ask the student to complete only 1 of the 3 essay questions. Sometimes educators have argued that this is making it too easy on the student. Of course, the ultimate goal is to get the student back to completing all the work, without a doubt. However, when a student is outright refusing to do work, completing just one item over none is a success. We all have to start somewhere.

Use student interests. Find out topics the student enjoys doing and learning about. That might be anything: soccer, dirt bikes, drawing, animals, dance, or even a certain television show. The topics and ideas are endless. Then, use bits of those topics in your instruction to hook the learner and help them feel more interested.

Provide accommodations. Giving accommodations doesn't necessarily make an assignment easier, it just gives more options for how the student approaches the task. Allow a student struggling with reading to listen to audio books. If a student isn't writing, allow them access to a laptop. Give out a calculator to a student who gets fatigued with math problems (provided the math skill isn't calculations themselves). Give a word bank, provide multiple choices, let the student use manipulatives, and so on.

Take turns. In line with accommodations, one simple strategy to try (when you can) is to take turns writing and completing problems with the student. For example, you can complete the first problem and write it down on the student's paper. It helps to think aloud while you're solving the problem, as this models the behaviors you want to see. Then, have the student complete the second problem. Next, you would complete the third and so on. This is a more collaborative approach that sometimes eases kids and teens into working and finishing their assignments.

Think about trends. Is the work refusal only happening during math? Or maybe during partner work? Maybe it's only in the morning or in the afternoon? Think about these trends and really delving into the data can help inform your judgements about what's really going on.

Plan breaks. All kids and teens need a break sometimes. Consider adding a preferred activity right after the assignment you want your student to complete. Another option is to schedule meaningful brain breaks.

Provide different writing utensils. This idea seems crazy, but sometimes it works! Give options for writing such as gel pens or colored pencils instead of just a plain old pencil. Sometimes, the freshness of a new tool can help kids get over that road block of starting. It's worth a try.

Consider interventions for task initiation. Our skills for task initiation are like the motor that starts us up. When kids and young adults lack these skills to get started, it can be extremely frustrating for everyone involved. Sometimes, kids don't actually know HOW to start a challenging task or assignment. It's important to consider if these skills are lacking when a child or young adult isn't completing work, because they can be taught. Read up more on this blog post focused on interventions for task initiation skills.

Create an incentive plan, if needed. Sometimes educators are opposed to incentives plans, and I agree they shouldn't always be a first strategy. However, there is a time when they can a struggling student work towards their goals. You might develop a contract that outlines what the student is responsible for and what incentives the student will get by completing work. A contract sets the tone that you will stick to your word so you expect that the student makes an effort to do the same. Find out what the student would like to work for, remembering that each individual student is motivated by different things (I've had some students who want silent drawing time and others who want to help the custodian, for example). My favorite way to find this out is by using a reward inventory. You can visit here to see more about my reward inventories, behavior plans, and contracts.

Collaborate with families. It's important to note that the first time you call the family shouldn't be to mention that the student isn't working. I'm a huge believer in always calling to share something positive first. With that said, it is important to share concerns about students who are struggling to work in class. Be mindful of how you communicate this with families, too. Rather than saying the child is "refusing to work," share that they are "struggling with getting started even on assignments that are at their level." Collaborate to discuss if anything is going on outside of home with the child and if there are any other strategies you as the educator can try. Often, parents are more than willing to talk with their child and sometimes (definitely not always) this even fixes the issue from the start.

Focus on your own self-care. This is definitely not stressed enough in the world of education. Working with students who are refusing to work can be emotionally draining. Take time to focus on yourself when you can. You can't pour from an empty cup.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What To Do When a Student Refuses to Work

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Throughout my years teaching middle school, I have had the experience of seeing many "work refusals". These are the situations when kids, for a variety of reasons, just refuse to start the work you give them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Jess high-fived her teacher. She had just mastered the skills for Level U reading, which included demonstrating the ability to predict, summarize, and infer from text. She was ready to move onto the next level, V (critiquing and synthesizing text), but first her learning milestone was celebrated by everyone in the class. While it was just one step forward, honoring Jess's progress mattered in huge ways. Jess, who moved to the U.S. four years ago, learned English later than most of her peers and has been trying to catch up ever since. Pausing class to enjoy incremental victories, or small wins like this, can give a much-needed boost to students' confidence and motivation.

Small Wins, Big Payoffs

Celebrating "" in the workplace is (or at least should be) nothing new for adults. Yet little has been written about how small wins benefit students, especially our most disadvantaged students. Building our students' sense of self-efficacy in schools matters more than ever, as we dig out of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic that has widened existing equity gaps.

