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Topic Archives: Depression & Anxiety

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: A Guide to Improving SEL

February 27, 2022

The mental toll of the pandemic, and corresponding ESSER-recommended funding, put SEL (social and emotional learning) top of mind in schools. The benefits of SEL aren’t new. What is new is the broader awareness and heightened sense of urgency to address SEL. And yet there’s little agreement on how. Maybe until now. Maslow’s Hierarchy and SEL After reflecting on the market confusion around SEL definitions, debates over who should “own” SEL in schools, and a recognition of MindPrint’s unique contribution around self-awareness, we realized Maslow’s nearly eight-decade old hierarchy provides a great model. Because it’s near-universally understood and accepted by educators, it’s a perfect starting point for gaining understanding and acceptance. Maslow’s theory explains that all humans are motivated to satisfy five fundamental needs. A person’s basic needs must be met at the… Read More

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Reducing Student Stress Among High Achievers

March 12, 2018

Are you working with high-achievers? Rather than concerns about motivation and graduation rates, you’re likely worried that your students are too stressed, not getting enough sleep, and will burn out before they even get to college. Stress is considered a growing epidemic among top performing teens. Teachers can’t be responsible for preventing stress and anxiety, but they can instill the importance of self-management and self-care. High achievers need guidance on when to put those books down, how to say no to too many extra-curriculars, and why it might not be a good idea to take every accelerated class. Coaching top performers can be tough. No one wants to hold a student back, tell them they can’t do it all, or stop them from participating in something for which they have… Read More

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Secret to Solving Math Word Problems. Hint: It’s Not about Math

November 12, 2017

Teach students to use stronger reading skills to make them more comfortable, and successful, in math. How to Use Reading Skills for Solving Math Word Problems Provide students with a reliable set of rules to follow for any word problem. Knowing exactly what to do when they see a word problem will make them more confident, and stronger, math students. Remind them that these are very similar to the rules they follow in English class so they know they can do it. Find a printable checklist of these steps here. Mark up the question. (a) Underline exactly what you are asked to find. This will ensure you don’t go astray midway through the problem. (b) Circle the numbers you will use to solve the problem. Circling will make them easier… Read More

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First Test Jitters: Beat Test Anxiety

September 19, 2017

(This article was originally published on September 19, 2017 but has been updated) This week your students are more than likely taking their first quizzes and tests of the new school year. Given the desire to make a good first impression, you’re probably noticing a bit more stress than usual. Here’s what you need to know about test anxiety to help students do their best. The Goal is Optimal Stress, Not No Stress A little stress is a good thing. It motivates kids to study. The nervous energy during the test helps the mind actively recall what you know and work at a good pace so you can finish on time. So as the graph below shows, the goal isn’t no stress…. Read More

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A Teachable Moment

January 18, 2017

  Whether or not we want it, life has given us a teachable moment. Yes, the inauguration. Unlike years past, the political climate, coupled with 24 hour news, means that even some of our youngest children are navigating issues around leadership, ethics and fairness. Which means that if you are not having these difficult discussions with them, they are very likely having them with their peers, on the playground, and yes, (gasp!) on social media. Children are hearing (and in some cases experiencing) very adult topics through the lens of a child’s eyes and ears. That filter could leave them blissfully unaware. Or it could take them down paths less desirable by believing exaggerated claims of peers, overhearing comments out of context, or experiencing their own… Read More

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What’s the Goal? “Top 100” Grad or “Top 100” Career?

April 20, 2016

by Nancy Weinstein For the hundreds of thousands of students that applied to selective colleges this year, the short-term goal was clear: Getting In. And while many of those students are actively rejoicing, many more are lamenting the thin envelope that came in the mail. Now what?! According to personal accounts from concerned parents across the nation, unless your child is a recruited athlete, getting into a top college is a virtual crap-shoot. The perception is that too many qualified, legacy applicants means “safety school” is as anachronistic as the rotary telephone. And while the debate rages as to whether perception is reality in college admissions, the reality that stress levels have risen significantly among teens is indisputable. As many of our nation’s best and brightest… Read More

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Freedom to Live

February 11, 2016

This week, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force came out with a first time recommendation that all adolescents, ages 12-18, should be screened for depression. As one expert interviewed by CNN put it, “They might look fine but without screening they fall thru the cracks.” The statistics on teen suicide are disturbing, but the personal stories are heart-wrenching. The following story is upsetting, but sometimes it is our obligation to confront some of our strongest emotions and fears so that we can comfort those who are suffering and hopefully help others avoid difficult times. We asked Dr. Wendy Matthews, an adolescent psychologist in private practice to introduce this post: Suicide is ‘a permanent solution to a temporary problem’. But young people sometimes view… Read More

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7 Reasons for Test Anxiety and What To Do About It

January 11, 2016

  There are a variety of reasons for test anxiety. The best news is that a little bit of test anxiety is good thing. It provides an adrenaline rush to work efficiently. But too much stress produces a full rush of hormones that interferes with the ability to think clearly and rememberwhat you know. If test anxiety is a problem, read on for the seven most common reasons for test anxiety and what to do about it. The very first step is to recognize that the reasons for test anxiety are different for every student. The trick is to figure out which one is the reason for your child’s test anxiety. Subject-Specific Anxiety Sometimes kids develop test anxiety around one subject but not another, similar to how they might have anxiety around… Read More

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Raising Emotionally and Socially Healthy Kids: An Interview with Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore

September 21, 2015

We are supremely fortunate to share with you this week insight from a leading child psychologist Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore who has great advice on how to handle some sensitive parenting moments. Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore has a private practice in Princeton, NJ, where she works with adults, children, and families. In addition to co-authoring Smart Parenting for Smart Kids and The Unwritten Rules of Friendship, she has a new video series for parents, produced by The Great Courses: Raising Emotionally and Socially Healthy Kids. Your Great Course lectures cover 12 topics that touch on different challenges of parenting. Is there an overriding principle or philosophy you might say parents today should keep in mind as they approach their roles as parents to growing children? The… Read More

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5 Common Misconceptions about Teens and Sleep

September 12, 2015

We hear it all the time. Teens need more sleep. They burn the candle at both ends, with early start times for school followed by hours of after school activities and homework. When I taught high school, I saw my students in first period at 7:45 a.m. and dismissed the last class 2:45 p.m. And guess what? These teens were exhausted at both ends of the day. They wanted coffee. Did you drink coffee in 10th grade?! As adults, many of us empathize with the adolescent’s desire for more sleep. We’re tired, too. But do we really understand the unique problem teens face when it comes to their sleep deficits? Because in reality, the teen brain is very different from the… Read More

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