Children of poverty often live with chronic stress. List three examples of how stress manifests
itself in the learning environment.
Give
three examples of how to combat the effects of stress in school.
Try out one of the methods in your classroom
and respond as to how it worked out.
Respond to two others.
Ways in which chronic stress might manifest itself in the school environment include chronic absence from school, lessened attention/concentration, lower levels of cognition/memory, increased frustration/impulsivity, and lack of motivation/effort. Chronic stress has even been shown to reduce the growth of new brain cells and to cause brain cells to develop fewer connections.
ReplyDeleteWays to Combat Stress
Schools and teachers can create welcoming environments, get to know each student's individual struggle and problem-solve around issues that create student stress, teach conflict resolution, teach students to set goals and work toward them, and teach social skills.
Ways I've Seen Teachers Use in Helping Students Be Successful in Their Classrooms
Porch/Home visits, giving students opportunity to redo assignments or retake tests, teaching process before teaching academics to give students success, being consistent so students knew what to expect, preteaching vocabulary or content to give less able students the chance to be successful, and differentiating instruction to match student strengths.
Students in a classroom sense a teacher’s acceptance or rebuff of students. Even if the rejection of a student is subtle, others pick up on it and imitate the attitude of the teacher. I agree with you that teachers need to be the role model and accept each student for themself and help other students appreciate the uniqueness of each member of the class.
DeleteI like the "porch" visits!! Neat way to say you want to get to know the child and their family. It may not be as threatening as "home" visit. Parents may feel more comfortable about you visiting on their porch and not in their home. I have been in some homes that I didn't want to sit on their furniture, but I go ahead and sit down because I want to build that relationship with them and if I don't sit down, I feel I would offend them and that's not a good way to build a relationship with them.
DeleteJerry what you say is so true, and those children who have to rely more on the moods, degree of exhaustion, etc. of others become even more perceptive to how others feel about them.
DeleteWe do porch visits a week before our open house. It works great and is a great way to connect to parents and students.
DeleteAlan:
ReplyDeleteI agree that the environment a teacher creates within their classroom can have a major impact on helping students with stress. This can be done visually or with their presence. It is important to teach some coping skills to help students manage stress.
Student who live in poverty tend to suffer from stresses in their lives and for some students, this stress becomes chronic. Ways this stress can manifest are students' inability to focus on the present, struggle with friendships, or engage in power struggles with adults over basic school rules/procedures.
ReplyDeleteWays to combat stress in school is to have a very structured day. Students in poverty tend to lack structure at home and much of their stress is caused by not knowing what is going to happen in their future and the uncertainty of their day. By creating routines and expectations, this can help with one part of the stress. Also having snack on hand when students are hungry. If worrying about food and being hungry is impacting the stress level, make sure students know that food is available for them. Also preparing students for each lesson, whether by vocabulary, making connections, or just discussing the day will help students. Connect students with positive peers or mentors to have a chance to build a stable relationship.
I worked with one special education teacher who worked with some tough kiddos and she would take time at the beginning of her lesson to turn out the lights and do some deep breathing and take a quiet moment to stretch and relax. She helped students work on physically relaxing themselves. It seemed to really work!
To try out one technique, I began meeting with a student who was struggling with behavior and I read him a social story about his day and specific expectations. When I check in with him, he has known all this week what is expected of him during his day.
I agree with you, accepting a student where they are in life, setting clear expectations with routines help them understand school is a constant and a safe place.
DeleteI think the ideas of learning to relax and making sure they aren't hungry are great. When a person experiences a lot of stress, they really need to know how to de-stress themselves. Taking those few minutes each day is probably very helpful.
DeleteI used to provide snacks to some of my kids but now I do it differently. In my "store" they can buy snacks with the money they've earned throughout the week. I let them buy as many as they want and save them in my room. That way when they are hungry throughout the week, they have something to eat.
Rachel, thanks for sharing the idea about turning the lights out...and having a time of relaxation! I want to try that with some of my students. Especially after lunch, it might be a good time to purposefully relax and prepare to finish the day.