Students like Jess, already in need of support, had the largest barriers to overcome during virtual learning. This is unacceptable and must be offset now that we're back in person. But how? One efficient and effective way to both motivate students and work toward mitigating learning gaps is to help learners like Jess systematically track and note their own small wins.

Consider this from a classroom-practice perspective: Most teachers have access to a large inventory of online tools that allows them to assess student responses, in quick, targeted bursts. What about using these tools, like to present visible progress markers to the learners themselves? Chunking a student's progress in this way puts their goal just outside their comfort zone.

Think about a student feeling overwhelmed about mastering a skill, such as writing a four-paragraph persuasive essay. If a student simply looks at accomplishing this end goal, it can feel out of reach. Yet breaking down the steps into increments-develop an idea, write a sentence, build a paragraph, and so on-allows the learner to build on one small achievement after another.

In The Rise of Superman (New Harvest, 2014), Steven Kotler considers the sweet spot to be where the task is hard enough to make us stretch but not so tough that it causes us to snap, a value he ascribes numerically at four percent. This single-digit approach illustrates that a goal must be close enough that it can be achieved-but at least four percent more challenging than our skill set. And eventually, this four percent can become eight percent, and 16 percent, and so on. Stretching our students in these gradually increasing increments is not only possible for us, but also motivating for them.

Teachers can easily access student progress markers using formative assessment via an introductory "do now", exit activities, and midpoint checks. For example, tech-related gamification-the application of common features of game playing to learn (e.g., point scoring, competition with others, rules of play)-encourages students to focus on making incremental progress toward targeted goals. Teachers can use these online tools to track student progress, access data points, and mark milestones, jointly with the child. This can best be accomplished through brief 1:1 conferencing, while other students are working independently.

By sharing a child's progress in this way, we can help them literally see their growth. They visualize their academic progress in a fun way, like a stock market trend, moving in an imperfect yet upward curve.

This may sound like basic psychology. It is. That is the power of the small wins framework. It is straightforward and convincing. Students like Jess participate in their own progress monitoring, which empowers them to be active and accountable in their personal success. Data presented toward progress can encourage even the most reluctant learners to improve.

As we dig out of the pandemic, both a challenge and an opportunity lay before us. We must help children like Jess build on their successes so they can be the best version of themselves.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Now More Than Ever, Students Need "Small Wins" to Put Big Goals in Reach - ASCD

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Jess high-fived her teacher. She had just mastered the skills for Level U reading, which included demonstrating the ability to predict, summarize, and infer from text. She was ready to move onto the next level, V (critiquing and synthesizing text), but first her learning milestone was celebrated by

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
3. Put yourself in the right frame of mind. Most students who have emotional or behavioral problems want to be successful in school, but have trouble controlling themselves, focusing, and staying still. Avoid deeming them "attention seekers," or "slackers." Work on being as patient as possible.

12. Make time to take care of yourself. Find ways to de-stress on evenings and weekends so you can bring your "A game" to the classroom. You might be the take-a-hot-bath type or you might be the cross fit type - whatever works best for you.

Adapted from Red Flags, "Ways to Assist Students with Depression or Related Disorders."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tips for Teachers: Ways to Help Students Who Struggle with Emotions or Behavior

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Start fresh. Other teachers may see your class roster and warn you about a particular student, but if what they have to say is negative it can taint your perception of that student before you have even met them. If you see a conversation starting to go this way, reframe it in a positive light.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
My friend George Couros once said, "If students leave school less curious than when they have started, we have failed them." I tend to agree. I've never heard of a cosmologist who says, "I'm done with the universe. No more questions here." I've also never seen an engineer who says, "I'm an expert now. I really don't need to figure out how stuff works." Nor have I seen any historians who say, "I don't really care what happened in the past." Novelists tend to have stacks of books that they want to read. Even the most seasoned chefs are always out searching for new cuisine (see what I did there). Marathon runners are always trying to figure out ways to improve their approach.

In other words, learning should make you more curious. In fact, there's often an ongoing cycle of curiosity and creativity, often inspired by play.

I want classrooms to be bastions of creativity and wonder. I want to see students chasing their curiosity and researching answers. I love what happens when students solve problems that don't have easy answers; when they become builders and engineers and authors and scientists and historians bent on finding out the truth.

Curiosity is especially important in an age of smart machines. AI can do so many things well but it is unable to be curious. True, machine learning can generate a set of questions and answer questions. But a chatbot doesn't daydream and wonder. AI doesn't spontaneously chase its own curiosity. Unfortunately, curiosity isn't always valued in traditional schooling where the system tends to place a high premium on getting the right answer - and getting it quickly. In the process, students internalize the message that uncertainty is a sign of failure and that wonder and amazement are something you can experience in rare bursts. But it doesn't have to be that way. We can find small ways to incorporate curiosity into our daily lessons.

