Attending school can be nerve-racking for any child, especially if the child comes from a more disadvantaged background. Students deal with academic issues as well as personal issues and they also face peer pressure which can trigger anxiety in its most extreme forms. With the right help, however, students can work to overcome these challenges so they feel more at ease when they are in school moving forward.
In addition to dealing with the normal pressures of life, students have also been dealing with the difficult situation of schooling during a pandemic. The challenges of masks and other protocols can often leave students feeling shaky and hopeless. However, with a proactive approach and access to the right mental health services in Jacksonville, FL, there is a lot that can be done to help students who might be dealing with anxiety in the school system.
Continue reading to find out how you can help a student who is dealing with anxiety in the classroom.
Keep Social-Emotional Learning A Priority
Students will cope with anxiety successfully if they are given some strategies to use. Often, just knowing that someone cares makes a big difference for a child. An authorized adult can help students implement strategies they are given so they are better equipped to deal with anxiety. Social-emotional learning should take place both during and after school. Many schools offer student assistance services in Jacksonville, FL which can help students greatly both during and after school hours.
Students Should Be Encouraged To Help Younger Peers
Mentoring can help the students who require mental health services in Jacksonville, FL to feel loved and have more confidence. Peer mentoring and assistance can help older students to feel helpful and allow them to gain more confidence. When students help each other, students feel more relaxed at school. Mentoring is a highly effective way to bring about success for disadvantaged children and reduce stress and anxiety for students.
Using Routines Reduces Anxiety
When children do not know what to expect, anxiety can arise very quickly. Routines foster security in children and children use this routine to help manage anxious feelings. Anxious feelings dissipate when the security of a routine is present and children know what is next, ensuring they understand what is expected of them. Students with access to quality mental health services in Jacksonville, FL can learn to develop routines that will help them to manage anxiety with more success moving forward.
Watch For Signs Of Anxiety
An educator or other authorized adult should watch for signs of anxiety among students, especially those who are from a more disadvantaged background or who are more susceptible to developing anxiety. Adults do not always know what causes the anxiety so it is important to monitor the symptoms so a child can be calmed or comforted before anxiety escalates. Established student mental health service facilities in Jacksonville, FL, advise watching out for the following signs: frequent crying, inattention, frequent bathroom trips, nail chewing, loss of appetite, irritability, fatigue, or stomach aches.
With The Right Help, Anxiety Does Not Have to Win
Anxious feelings are real and they can be intimidating and overwhelming to students who experience them. Following the steps above, you can help keep children focused on the positive and steer them away from situations where they feel anxious. To learn more about these strategies and for other tips on helping students with anxiety, be sure to get in touch with our team at Communities of Schools in Jacksonville today.
Related Tag: Communities in Schools Program