DeleteI really like the idea of the relaxation time. When I took a workshop on Conscious Discipline, I learned a quick and effective method to help students to relax. It's called STAR: S - Smile, T - Take a deep breath (teach them how!), A - And, R - Relax your eyes (exhale). You continue this same process with Relax your jaw, relax your shoulders, relax your belly. It is quick and easy and we usually end up giggling, which also releases stress!
DeleteI like your use of a social story - I think the more we can make new concepts visual for kids the better they remember. I also like that you took time to teach the child appropriate ways behave - so much of the time we expect them to have these skills when we haven't really taught them.
DeleteI've seen in classrooms, teachers who add to that relaxation, dim lights, snack time, with a little soft music, or a story read aloud in a soothing voice. 5-10 minutes of time invested, instead of 10-15 correcting behaviors.
DeleteCombating stress in school: If a teacher knows that a student is often late or absent due to circumstances out of the student's control, then the teacher should not make a big issue out of it. It's true that they need to be at school on time, every day - but if it's a parent's fault then it is not fair to punish the student or make them feel embarrassed in front of their peers when they come in late. If the teacher makes a big deal of it, it will only add to the stress. Teachers can also help students learn to make good choices and avoid risky behavior by building their self esteem, teaching them how to make good choices and helping them practice how they will handle certain situations. Finally, teachers can encourage friendships and team building within the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI have a student who is often late to school. I'm not sure if his family is necessarily living in poverty, but there are other issues. When he is late, he also has messy clothes and hair, along with a poor attitude. I don't make a big deal out of him being late - I just get him caught up with the rest of the class. On those days, I am more patient and am sure to provide plenty of encouragement to him. I think this works well for him. He seems to be able to overcome the poor attitude and get to work.
When I taught at Leoti, I had a student that was late every day and was so dirty with clothing and hygiene, we adults had to do something to help. So we made sure the kiddo's schedule reflected a time where my classroom was empty of other students where the child could bathe in the sink, wash hair, and change clothes out of what was worn. When we first started doing it, to be honest, I was pretty angry with the parents and then I knew that my attitude was sucky, so reversed it and made it my personal goal to just make sure that kiddo was treated with dignity by everyone who came in contact with that kiddo. Honestly, I really don't think any of the other students ever knew what we were doing because no one ever said anything that the paras ever heard in class. I hope that with our actions we might have taken a little stress off that sad situation for at least one school year.
DeleteLinda, I'm sure you did take some stress out of that student's life. My mother had a similar situation many years ago (over 35 yrs) and she helped a student with hygiene, made it clear that rude comments about this student would not be tolerated, and bought extra clothes that were available (especially winter coats). After her funeral, this student sought out my Dad and relayed how her believing in him and helping him at school had made a difference in his life. Although you may never hear from this student - you did make a positive difference!!
DeleteI like your approach as I am guessing the reason he is late may not be his own fault. I also like that you are changing your own approach with this student. I often find myself wanting to change the behavior of the student when it would actually work better to change my own approach to their behavior, etc.
DeleteChronic stress can manifest itself in the classroom in many ways, some of which are frustration, lack of focus and motivation, and not turning in assignments. Some ways to combat stress in the classroom is to create a calm learning environment, treating all children the same by not putting focus on one student when they do something wrong, and providing an outlet for frustration in the classroom or even validating their feelings of frustration.
ReplyDeleteI used to work with a student who could not communicate effectively and when he was stressed out with a task he would scream. We would validate his feelings by saying "I understand you are mad", and this simple act seemed to help him deal with his feelings. This put him at more ease because he knew that we understood his feelings.
Rachel - Creating a calm learning environment is important and I think turning off the lights in the classroom for a short period of time is a great way to help the children relax. I think it's a great idea!
Rae Lynn - I really like your personal story of the student who comes to school late and how you deal with him. You do not add any attention to the situation and you help put him at ease with being more patient and providing encouragement.
The examples of stress manifestation in the learning environment are as varied as the student exhibiting the behaviors. I’ve seen students that literally could not sit still, something was moving at all times on their bodies. Maybe a foot was tapping or a leg moving helped expend nervous/stress energy. I’ve also worked with students that were so exhausted because of the stressful environment in which they lived couldn’t rest at night. Family disputes, responsibilities for younger siblings, lack of food and being hungry affect students being able to rest at night. Another way I’ve seen stress manifested in students is not being able to focus on a task. Their minds continually wander to the other situations that are important to them.