I once had a student teacher who had to gather observational data on some aspect of my teaching. After discussing it together, he decided he would track how often I asked questions, how often students asked questions to me, and how often students asked questions to one another. Afterward, he asked me to guess the percentages.

"I think it was about a third, a third, and a third," I answered.

He winced.

"Was I off by much?" I asked.

"Over ninety percent of the questions were ones you asked them," he said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Really," he answered.

I looked at the tally marks on his paper. "They didn't ask any questions to one another?" I asked.

"I didn't count all the times they asked each other to borrow a pencil."

This was a wake-up call for me. It was a reminder that students will not always ask questions by default. This is something we have to model for students. It's something we have to plan and design into our lesson plans. It's something we have to make time for.

The following are seven different ways we can get students asking and answering questions.

1. Incorporate inquiry into direct instruction

Often when a student says, "I don't know what to ask," what they're really saying is, "I'm afraid of sounding stupid." If students have had to spend most of their time getting the questions right, it can feel unnerving to be told that they can now ask their own questions.

Instead of doing a think-pair-share during direct instruction, do an ask-pair-answer. Each student jots down as many questions as they can during direct instruction and then asks a neighbor. Next, they do a stand-up, hand-up, pair-up where they walk around the class answering one another's questions. But sometimes they struggle with what to ask, so we might need to . . .

2. Provide scaffolds and supports

Explain and model the different types of questions (an idea we'll explore in point #4). The idea here to teach students about clarifying, critical thinking and inferencing questioning. Often the process is messy and there are moments of overlap, but it helps students to have a general framework of the types of questions that exist. Eventually, it becomes second nature as they ask, "What needs to be clarified?" or "How does this idea relate to that concept?" or "Why is it that _______?" or "What am I not seeing here that I should be seeing?" From there, they can develop better questions.

Here's where sentence stems become so helpful. Sometimes students struggle to ask questions because they aren't sure what kinds of questions they should ask. They might be English Learners (ELs) or they might be experiencing cognitive overload. Sentence stems and example sentences provide a fast scaffold for students. Here is a sample of the kinds of sentence stems you might provide:
General Question Frames:
Why is _______?

What if ______?

How is _________ related to __________?

What would happen if __________?

What is the most/least _________?

How does _________ compare to ________?

What is the cause of ______?

What are the reasons for _________?

What if we knew ___________?

What is the purpose of __________?

How does _________ work?

What would change if you ___________?

Who is _________?

Where has __________?

When was ____________?

What is the most ____________?
Analytical Questions:
What was the cause of _______?

Why would __________?

How is _______ different from __________?

What is the relationship between _________?

What evidence can you find to _________?

How does _______ compare to _________?
Application Questions:
Can you think of an example of __________?

Is there a different way to solve?

How do you see _____ play out in your world?

What would result if _________?

What approach would you use to _______?

How would the meaning change if you __________?

What have you done to __________?

How would you approach _________?
Evaluative Questions
Is there a better way to solve ______?

What would have happened if ________?

What is the most significant?

Why would _______ be necessary?

How do you improve ________?

What are the pros and cons of ________?

What is an alternative perspective to __________?

What could be changed to improve _______?

What criteria would you use to ________?
Question Frames: Design Thinking
What does ________ mean?

What is the process for _________?

How is ___________?

How does ___________effect people?

How do ________________ feel about _________?

Why does ___________?

What is the difference between ____________ and _________?

How is ______________ made?

What are the main causes of _____________?

What would happen if ______________?

Is there a scenario when ________________?

What other types of products already exist compared to _________?

Who is most likely to use _____________?

When was _____________ invented?

What is the best way to ____________?

What are the biggest effects of ___________?

What do people believe about ______________?

Which type of _________ are most popular?

How would you create a __________?

How does ____________work?

The goal here is to reduce fear and help students access the language. I was initially reluctant to use sentence stems and sample questions as a teacher. I was afraid it would "do too much of the thinking" for students. I worried that they would be less creative in asking their questions. But I actually found that it was the perfect scaffold that they built upon. Their questions actually became more creative.

To take this as a deeper level, you might spend a whole class period letting students chase their curiosity.

3. Focus on peer-to-peer questions

We can incorporate peer-to-peer questions in our daily practice. Students can do mock interviews, fake press conferences, and rotating discussion zones. In these moments, they get the opportunity to practice the process of asking and answering questions. This is a chance to make questions a part of the daily culture of the classroom. In math, students can ask questions about processes and problem-solving. They can ask diagnostic questions in order to figure out where they went wrong. In a social studies class, they might ask conceptual questions, theoretical questions, and questions that bring about multiple viewpoints and theories.

Again, we can provide students with sentence stems, such as these clarifying question sentence stems.

