How to Help Stressed Out Students
October 17, 2019
If you are working in a high performing school, you probably know all too well that you have a lot of stressed out students. Still, you might be startled by new research that classifies students in high performing schools as having the same level of risk for serious mental health problems as students living in poverty, foster care or who have an incarcerated parent. There’s no magic bullet for addressing the complex set of societal issues that has gotten us to this point. Programs for social-emotional learning (SEL) and suicide prevention can help. Structured programming will take time and fidelity. Clearly, there’s no time to lose. Here’s a potential “quick win” that could make a big difference for stressed out students,… Read More
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
Take a Hot Chocolate Break
February 20, 2015
By Sarah Vander Schaaff It’s cold out. And all of us who are not posting photos of a late February escape to the some warm environs, and Mars is looking pretty good right now, will agree. That’s why today we’re going to talk about the benefits of a nice warm mug of hot chocolate. I’m not throwing in the towel on education and science. No, in fact, I’m embracing it and adding a dash of whipped cream on top. Chocolate, as a 2004 Finnish study suggested, has benefits that start even before your children are old enough to beg for a box of Swiss Miss Marshmallow Madness. It starts in the womb. Researchers at the University of Helsinki asked pregnant… Read More