ReplyDeleteOne way I try to help students cope with stress is to ask them first of all, what is bothering them. Validate their feelings and concerns and then point out that as high school students they will probably become a parent in their life. What do they need to do to make sure they don’t make their children suffer through the feelings they are currently having. It helps them focus on problem solving rather than always being the victim.
If students are just ‘moving’ at all times, I let it happen unless it is noisy and interferes with others. Occasionally I will place my hand on their arm or shoulder and try to help calm them and ask them to be still; often they don’t even realize the movements they are making.
I haven’t had a lot of luck with helping students that are exhausted due to home situation stress. When it has been severe, after visiting with the administrator, there have been a few instances a student was allowed to take a break in a class and lay down in the nurse’s office for a class period. Other than letting the student know how much we care, I haven’t found a better solution.
Jerrie,
DeleteI agree that being tired is a huge problem for these kids and it really is hard to fix. When you mix that with hunger it can be a big deal. I agree that often the only thing we can do is letting them know we understand. Sometimes on days where a child is extrememly tired I change my plans for them. Instead of learning something new, we might practice something she is already pretty good at or let them use one of the computer programs, such as reading eggs or ixl. I feel like they are still working but not with the frustration of being so tired and unable to concentrate.
I do the same thing in my room. But, if the student is just out of it, I will send them to the office with a note to let them lay down or I have a place in my room with carpet that I will let them lay down there. I had 1 student one time that was out like a light and slept through 2 class periods (of course I let the teacher know). I look at it like this, if we adults didn't feel good, we have the opportunity to take a sick day and if a student attempts to come to school and is trying, I give them a break. one school day out of the year won't kill anyone.
DeleteI have a student who falls asleep continuously, not only in my classroom, but in his regular classrooms as well. He also had chronic absenteeism -- he has missed 4 weeks of school (adding all the days together) and it's only the middle of November. I have talked to him, talked to his mom, encouraged his mom to take him to the doctor as she thinks it is his medication (he has ADD and does take medication for it). I finally got out of him that he doesn't go to sleep and/or bed at night until well after 12 midnight. I have tried to work with his mom on setting a bedtime (encouraging her!) and telling her to use an off-station radio for white noise because that's what works for my son when he can't sleep. I don't know what to do about all the absences. I just try to teach him and catch him up the best I can when he's here. Any ideas??
DeleteWhen students at the 5th/6th grade levels show stress, it usually shows up as behavior not acceptable in our school setting. The lack of concentration, motivation or acting out is usually a dead give away that something is bothering a kid. We usually don't have the chronic absences like upper grades see.
ReplyDeleteHow I attempt to combat stress in my room? I play classical/soothing music in my room to cover up outside sounds and I play Mozart when students take tests. I also keep water in my classroom so the students can get up and get a drink (with guidlines so they don't abuse it). I also make sure kids know when things are going to be changed or something big is coming by either posting it in the room or by verbal information. When a kiddo is having a bad day and starts to cry (yes even boys at this age still) I will have them leave the room and go to the restroom and tell them to take their time to come back. A short respite is usually all it takes to get back under control. Before they come back into the room, I will meet them in the hall to just check and see if there is something I can do.
Another thing that I do is if I don't know the child's family, I just "ask around" about them to other teachers who have taught them or are currently teaching them. Even if what I hear is gossip or someone shares really shocking things about mom or dad, it helps me to get an idea of what I might deal with at school. And lastly, parent teacher conferences are really a way to see why some of our students are the way they are, and when I have some not so ideal parents, it really makes ME look at MYSELF and how I can treat that kiddo a little more kindly or with more patience.
I think one common thread between Rachel's Jerrie's, Rae Lynn's, Linda's, and Jamie's comments is that good teachers are flexible in understanding the moods and needs of their students. Sometimes, school is a student's safe place. I've seen students who were at school by 7:00 or 7:30 every morning because "school" represented the only consistency they had all day. While its unfortunate that some students might rather be at school than at home, it's also good that they have found a place that feels "safe." Remember, it's the people and not necessarily the place.