Why did you _______________?
What made you think of writing _____________________?
Have you considered ______________________?
Is it possible that ________________?
Have you considered the possibility that ____________?
I was wondering why _________________?

Another example might be a peer feedback process.

Or it might be a full Socratic Seminar, where students ask and answer questions. Socratic seminars are a democratic, student-centered, approach to class discussions. They can be used at any grade level with any subject area. In a Socratic Seminar, members meet in a circle (or more likely an oval, because, let's be real, circles are really hard to create) and share their insights. Participants do not raise their hands or call on names. Because there's no discussion leader, each member can comment or ask follow-up questions to one another. This approach can be empowering for participants because they own the conversation. Unlike a typical class discussion, the conversation moves fluidly back and forth rather than having to go through the teacher.

4. Teach students to evaluate questions.

There are many ways that students can evaluate questions. One of my favorites is the QFT (Question Formulation Technique) process developed by the Right Question Institute (RQI). The QFT process consists of the following steps:

1. Introduce a Question Focus: The facilitator presents a topic, concept, or problem to the participants as the "Question Focus." It serves as the basis for generating questions.

2. Generate Questions: Participants are encouraged to brainstorm as many questions as possible related to the Question Focus. During this step, the facilitator emphasizes the rule of quantity over quality, encouraging participants to generate as many questions as they can without evaluating or discussing them.

3. Categorize Questions: Participants review the list of questions generated and categorize them as "open-ended" or "closed-ended" questions. Open-ended questions typically encourage deeper thinking and exploration, while closed-ended questions usually have a single correct answer.

4. Prioritize Questions: Participants select or prioritize the questions they find most interesting, relevant, or important. This step helps focus the discussion or inquiry that follows.

5. Discuss and Reflect: The group engages in a discussion, reflecting on the questions generated, the categorization process, and the reasons behind their prioritization. This step encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and deeper exploration of the topic.

The QFT process is designed to encourage divergent thinking, curiosity, and active engagement in the learning process. Another option is to have students meet in small groups to analyze the questions they create. In the first phase, they ask questions. The goal here is to reduce judgment. I've found that it helps to focus on quantity and not quality. Just get out all the questions you can generate. You want students to avoid self-censoring. Next, students share their questions anonymously. Maybe it's a set of interview questions. Or it might be a set of research questions.

Once the questions exist in an anonymous format (a Google Form or a Google Document), students judge the questions. Each member has a separate job:

Member 1: Is it specific?
Member 2: Is it fact-based?
Member 3: Is it on-topic?
Member 4: quality control (the person checking in on the other three)

From here, students can rewrite the questions that have a lower combined score.

5. Treat curiosity as a habit.

There's a famous scene in the first season of Ted Lasso where he engages in a high-stakes game of darts against the villainous Rupert Mannion. Right at the moment when the scene hits a crescendo, Ted says, "Guys have underestimated me my entire life and for years I never understood why - it used to really bother me. Then one day I was driving my little boy to school, and I saw a quote by Walt Whitman, it was painted on the wall there and it said, 'Be curious, not judgmental.' I like that."

It's one of the show's most memorable scenes.

And yet . . .

There's a small detail in that show that piqued my curiosity.

Did Walt Whitman really say that? I wondered.

Something about the syntax and the use of the word "curious" seemed a little too contemporary. A quick little round of lateral reading revealed that the original quote was from a 1986 article in a syndicated advice column to a parent worried when she found contraceptives in her teenager's bedroom. It doesn't make the scene any less remarkable. If anything, the true origins of the quote adds a deeper layer that I can appreciate even more.

I do this often. I find myself asking, "Is that really how it works?" or "I wonder why . . ." when watching a show. Another Ted Lasso example was the "be a goldfish" quote. It's the notion that goldfish forget things in a matter of seconds.

When I asked the question, "How long is goldfish memory?" I was surprised to learn that they can remember certain facts for up to five months. From there, I learned about goldfish training. It's easy to look at this and say, "It's just a goldfish. Why does that matter?" But the goal isn't practicality. The goal is curiosity as an end in itself.

When I was a pre-service teacher, my mentor Brad said something so often it became a mantra for me. "We must seize the moment of excited curiosity for the acquisition of wisdom." Brad would say this all the time and slowly I memorized it and internalized it. He wasn't sure where the saying originally came from, but the idea was that in that single moment when your curiosity is sparked, you should chase it. If you put it off until later, you miss something in the process. Those questions evaporate. But when you chase the curiosity in the moment, you end up asking better questions and learning more in the process. Yes, there's a time for deadlines and it's true that we sometimes need to get back on task. But there's a place for going off-road and wandering in wonder.

