I am Becca Reed, a preservice teacher studying Middle Level Math/History Education at Grove City College. I am looking forward to #resiliencechat#gccedu
Especially important this time of year. Holidays are especially difficult for many students, including students in foster care or residing in LCIs. #resiliencechat
Let's get started and of course as people join in #resiliencechat they can answer/respond to any of the questions. Just remember to include the hashtag #resiliencechat in your tweet so it is part of the thread.
A1: I think some students have a natural ability (thanks to their personality) to weather some stress more than others. But environment plays a huge role for most Ss especially when poverty is also a part of things. #resiliencechat
A1 Environment.
Yes, I am a sensitive soul. Yes, I had a neon sign on my forehead stating as much. But my teachers were oblivious to the fact I was being bullied. #resiliencechat
A1) Both, but you said “more”, so I go with environment. I believe in the power of love and modeling. Both are wonderful mitigators of stress. We teach them and show them these, in part, to give them the foundation to overcome stress. #Resiliencechat
A1: I believe that childhood stress is more a function of temperament. Some people are more sensitive to stress than others. However, a student's environment also has a significant effect on their stress levels. #resiliencechat
I wonder with all the attention on bullying now, whether your former teachers would have taken more action. (Sorry you had to deal with that.) #resiliencechat
A1 As I have explained previously, I was bullied and teased all week and then I had to share my bedroom (two single beds) with my paternal grandma who perhaps has dementia. No way to relax on the weekend. #resiliencechat
A1: Childhood stress is more of an environment than function. Function can be managed, but that stress that Ss are always going home to, cannot be managed. It's children having to deal with adult problems. #resiliencechat
A1: some children are stressed the second they walk in our door, others actually see there stress level drop at school their safe place #resiliencechat
I loved to learn, but, in retrospect, I really hated school. But I was too good of a kid to ditch school. I played by the rules whether I liked it or not. #resiliencechat
Hi Brian! Glad you are here because what you are saying about school being a "safe" place for many students is SO true! For some it is the most cherished and happiest 7 hours of their day! #resiliencechat
A1: I think it is definitely a little bit of both. The environment can cause stress but it depends on the temperament of the child how they are going to respond to the things in their environment. #resiliencechat
Hi! im Alli Zeilstra, (joining a little late) and also a preservice teacher from Grove City college! Excited to learn from knowledgeable educators out there! #gccedu#resiliencechat
Yes, I too had some teachers who were bullies and could never get away with doing today what they did yesteryear when I was in elementary school. #resiliencechat
Exactly. Don't do like my First Grade teacher did, stand behind and say, "7 years old and still can't fold a piece of paper." I am almost 61, and I still think of that whenever I fold a piece of paper in half. #resiliencechat
Some signs of stress I have observed in preschoolers include excessive anger, an inability to get along with peers, extreme shyness, and defiance. #resiliencechat
A2: A preschooler who is stressed would show disinterest in their friends at school, maybe some outbursts, or even just complete isolation. #resiliencechat
A4 Signs of stress...
When I was in high school, there was a way to graduate in three years. I deliberately went to summer school so I could do so. #resiliencechat
A4 My thinking was that if I could graduate in three years, I could leave all the bullies behind. So I worked really hard, and I managed to do just that. #resiliencechat
Hi it's Tamra Skye formerly Tamra Excell, jumping in :)
A3: this varies by the kid. It can include being afraid to ask for things, or to speak up. Withdrawing. Sometimes that "obedient" kid is actually operating out of stress and fear.
#resiliencechat
A4: Some signs of stress in a high school student include mental illness, inability to complete work, and changes in social environment. #resiliencechat
A4: Stress in a high school student would show in them becoming very emotional, unmotivated, and possibly depressed. They could also start acting out more and becoming much hard to form relationships with. #resiliencechat
Student-Teacher relationships are more important than rigor, relevance and technology. Students will learn if they believe the Teachers care about them. #resiliencechat
A1. Both. My daughter was born with "super powers" ready to survive in a dangerous environment. Eidetic memory, high sensory awareness, etc. My therapist told me it's likely epigenetic due to my having been raised in danger. My skills were honed. Hers: born w/ it
#resiliencechat
A4: I think I would look for unusually rude or snappy comments from a typically respectful student. Students under stress may not be able to rest well and may be more likely to be irritable. #resiliencechat
A5: We can address stress in students of different ages by listening to their problems and teaching them in a way that helps alleviate stress resulting from their education. #resiliencechat
A5: It is all about relationships. The best way to help them is first to let them know that someone cares about them and loves them. This will them trust you and then you can help give them stress relief strategies that will work for them individually. #resiliencechat
A4: Worry about everything!!!!!!! Omg, this is unprofessional, but I’m these finals are getting to me and I have done so much studying! #resiliencechat
yes, this is often true; however, I worry about those students who sit silently trying to avoid attention. How are they really dealing with stress #resiliencechat
A5: stop giving homework. I come from a K-5 background, but I feel like many middle and high school teachers would agree there.
