All Educational Environments
I have a new focus that I want to work on as an educator...helping learners better deal with anxiety.
This morning in my high school class a learner came in very testy,
"Where is the testing today?" I responded,
"You should know. You
are testing. You need to be more responsible."
She snapped back something, but the gears in my head were already turning so I don't recall what it was. I
immediately realized there was going to be a power struggle, and it might be caused by anxiety.
When, another learner
tried to comfort her by giving her a hug, she jumped away. A banter started
between the students,
"Wow! You are in a mood." I stopped it by saying,
"We all have different moods at different times." Just then, someone
came in to get her for testing. I told her,
"Don't let this get in the way of doing well on your test."
This interaction reminded me that our learners deal
with moods, emotions and anxiety all the time. We need to accept it, nurture it, and hopefully help them get back on the right track. What could I have done to minimize her mood/anxiety? Perhaps, I could have just answered her question instead of trying to teach a lesson in responsibility.
In other situations, I have begun to see how anxiety affects learners as well. Teaching second grade at Religious School on Sundays has helped me understand anxiety in children and where it may begin. These sweet, vulnerable children come to me at an age when anxiety can increase or be managed. I see it in their eyes as they seek approval for the work they do and the words they say. It has been a great age to watch and learn. These learners have not yet been completely jaded by school and life, but yet you can see how it might start. Luckily, a hug and some nurturing goes a long way for now.
Another instance happened during camp this summer, I dealt with a boy whose anxiety was at a boiling point. We had switched to another section of summer camp, and he was not handling the transition well. Each day after swimming at around 11:00 AM, he would have a meltdown. We tried to get to the root of the problem. Was he hungry? Were we indulging in his demands? His mother thought he needed his occupational therapist. We were in a conundrum.
Finally, in the height of an episode, I was watching him while he attempted to eat lunch. He wanted to eat in the closet, didn't want anyone to see him and wanted me to come in and close the door. I didn't feel comfortable with that so the struggle continued. He spurted out thought after thought, "My brother is stronger than me, I will never be as strong because he is older. I am not good at anything. I am never going to get married." It went on and on, and he is only 7 years old. My heart broke. It was clear he was having some sort of a panic attack. The ideas he was spewing were irrational. I wanted to call his mother immediately and have him rushed in for a psych evaluation. Once I calmed down, I realized I could help if I was better trained in these situations.
A professional once told me something about working with children, "Be the adult you needed when you were a child." Since I have grown to be a bit unempathetic at times, this will be a mindset change for me, but I am ready for the challenge.
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