As a teacher, you can model this process for your students every time you pause and search for an answer to a fresh question. A teacher's naturally curiosity infects the entire classroom in a really positive way. As a student, I loved to hear my teachers say, "Yeah, I'm trying to figure out __________" or "I've been exploring ___________." Their curiosity meant that it was okay for me to be curious; that being geeky was positive thinking. You can give your students that same gift: the permission to wonder. When you talk about your own curiosity and you share the questions you have, you create a class culture that values inquiry.

We often hear about curiosity as a 21st century skill. But it's more than that. It's a mindset and a habit. It's something we develop and retain as much as it is something we learn how to do. If we want to see students chase their curiosity, we need to find small moments to model this process in class. Sometimes you might want to take it a step further with a single class period inquiry sprint.

6. Do a single-day inquiry lesson.

In a math course, you might do Dan Meyer's "what can you do with it?" activity, where students form their own math problems based on a visual or video. In a science class, students might observe a phenomenon and set up a list of questions they want to pursue.

Or you could do a full Wonder Day lesson, where students in any subject ask a question, engage in research, and share their findings with others. This project begins with open-ended student inquiry, where they get to choose the topic and the questions. However, it aligns to content-neutral skill standards that cover many of the informational reading, research, and digital content creation standards found within the Common Core ELA standards.

7. Launch a full inquiry-based project.

In The Order of Phoenix, the fifth of the Harry Potter series, Dolorus Umbridge takes over as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and instantly transforms the class into a textbook-based class focused on passing the standardized tests. When Harry questions whether this will prepare them for the chaos of fighting against Vold . . . err . . . um . . . he who must not be named . . . Umbridge punishes him and he ends up forming his own school within a school called Dumbledore's Army.

Dumbledore's Army is purely inquiry-based. While Harry is the teacher, he is mostly a guide on the side, empowering the students to ask questions and find the answers themselves. They rely on each other and on various spell books to solve problems and answer their questions. While the process might seem messy compared to Umbridge's approach, the students learn at a rapid pace because they aren't wasting time repeating what they already know.

This is an example of inquiry-based learning.

Launch a Wonder Week

If you're interested in the Wonder Day and Wonder Week Project, sign up below:

Please leave your email address below and click the yellow subscribe button to receive the free inquiry-based Wonder Day / Wonder Week project. It includes the process and the handout you can use with students. I will also send you a weekly email with free, members-only access to my latest blog posts, videos, podcasts and resources to help you boost creativity and spark innovation in your classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Ways to Integrate Curiosity into the Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
My friend George Couros once said, "If students leave school less curious than when they have started, we have failed them." I tend to agree. I've never heard of a cosmologist who says, "I'm done

# data[].attributes.body
Great blog. Great reminder of the price of time.

# data[].attributes.body
Quick video describing Winston Grammar program. It is a multimodal program to help students understand sentence structure and parts of speech.

# data[].attributes.body
Mentor Sentences

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This post is going to be a big one, but definitely worth your time if you are interested in Mentor Sentences!

Do I have your attention now? 😛 After hearing Jeff Anderson speak about them and reading his books, I was hooked on the idea and knew I wanted to make a routine that would work in my elementary classroom! I have adapted his ideas, and explain how I did so in this post.

If you aren't sold enough to read the whole post yet, let me tell you why I use Mentor Sentences in my classroom.
#1: I already use children's literature to teach my mini-lessons in reading and writing. Why not use those books for grammar, too? #2: Kids need to learn from amazing, Giving them a sentence filled with mistakes and telling them to "fix it" doesn't work if they don't even know what it's supposed to look like to begin with! #3: My kids don't know they are learning grammar during our daily Mentor Sentence time. They think it's a scavenger hunt, or a game, or a challenge. #4: My students' grammar knowledge I found my students actually trying to imitate the mentor sentences in their own writing. #5: It only takes 10-15 minutes per day!
Are you still with me? (How could you not be?) I realized after blogging about Mentor Sentences last year that although reading about them is helpful, seeing it in action is really what teachers needed. (Raise your hand if you are a visual learner just like over half of the students in your classroom!) So, I made a video. That's right, Y'ALL go ahead and get ready to make fun of my accent if you aren't from Georgia. ;o)

Did you hear how excited the kids were? They can't WAIT to find out what the Mentor Sentence will be each week, and they are dying to be the one who figures out the skill I want them to see in the sentence, or for their sentence to be chosen to get displayed.

Still need more...? Want to read about it, too? Here you go, friends. Below you will find information about grades 3-5 mentor sentences. If you are a primary grades teacher, there are mentor sentences for you, too! Read about how you can implement them in the lower grades here!