ReplyDeleteJerrie, isn't that the truth. I've wondered often times why kids are at school so early yet are the first ones out the door. Having 'real' empathy goes along way with people in general, but especially with kids. Recently, I had developed a good relationship with one of my students from a poor background. Being gone for a day, he had gotten in trouble for not returning a note signed by a parent, (he doesn't do homework at home, so why should he bring a parent signed note back to school?) Anyway, he spent another day in ISS and then he stayed out of school for the following day. I pray that Monday is a new day and a new week so we can start rebuilding our relationship.
DeleteLinda, I do the same thing with really tired kids. Sending them to the 'sick' bed works as long as it is not abused.
Children of poverty often live with chronic stress. List three examples of how stress manifests itself in the learning environment.
ReplyDelete(1) Students are tired (2) students are hungry (3) Students find it hard to concentrate in class
I have had a student who doesn’t always get enough sleep at home. Part of that is probably due to his/her “disability”, but part of it is because of the parent’s late night activities. My team ha also found that some of our students are hungry. With the federal guidelines for school lunches more and more students aren’t getting enough to eat. We have “healthy snacks to go” that we have available. Many times when a student can’t seem to concentrate or focus, we ask if they would like a snack. While we can’t change the atmosphere at home, we can do our best to make them feel welcomed and valued at school. It is hard to concentrate when one is truly hungry. Students know that we will also send snacks home with them. I have a glider rocker in my room and am planning to add some other “comfy” items.
Rae Lynn: I think that is wonderful that you don’t focus on your student’s tardiness. Sometimes I think just getting to school is a major accomplishment for some of our students. I too have a student who has been late numerous times. The school gives detentions for tardy’s so this student had to stay after school for a week. I really felt bad about it, because I felt like it really wasn’t the student’s fault; but this turned out to be a really good thing for the student. They caught up on their homework and in fact when given the opportunity to go home early, chose to stay at the school. School is a safe place for this student. What I perceived to be a discouragement turned out to be a good thing for this student!
Nutrition is so important for children to learn-awesome that you have snacks for children and you recognize when the child may need some extra nutrition for them to be able to focus better.
DeleteStress from poverty in children can cause children to have difficulty establishing/maintaining friendships, low self esteem, and absenteeism. Some ways we can help combat these effects is first of all we as educators need to help teach children empathy for each other-not only the children from poverty but ALL children. We need to educate ourselves on ways to help those children in their daily lives-be understanding with what they have to deal with at home daily. Helping these children develop friendships is so important-developing a buddy system for all children can help teach empathy and be understanding of each persons' background. Absenteeism is difficult to combat, but hopefully children feel loved, safe and secure at school and therefore want to come to school. I also think if we as the educators try to develop a relationship with the parents, and they feel we accept them for who they are, they will be more likely to get their child to school.
ReplyDeleteDealing with 3-5 year old children on a daily basis-I try to develop a relationship with the parents first-providing support services in the child's home helps me to understand where the children come from and be more understanding as to what the child's life is like when they are not at school. I think it would be great if every teacher would visit a child in their home before school starts-it may give them a better understanding of what the child is dealing with at home.
I think it is so important that you are developing the relationships with the parents. If they feel like you really care I believe that they will feel more comfortable letting you service their children.
DeleteI agree that developing relationships with parents can really help. It's tough to get the parents to come in or to participate, but if home visits are possible, it can make a big difference. I also think it's important to be sure to develop a relationship with the students that lets them feel trust and safety when they come to school.