Completely redesign standardized testing. Decrease testing significantly... end it? #resiliencechat
A5: echoing Glenn: listening is a good first step. Opposite mirroring to help counter their current stress, if you know how to do this. Demonstrating non-judgement is key here too. Then strategies and meeting needs (varies on their specific scenario).
#resiliencechat
Student-Teacher relationships are more important than rigor, relevance and technology. Students will learn if they believe the Teachers care about them. #resiliencechat
A5 My take on this question is you have to address the root causes. Some student stress may be self-induced but a lot of it is more adult-inflicted. It's #HumanRightsDay - are we taking an honest look at how we are doing by *all* our kids? and how we do school?
#resiliencechat
A5 Want to add: every single human benefits from breathing. Finding a way to get them to quite literally take a deep breath, or 3. Modeling a calm you want them to feel. Again, this is opposite mirroring. I didn't know I was doing this until my therapist told me! #resiliencechat
A5: Creating a safe classroom environment free of chaos and a place where the adult cares & recognizes that kids experience stress is a start #resiliencechat
We do that in Humanities 7 most days, sometimes with some muscle group tensing-relaxing exercises, sometimes with guided meditation. I know I feel the difference afterwards; I hope more of them do than not.
#ResilienceChat
#resiliencechat A1 As a parent, I can confidently say that a lot of it has to do with unique personality of each child. Our response to their personality plays a very big role too in shaping up their response styles.
A6: The education system can evaluate students' abilities to meet demands and adjust assignments accordingly in order to alleviate student stress. Assignments should not be eliminated, just modified for the benefit of the learner. #resiliencechat
A6 Oh... I might have too many ideas to answer this one concisely. LOL Become more student-centric. Change the roles of teachers and students to allow for a less stressful approach to education. I've created programs and even entire schools; it's possible.
#resiliencechat
A5: It is always important to also validate what our student's are feeling and saying. It's REAL if it's from them. To say otherwise is diminishing them. #resiliencechat
A5: Providing students with skills to recognize & deal with stress is important. Mindfulness, finding ways to give them control over decisions, treating them w/respect is impt. #resiliencechat
A6 Eliminate grading. Eliminate standardized testing. Eliminate homework. Genuinely involve kids in decision-making at the school - curriculum, policies, initiatives, discipline, etc. Provide counseling/health support as needed. Listen to, respect, and love them.
#resiliencechat
A6: I think it would help if we start to understand that students are stressed. They have a life outside of school that we don't know about. With that in mind we need to make work with the intentions of helping the students learn, not just giving them busy work. #resiliencechat
#resiliencechat A2 Looking back at my parenting journal, I think the biggest stress for a preschooler is 'Separation anxiety'. They don't like change in patterns. It disturbs their delicate mind, they are still trying to make sense of their familiar world.
A7 Continue to do just about everything in my A6 response. :-)
(Still working on getting rid of homework, though I was actually thinking on how to do that just this morning.)
#resiliencechat
A7: I am a preservice teacher, so as a result of #resiliencechat tonight, I will try to focus on ways I am keeping my stress levels down during this final week of the semester so I can share them with my peers and future students. #resiliencechat
A7: I'm currently working w a team to create online workshops for teachers & parents on education topics, including some related to this topic. These chats have the added benefit of letting me know what the needs might be. #resiliencechat
A6 Talk with your students so you can figure out what they are going through. It's all about building that teacher student relationship. #resiliencechat
#resiliencechat A2b The most common signs of stress, 1. Looking for people they feel safe with for acknowledgement that it is safe where they are. 2. Crying. 3. Anger.
I found that when I was dealing with a student acting out that often I would go quiet and be conscious of my breathing. Kids would eventually sync to the calm I presented. I had to really work at it, but so important. #resiliencechat
As always, I am so appreciative of eveyone's participation tonight in #resiliencechat! It was great to see some old friends AND some newbies! Hope to see everyone next week!