**These are two posts written in April 2013 combined!**

On Monday, I give the students their sentence for the week to glue down into their journals. (Mine use the back of their Writer's Notebook.) This sentence comes from a book we read the week before, or we are going to read that week. Usually, I have not read the book when I give them the sentence, so when I do read the book, they are hanging on every word, waiting to hear the sentence. I have trained mine to snap when they hear me read the sentence (instead of shouting out). Last week, we used a sentence from one of my favorite books, Step-Stomp Stride by Andrea Davis Pinkney which I had already read to them the week before as part of our biographies unit.
Sojourner put one big-black-beautiful foot in front of the other and she STOMPED on the floorboards of ignorance that were underneath.
Once they have their sentence glued down, we practice reading the sentence together fluently. I'll call on some volunteer students to read it by themselves to show off, but we read it a few times chorally as well. Then, they "notice" what is so awesome about this sentence. Some things I ask to prompt them and get them going are:
How is this sentence different from others you've seen? How is it the same? What makes it so awesome? Why do you think I chose THIS sentence out of ALL the sentences in the book? What about the way this sentence is written stands out to you?
I expect them to write at least three things down on their own, but usually they write more. I give them just a few minutes, and then we come to the floor and they share what they saw. I add their "noticings" to the chart. I always have something in mind that made the sentence stand out to me, and the students know they are trying to "guess" what it was that made me pick it. This helps with their list of "noticings" too because they know it's usually not something small and simple (although, sometimes it is!). Here is our list from last week's sentence:

I have my students tell me why for everything. They can't just say the sentence is descriptive. They had to tell me they could imagine the scene in their head like a movie. They couldn't just tell me STOMPED was in all capitals- they had to tell me why they thought the author put that word in all capital letters. You'll notice the star next to "big-black-beautiful"- there were two things about that, and they got them both!! Alliteration, and the hyphens! We also talked about this being a compound sentence, but I just realized it didn't make it on the list. I don't know how that happened! Whoops! I am usually really good about making sure everything that they say is there! My apologies!

On Tuesday, the students re-write the sentence in their notebook, skipping lines in between, and label all the parts of speech that they know (first, independently). Then we come to the floor again, and they tell me what parts of speech they know, but again, they have to talk about WHY. Here is the completed sentence, but check below it for examples of the dialogue we had as we labeled:

Student 1: Sojourner is a proper noun.

Ms. Ivey: How do you know that?

Student 1: Because it's her name, and she is a person.

Student 2: Underneath is an adverb.

Ms. Ivey: Really? But it tells position. Why isn't it a preposition? (yup, I'm mean. Trying to trick them!!)

Student 2: (thinks for a minute) Because it tells where they were, but it doesn't connect it to a noun...? (She was not totally sure, but she was right! I was so proud!)

Ms. Ivey: Very good!!! No fooling you!! What else do you notice?

Student 3: Oh! "On the floorboards" is a prepositional phrase, because like <student 2> just said, it DOES connect to a noun. On connects to the floorboards, and it tells where!

Ms. Ivey: Very good!! You are right, and actually, our whole prepositional phrase is "on the floorboards of ignorance"- of is ANOTHER preposition! (It's okay to tell them some things, like this, because you don't want them to be confused...)

Student 3: So "in front of the other" is a prepositional phrase too, right?

You can see that, by this point, I am not having to really lead them too much. They do most of it on their own. This is a different story at the beginning of the year. Please do not believe that the conversation you just read above happens right away. They begin to understand the "language" and know how to tell me the answer as we get more comfortable with the process. Of course, I would not give them a sentence like this in the beginning of the year either- I want them to feel successful, which they can do on simpler sentences at first. Something you might hear from them early on is, "big is an adjective." Instead of just labeling it, make sure to ask, "how do you know?" If they give you a blank stare, or just tell you it's a describing word, make them tell you what word it's describing! Same with nouns. Yes, at this point they had BETTER know what a noun is, but make them tell you what MAKES it a noun! (For example, it's a person.) This is what leads to them being able to tell you why something is a preposition, for example. It also is great when you get into those adjectives that are also nouns, like "kitchen table." They want to tell you kitchen is a noun. Well it is, by itself. But it's describing what kind of table!
Mentor sentences give you the chance to hit several aspects of grammar repeatedly each week. I rarely teach grammar in isolation anymore because I can do it through mentor sentences!
The focus of day 3 is to make the sentence SOUND even better than it already does. I have an exercise I do with the kids every Wednesday (and other times in writing also, but they expect it during Mentor Sentences on Wednesday). I ask them, "what happens when we edit?" I have taught them editing makes our writing LOOK better, so they all say together, "we make it look better," as they put their hands on their eyes like binoculars. I ask students to share ways we can edit- capitalization, punctuation, spelling... And then I ask, "what happens when we revise?" I have taught them revising makes our writing SOUND better, so they all say together, "we make it sound better," as they cup their hands around their ears to give themselves supersonic ears! I ask students to share ways we can revise- changing verbs to make them more vivid, adding descriptive language like adjectives or figurative language, combining sentences, etc...