DeleteThe book talks about stress being manifested in the learning environment through behaviors such as students blurting, acting before asking permission, and forgetting what to do next. To combat the effects of stress in the school, you could try teaching students various coping techniques (i.e. breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, etc.), assist them with organization or help them to develop their own skills, or consistently utilize positive words and encouragement with them. Although I don’t have a classroom, the previous 3 examples are all techniques I’ve used for myself, or someone has used with me in helping to deal with stressful situations (*Side-note: Thank you SO MUCH to everyone I work with who always reassures me that things are going to be fine… Even though I think I can see the end of the world just around the corner, haha!). I also tend to bite my nails a lot when I get stressed out, but that strategy just doesn’t seem to be as productive as the others :-s
ReplyDeleteAlan-
I agree with your comment about creating a welcoming environment to lessen stress. There have been times when I’ve entered classrooms for observation, and I can immediately feel the difference between a room that’s welcoming and one that’s less than that. There’s just a certain level of tension, you know??? Also, I’m not the crafty type. I don’t hang pictures or create wonderful masterpieces from Pinterest, but after reading your comment, it made me think about my office and the spaces I utilize, and I’m pretty sure they could be classified as “unwelcoming”… Maybe I should at least try to put up one of those cute kitten calendars or something??? Haha!
Linda-
During my practicum, we had a similar situation come up in regards to assisting a student with hygiene. The school had already been helping the year before I got there, but now they were wanting to provide some additional changes of clothes and take care of the student’s laundry. I remember we had met with the student’s mother beforehand to make sure this setup was okay with her, and that she wouldn’t take our assistance as offensive or anything like that. Well, she couldn’t have cared less. She didn’t even really want to take the time to meet with us. These situations are so frustrating to me. I know the school was doing it’s best to help out while the student was there, but it breaks my heart to think about that student’s home life.
Having the student do excercises to relax is a great idea. Anything to help the student feel comfortable and be able to control their own actions is priceless. The student will be able to create a comfortzone with you and maintain his emotions which will inturn start a positive atmosphere with the school.
DeleteRaelynn:
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is important to not make a big deal about kids being gone or tardy. Many times it is out of their control and it would just add an additional stress into their day. I believe they should also not be held too accountable for homework if the teacher knows there is not a good foundation at home. Taking out stresses in their day will help the students be more successful overall in school.
Children of poverty often live with chronic stress. List three examples of how stress manifests itself in the learning environment.
ReplyDelete1. Children that live in chronic stress environments will channel this behavior in a disruptive behvior in the school setting. The student will not be able to develop healthy friendships in the school or out of school settings. Many times the students in this child's classroom begin to outcast the student because of the disruptive behavior. Therefore, no lasting friendships are ever made.
In order to help the child with the explosive behavior. The teacher must recognize the signs. It is important to understand why the student is having this explosive behavior. By knowing how long the stressor will last or if a stressor is going to happen will help you be ready to get the student to another location to save face among peers. I always tried after the stressor began to have the student draw their feelings. This did not always work. Sometimes I was too late and the disruptive behavior just had to work it's way out. However, when he/she was done we always did a reflection.
2. Students also have to worry about being safe not only at school because of bullying but also at home. The nebiorhoods are often in poorer parts of town and the crime rate is extreme. Therefore, the basic needs of the student are not being met. In order to help the student it is important to get all involved with the students day. Teachers that are directly involved with this student need to be educated on how to approach and talk to the student. If a teacher is gruff with the student. They will more than likley start disruptive behavior in that student. The emotional state of these students are so fragile. When I had a student with emotional issues I would have to talk to teachers and request that behavioral issues be handled very careingly. There were times that I had to request that the student be moved out of a specific classroom because of teacher and peer conflect. That did not go over very well with all involved with this student. But it was important that I followed through with the plan of helping the student feel safe. It is not about the teachers it is about the student and providing their basic needs first.
3. Anxiety is a big problem with student that are affected by an emotional problem. They are so worried about whether or not they will have food, shelter, saftey, parents at home and not being abused that they become very anxious. It is crutial that at school they maintain a very well planned schedule and disipline plan. It is important that the student know step by step what their day is going to look like and what will happen if they need disipline. They are in so much fear already when out of school. School needs to be their safe zone.
Stress can be seen at school in many manifestations.
ReplyDelete1. poor attendance
2.Lack of concentration
3. disinterest in participation
First it is important to make sure the school environment is a positive and safe place. Keep communication open with parents and students. Have a safe place to desensitize if stimulation becomes excessive
Next make sure the basic needs of the students are being met. many schools have a weekend food program where staples are sent home with needy students to make sure there is some food over the weekend. Keep snacks on hand at school just in case. Make sure parents are aware of organizations that can help with needs- Goodwill, Salvation Army, eyeglasses organizations etc.