So, now they are ready to revise this week's mentor sentence! We do talk about how just adding any old adjective (or adding TEN adjectives) is not revising because we want to make it sound better, not just "longer." I always give them an example of the sentence that I revised. This helps get their brain going. It also allows conversation for what kinds of things can be done during revision. Here's my sentence from last week:

(Remember, the original sentence was: Sojourner put one big-black-beautiful foot in front of the other and she STOMPED on the floorboards of ignorance that were underneath.)

We talk about the things that are different in the revised sentence:
*I changed the word put to placed, making it more vivid.
*I also replaced STOMPED with POUNDED- both are vivid, but POUNDED makes an impact in all capital letters, too.
*I used the preposition across instead of on because I thought it fit better with POUNDED.
*I changed the adverb underneath to below.

The students write their sentences and I allow the ones who volunteer to share; the rest of the class listens for the revisions and shares what they hear. It's very important that you stress to them they are keeping the meaning of the sentence, but just making it sound better. Once they learn Thursday's task, they will sometimes get confused and want to change the meaning of the sentence. Just remind them that they won't do that until the next day...

Thursday's task is to write like the author. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, I always say! So, on this day, the students decide what they want to write their sentence about (this is the day they change the meaning!) but try to keep the structure of the sentence the same. It is important to go back and review the noticings from Monday. The author used a metaphor? Oh, I should too! The sentence is a compound sentence? Then, so should mine! The author connected three alliterative adjectives with hyphens? I will, too!

Again, I share my example with them and we compare how it is the same as the mentor sentence:

I wrote a compound sentence with three alliterative adjectives connected with hyphens followed by a prepositional phrase, and capitalized my vivid verb. Sometimes, I even go word by word or phrase by phrase, pointing at the mentor sentence and pointing at mine to talk about the similarities. Then it's their turn! They all imitate the sentence and I choose 4 students to write their sentence on sentence strips with special markers. Some weeks, it is REALLY difficult to choose only 4! The students all want to be one of the four chosen, so they really try hard to write some SUPER sentences. I also try to pick different students each week to give everyone the chance to be displayed on the bulletin board.

The four sentences I chose last week were great! You'll notice they don't have EVERY element from the mentor sentence, but that's okay! You can tell they are trying some of the elements, and hey! I would be so happy with these sentences written in their writing pieces! The first one is by far my favorite. I laughed out loud!!

My dog dropped one stinky-smelly-surprise in front of me and BARKED for me to clean it up.

I bounced the basketball with my super-sweaty-super-sized hand and threw the basketball into the white netted hoop.

My mom made the best-blasting-booming with taste pasta and my brothers and I devoured it.

Jeremy bought delicious-dreamy-delicate brownies from the Debie Snack store and he STUFFED the brownies in his mouth and ate it.

Perfect sentences? No. But better than those boring ol' sentences I'd be getting otherwise? Absolutely!! And YES! They do try to incorporate the elements and structure of mentor sentences into their own writing! I have seen improvements in my students writing over the last few years while using mentor sentences.

As I mentioned in my last post, I teach grammar through mentor sentences and through my reading and writing lessons. Very rarely do I teach it in isolation. We have been working on distinguishing between simple, compound, and complex sentences for the last several weeks. I alternated my mentor sentences between compound and complex, and we talked about how we knew it was compound vs. complex.Every Friday, I give a mentor sentence quiz. The quiz requires them to edit the sentence that they've been seeing ALL week (so they know at this point what it should look like), and it assesses whatever skill we worked on as the focus for that week. It sometimes also spirals back to include skills that were previous focuses but also showed up in this sentence. For example, in this week's sentence, I focused on the fact that it was compound (last week was complex). But we also talked about the alliteration in "big-black-beautiful" which was a previous focus in our figurative language unit and another mentor sentence... so I included it on the quiz!

You can easily pull a sentence from any book and try this in your classroom, or if you love the idea of all the work being done for you, check out my TPT Store for Mentor Sentence Units.
Remember, CONSISTENCY IS KEY! To see real improvement, you need to carve out a time in your schedule to do Mentor Sentences daily. I promise you, it's worth it! You won't have to teach grammar in isolation so much anymore (BORING!) and you'll see improvement in the students' writing!
If you want even more IN-DEPTH step-by-step help with implementing mentor sentences, check out my courses!

For more ideas with mentor sentences, follow my Pinterest board!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Step-by-Step: The Why and How of Mentor Sentences

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This post is going to be a big one, but definitely worth your time if you are interested in Mentor Sentences! Do I have your attention now? 😛 After hearing Jeff Anderson speak about them and reading his books, I was hooked on the idea and knew I wanted to make a routine that would work in my elementary classroom!