Third make sure accomodations are available. Many students who are stressed cannot just simply turn off the stressors and get right to work, they may need extra time to decompress, or to sort through the directions. Sometimes breaking assignments into smaller chunks is effective. At other times it would not be a bad idea to just shorten the assignment a little. Also set clear time frames and expectations. These students are not well equipped in reading social cues or deciphering what is expected, even when we think we have procedures set and in place. It does not hurt to tell and retell until things are clear.
I like the idea of making sure parents know about resources available. Living in very rural areas, though can make it difficult for students to access these without driving long distances. With gas prices as high as they are, that can be a huge hurdle.
DeleteIn my classroom, a former student would get so overwhelmed that he would hit, kick, cut himself, and even throw desks and chairs. I provided a desk with an office surround at the back of the class where he could just get up and take his work there with no comment from teacher or peers. After about two weeks he would feel himself getting stressed and he got up and took his work to his"office." He learned to use this well and we had no further incidents of a violent nature, and he made some awesome academic gains, including testing out at the highest mark on the math portion of the FCAT state assessments.
ReplyDeleteAlan Kautz~~~ I agree that it is the people, not the place that counts. I have had students ask to stay after school to help out in the classroom to avoid going home. I want my students to know they are not just a job to me. They are important as individuals, and I care very much about their futures.
ReplyDeleteStephanie~~~ I like the 'sick' bed idea and have used it in the past.
I have had medically fragile students who just need a rest during the day and then they don't have to go home for the rest of the day. One student in particular just came from a very chaotic home. There was little supervision, the kids were home alone a lot of the time, and he often went to bed in the wee hours of the morning, thus getting very little sleep. When he would come in having a very rough morning we got nothing but outbursts and whining all day. When we started letting him take a one hour nap on those mornings, he was able to get through the rest of the day and it was productive. Some teachers in my school argued that we were taking him out of a whole hour of instruction, but it was better ti give up one hour than an entire day. It is our job as educators to find out what will work best for the students, even if it is not easy or the"normal" way we are expected to teach.
Chronic stress manifest itself:
ReplyDelete1. Physically - children may be living in overcrowded homes, not getting proper nutrition or be getting physically abused/neglect. This may lead to lack of energy, little affect, and sleepiness in class due to lack of food as an energy source as well as little/no sleep. Children learn from examples so those who are getting abused often in turn, abuse others (physically and verbally). Offering snacks and opportunity for rest are options to help with physical stressors. Looking for signs of abuse are also key - slight or obvious.
2. Emotionally - children who live in poverty often have parents who are also overstressed. This leads to parental depression which in turn creates an environment that is not nurturing or supportive. Parents may be disengaged and have difficulty focusing on their child's needs. These children are then not able to form trusting relationships with peers. They don't have the coping skills at school thus leading to outburst, violence and other ways to act out to get attention (either positive or negative). Children have to be taught appropriate ways to engage with peers and acceptable behavior. They also need to know that people in their life care about them - -unconditionally. Many of these children do not have the positive examples at home or do not have the bond with a family member that is needed to thrive.
Academic: When children are tired and their parents aren't engaged, you often have a higher absence rate which would affect learning. Stressors impair attention and concentration which in turn affect memory and cognition. The book also refers to how stressors reduce neurogensis (growth of new brain cells). Educators can help this by ensuring nutrition and allowing rest as needed. Once again, forming that relationship as well as finding that child's interest (art, sports, music, clubs) to keep them interested in school. Educate the student on "stressors" and let them know that can take control of some of it.
I have a preschool student who is chronically tired - -and sleeps through half of class time or is so tired, behaviors arise. We have started a back and forth sleep log with parents so we know when he has had a good night/not so good night. Parents often forget so I text real quick on the days I work with the student and they generally respond quickly to that (young parents love to text - -and everyone has a phone until their minutes run out!)
I agree that it is important to keep in contact with parents when you can. I think you have used the technology of the times to help you.
DeleteStress at home can manifest itself in the learning environment in numerous and harmful ways. If there is financial stress at home, children often come to school hungry, dirty, and dressed in ill-fitting or dirty clothes. The hunger, of course, makes it hard for students to learn. Personal hygiene issues often causes other students to make fun of them or exclude them from activities, which lowers their self-esteem, causes them emotional stress, and make them feel unwanted and isolated. This, in turn, sometimes causes students to act out or become depressed and not want to come to school. Emotional stress and lack of structure at home can also lead to health issues, emotional issues, and attendance problems at school. All of these issues greatly increase a student's change to drop out of school, which will often prohibit them from changing the cycle of poverty for themselves.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things that Special Educators do, I feel, to combat the stress at school. First, the interrelated classroom needs to be one of acceptance and caring, regardless of what the student is wearing, feels, etc. Although most SES students get free breakfast and free lunch, snacks often need to be provided because they are still hungry. Also, extra changes of clothes, soap, and toiletries can be provided at school, with a time for the student to clean up in the morning.
I have done all three of those things, plus many more to combat stress in students. I give my son's clothes and shoes as he outgrows them to students, I also have gone to garage sales and Wal-Mart to buy students coats, gloves, etc. I never let a student go without a warm coat, gloves, and a hat in the winter. I also spent a lot of hours this summer on online trading sites and garage sales looking for a Nike jacket to replace the one a student of mine had outgrown and worn holes in the sleeves. He wouldn't give it up because it said "Nike" on it, and his mom couldn't afford another one. It was probably a hand-me-down to begin with. Kids were making fun of him when he wore it, and he is already isolated enough from his peers. It is a small contribution, but I hope it does make a difference in their well-being.
I have also in the past when I had a classroom with a low-income preschool scoured the community resources for clothes. With one child, we would change her clothes and fix her hair first thing in the morning and have the janitor wash the clothes she arrived in. It was amazing to see her smile when she was clean and fixed up.
DeleteIt has been stated over and over again in the above posts that the three often seen signs in children are absenteeism, poor concentration, and hunger. I think teachers have to be vigilant in watching for these signs. From the above posts it is apparent that there is a lot of creative ways to help. Absenteeism can be a major challenge. Without good rapport with the parents it is hard to discover the reason why or find solutions to it. Some parents don't have the gas in their vehicle to drive the student there or lack of electricity in which to run an alarm clock. Creating a safe environment for the child and for the parent is helpful. When I had a classroom of my own, it was amazing how many parents had a bad experience with school. It took time and effort to build their confidence about how important and valued they were in the education process.
ReplyDeleteAnother issue is poor concentration. Again, creating a safe environment is critical. Also becoming creative in the ways the a skill can be learned. Sometimes the skill can be taught in more active ways. For example, instead of doing a coloring page to learn the colors, the teacher could do a movement game where children had to jump to the various colors. Hunger is often an issue with children from lower SES. It isn't always that children are hungry at the moment, but may be concerned with that they don't know if there will be food when they get home. Working at a low-income preschool in a bigger town opened my eyes to how many families do not have enough food to last the month. Sometimes using food as part of an art project might not be a good activity for a child who doesn't have enough food at home.
I amgree with you Margie. If we do not look for and recognize these troubling sings then we are not doing our job. I dont just teach my subject I teach students to become productive citizens that have a purpose in contributing to the community. If I cannot see it happening right in front of me how can I help or even teach for that matter.
DeleteI see the stress of poverty manifest itself most often in my areas in absenteeism, impulsiveness, poor concentration, and maybe sometimes hunger now that students are not able to eat until they are full at school breakfast or lunch. I believe we can impact absenteeism by making school a place where students want to be, where they come to see people who care about them unconditinally, and want to see them succeed. We can help too by finding out why and helping families make connections with those that can help. I'm reminded of families who do shift work and leave for work before the kids get out the door for school - having a little peer pressure to get out the door can sometimes help. Helping staff understand why, students are the way they are, so they can empathize without lowering expectations and perpetuating the cycle is a step. So is focusing on the things we can change instead of complaining about those we can not. I agree too with the several people that discussed meeting children's basic needs at school if they are not met at home, so that they can learn while they are there.