# data[].attributes.body
This helps me empathize with my students more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Students who mask at school can only keep it up for so long

It's that time of year (again)

This may be true for some, but for disabled and neurodivergent students, it's likely something a bit more serious . Spending 30 hours per week in a public school system that often doesn't meet their needs - surrounded by peers who also don't understand them - is exhausting .

For students who , hiding their struggles in attempts to fit in and avoid getting in trouble at school, the consequences are often internal. or suppressing our needs for the benefit of others is not sustainable and leads to fatigue, Camouflaging , and .

For kids who attend school September through June, this usually starts showing up after spring break, around April or May.

Burnout can show up in many different ways, especially in children, who won't have the neurological maturity or the language to understand or express what they are experiencing.

Signs of student burnout

It's important to remember this list is not exhaustive, and the signs of possible burnout will be different for each person.

Some of the possible signs are:

Disengagement, apathy

Difficulty focusing or concentrating

Frequently late (when they weren't previously)

Becoming sick more often (or needing more sick days)

Shutting out family and/or friends, withdrawing

Increased irritability and negativity

Less interested in hobbies, sports, or other extra-curricular activities

Increased anxiety and avoidance

Exhaustion or fatigue

A lot of school staff and clinicians still push parents and students to "push through" spring fever. They warn that a pattern of school refusal or avoidance can be difficult to stop.

This may well be true if it really is just spring fever. It certainly wouldn't be helpful to allow a child to stay home whenever they want to eat snacks, watch tv, and play video games.

However , it's very important to understand that school avoidance and student burnout are much more complex issues, and they cannot be solved by simply "pushing past" the resistance.

It sure as hell won't help improve their perception of school, especially if school is the cause of their struggles in the first place. If nothing changes in the environment, then conditions cannot improve for the student.

Speak to your child's school . Reach out to the classroom teacher, guidance counsellor, resource teacher, or administrator - whomever may have the most helpful information for you, and will listen to you when you tell them what your child needs.

Maintain perspective . Children in Canada spend approximately 200 days per year in school, missing a few will not have a significant impact on their long-term education, but may have a positive impact on their mental health.

Trust your gut. If you've tried following the old-school advice and it didn't feel right, or you felt conflicted about forcing your child to go to school, trust your parental instincts. Your relationship with your child is more important than their attendance record.

Believe your child. This is especially for neurodivergent and disabled students, who often spend their days in environments where their needs are not met and people don't understand them. Our kids need at least one person (hopefully more!) in their corner, and they need to know you've got their back.

Seek outside support. Find someone - anyone - who is and child-centred to support you and your child. They can be a partner, friend, parent group, or professional. As long as they get it . neuro-affirming

Let them help. If you can, surround yourself with positive and supportive people. You'll need someone to reassure you that you're doing the right thing, especially if your child's school is giving you the message that allowing your child to avoid school is making the problem worse.

Educators and school staff seem to be under the impression that learning only happens in the classroom - I know they understand this is not the case on an intellectual level, but it doesn't appear to translate when students are struggling to attend school.

Everyone is learning all the time , every day. We don't need to be in a classroom or formal education institute in order to learn. In fact, for some children this environment is so stressful that it is detrimental to their mental health, development, and learning.

Bottom line is our kids won't learn much if they are too anxious, stressed, distressed, and otherwise dysregulated in school. They won't learn effectively if they don't feel connected to their school community and don't have a positive relationship with their teacher.

It's much more important to provide support for our children's mental health, regulation, and sense of connection - in fact, it's a pre-requisite for success.

How to return to learning

The solutions will not be found in a " ", which essentially manipulates the child into doing what the adults want them to do. behaviour plan

Even if your child is not actively avoiding school, if their behaviours or words are showing you they are struggling, don't wait until they are refusing to attend.

Dedicate time in the evenings on weekends to activities which recharge and refresh them, activities that are done simply for the sake of having fun or relaxing.

In fact, if your child is in elementary school, homework is largely unnecessary and unhelpful - but that is a topic for another article on another day!

© Jillian Enright, Neurodiversity MB

If you'd prefer give a one-time tip, you can support my writing on Ko-Fi - also, it's free to and follow me on Facebook !

Illich, Ivan. (1970). Deschooling Society. Marion Boyars Publishing Ltd.

More about school refusal

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students who mask at school can only keep it up for so long It's that time of year (again) Every spring I hear from parents and school staff that the children and students are getting "spring fever".

# data[].attributes.body
Standards for 7th grade

# data[].attributes.body
ASSURE Model

# data[].attributes.body
Dick-Carey Model

# data[].attributes.body
Dick-Carey Model Evaluation Podcast on Podbean