ReplyDeleteI think that having the staff on board would help immensely. The idea of an empathetic staff member who understands what's going on at home can help the student tremendously.
DeleteChronic stress leads to a number of different roadblocks to students in a school environment. One of the most pervasive problems is a lack of social skills and good social interactions. Throughout the school day, students are asked to interact with others in a number of ways. This can add stress and anxiety to a student who is getting negative feedback from others when they interact. Chronic stress also reduces motivation, which becomes a very frustrating problem for the teacher and can lead, once again, to negative social interactions. A student who doesn't care if they do may spend their time concentrating on disruptive activity rather than the work that is given. Finally, students who suffer from chronic stress tend to miss school altogether. Absences lead to students falling behind which can contribute to the lack of motivation.
ReplyDeleteTeachers can combat stress by altering the environment for the students. Incorporating physical activity into transitions and lessons can help keep students engaged and working. Offering homework support during school time can help students feel more successful about their ability to finish work. Teachers can also empower students by teaching different life skills like conflict resolution and problem-solving.
One of the students I work with has struggled with getting his reading homework done. Even though the work is part of his grade, he was apathetic to whether it was done or not. All students can earn a prize if they turn in their work 5 days in a row, but this seemed to have a negative impact. Because he arrives at school 30 minutes early for breakfast, I began to go to his classroom and work with him on this for the 5 minutes it took to complete it. He seemed to like this one on one time and has started to win prizes. It seems to be a very positive thing for him to get that help and to be able to feel like he can get prizes.
Your comment about students lacking social skills is so true. We often expect students to know how to interact and speak with each other, but that isn't always true. It makes sense that we have to teach them social skills.
DeleteChronis stress in students is a 'terminal illness' if not treated. All students, not just poverty students deal with stress, but our poverty students' stress is all too often stress compiled by parents and living situations. Students that are tardy to school or absent alot due to parents schedules and or helping raise smaller siblings are often dealing with the stress of missing classes and or homeowrk and are stressed that this is putting them further and further behind. Also studnet from poverty have intimate knowledge of parent's financial situations, family altercations, and over all strife. These students are told not to go to school because the dont have the $2 or the sack lunch it takes to participate in a funday or a field trip.
ReplyDeleteI lived through this growing up. We were poverty stricken. I know in elementary school about foodstamps and how to manipulate the system to get ash back to pay other bills with food stamp money. The stress I felt going to school with old clothes torn up shoes etc, cause me to become an extreme intorvert. Those that know me know I am not even close to an introvert anymore. The things that saved me was my teachers and coaches. Teachers found something I was very good at (math and creative writing) and used that to help pull me out of my shell. Also the PE teacher saw a competitive side in me and worked with that to engoage me in the class and win over peers. I am very thankful to the teachers that cared fo me. Schoo became a safe place that I looked forward to go everyday.
Stress can manifest itself in the learning environment through fidgeting, lack of manners with those around them, an inability to resolve conflicts. Some ways to combat stress at school would be to do more movement-related activities, play more soothing music when students are working, and to model conflict resolution in a calm manner. I have done some of the movement activities with a Kindergarten classroom. When the students were getting fidgety, we would stop and do a 2-3 minute "brain break" with some cross-lateralization movements along with large muscle movements. After we were done, students would concentrate better.
ReplyDeleteChildren who experience stress in school can show it in a variety of ways including tardies/absences, lack of concentration, and behavior such as blurting out.
ReplyDeleteAs teachers we can combat this by communicating with the student and family through phone calls, email, and face to face meetings. We can also give them breaks where they can stop and relax for a few moments or minutes. It can also be helpful to chunk the work so the student does not feel so overwhelmed.
I would give my students small breaks and this seemed to work. They were able to take a deep breath try something else and then come back to the work.
Jlofquist - I like the idea of soothing music. For some students it can be just enough to not become overwhelmed.
Alice - nice job of working with the student 1 on 1 and giving him the confidence to do the work. I bet you continue to see results.