I think that stress, along with reducing our ability to learn, also hinders how well we do just about everything else. Situations of high stress require the brain to focus to a great extent. For example, a hunter is stressed staring down the face of his (or her) prey. The stressor is right there, and so is the attention of the mind. But in other terms, our students may have lots of stress at home, with death or divorce, or with relationship or other things. Their focus is not in our classroom because coordinating conjunctions has no relation to any of the things on the student's mind so their brains focus on what is the most potentially threatening or life changing. So we have to make our classes relative; we have to be life changing.
First of all, I love the way that Willis makes it clear and concise about the reasons why we need to "ignite" student learning in ways that we were not taught when we were in school. I also really enjoy the way she gives us hints about when to notice when the students are too stressed or overwhelmed to answer a question or respond, when it may seem like they are just bored. Stress affects every one of us in ways that are good and bad, and most of the time, students can respond by just shutting down which is the opposite of what we want. Building a comfortable classroom community is essential to learning for all ages--it is simple--if we are stressed, then good work does not happen. Incorporating art, music, exercise--it is all a way to really teach PEOPLE--because let's face it: these are not "kids" they are real fully formed individuals (without the frontal lobes, but still...) who are essentially looking for their purpose in life just like all of us. The first thing is to understand that they are people, and the next is to be the person that helps these people live happy lives. Dr Seuss said it best: "A person's a person, no matter how small..."
I like the underlying idea here. I agree that we need to see our students as fully formed people, and we also need to figure out ways to prove that to our students. It's probably pretty important to them to know that there are adults who respect them and actually want to hear what they have to say.
The readings for our module really use the research effectively in demonstrating how stress is negative as opposed to positive for a student. The quality of the student's work becomes degraded and the student completely shuts down sometimes when the pressure becomes too thick. I've been in several situations during the beginning of my college career where I was loaded with work and the stress convinced me to put it off until later. Doing big time work at the last minute is not an exciting experience at all and it can be damaging to one's health. I knew a friend who pulled three all nighters in a row and came down with one of the worst colds I've ever seen a person catch. On top of that, my friend was seeing images for another three days. I've seen people with other health problems all because they couldn't handle the level of stress they had thrown at them.
I know tons of people who claim they work better under stress. I suppose the truth is that there are certain kinds of stress that can be helpful. There is positive stress and negative stress. People need to be motivated to work hard, and some people don't feel motivated unless there is a deadline nipping at their heels. But such people would be better off if they could find better ways to motivate themselves so they wouldn't be so rushed.
I think that there have been plenty of times I have worked well under stress. Sometimes when my brain is in full throttle I produce good work because I am focusing hard to get the task done. In undergrad, I used to work better under stress. I always took a full course load. One semester I took 21 hours! Don't ask. That was crazy, but I did my best that semester because there was no time to goof off. I had to be really disciplined, but the constant stress kept me on my toes and in the end I got everything done. However, now I like to start early on my assignments because what I have learned in all my years of school is that my best work is produced when I have time to reflect and think.
I was always a procrastinator. I once wrote a 15 page paper in one night (I wouldn't recommend this) I liked concentrating on one thing at a time, which usually meant putting other things off until the last minute. There is nothing more motivating than the last minute. However, my last semester in undergrad I realized the error of my ways while writing my capstone. There was simply no way I could put it off until the last minute. While sometimes stress is a motivator, it saves a lot of energy and makes life more peaceful if I do things ahead of time. While I can brag about my stupidity when it comes to procrastinating, I want to communicate to my students that life is easier when you plan ahead of time.
I was always a procrastinator as well.. When I do things in advance, I tend to find (like I sometimes feel in this class :P) does not help me at all. It makes me want to go hide and pretend all the work doesn't exist... Not a good way to be, considering I will have to face it sooner or later.
Stress can be helpful, as well as detrimental. I think it just depends on where the happy medium is for the individual in determining whether the stress motivates them or shuts them down. It can be a tricky thing to figure out and may change over time. So, yes, I know people of varying stress tolerances and needs. :) I do believe them, as they would know more about how much stress they find effective than I do.
I agree with Doctor Alby's answer in that there are people who are just naturally motivated to work hard under stress. I remember when I was a freshman and I waited until the night before to do my paper. My friends in the class had gotten it done a couple of days earlier than me and I ended up pulling an all nighter. However, I made a higher grade then they all did but I was flat out exhausted the next day and I try to avoid all nighters if possible. Stress may produce better work but I don't believe that it should cost you your health.
I know this isn't the most insightful comment, but I feel like most people who read Willis chapter 3 should probably be saying to themselves, "Well obviously stress is bad for learning." It just seems like common sense to me that a calm, interested student is going to internalize concepts better than a worried frightened one.
Unfortunately the way this book is written makes it sound like this isn't just common sense to a lot of people, and apparently some of those people help write policies. That is worrying to me, because if I can avoid it I would rather not have to go up against a school board about the best way to run my classroom.
I agree-- A stressful learning environment is a poor learning environment if you ask me. People don't perform as well when under a lot of stress. Many people will shut down and stop performing all together when they become overwhelmed. I think students need to realize the importance of what they are doing, and feel enough pressure to know that they have to get it done and not just blow it off... but not so much pressure that they feel they can't handle it. Students will often stop learning for learnings sake when they get too overwhelmed and will only be trying to "get it over with." this does not benefit the learner or the teacher.
I think what I found most helpful about Willis are the ways she mentioned to help notice when students might be stressed, confused, or not understanding and jut not saying anything. Especially when she mentions that just because no one is asking questions doesn't mean that everyone understands. I think that sometimes teachers are trying to cover so much that they don't take time to notice that the silence isn't an affirmation of understating but of confusion, and if you don't take the time to explain students will become more and more stressed until they start shutting down. I also liked the ways she discussed keeping kids from feeling stressed; good classroom environment, being aware of your students, support from parents, etc. My questions stems from one of her ways to combat confusion. She suggests taking time in class for students to write the main idea of the lesson and then to have students compare in groups what they have to attempt to work it out. If the majority of the class ends up understanding, wouldn't an exercise like this one stress those who still don't out even more?
Comment: On page 62, Willis suggests that "teachers can give students a three-minute vacation to reduce stress." Superbrain yoga anyone? One time when my host teacher had to step out of the classroom for one block, I took over the lesson and mirror taught his lesson. I could tell the kids were tired and needed a break. So, I let them make noise for about 20 seconds and then let them stand up and stretch for a couple of minutes. (I wasn't brave enough to try superbrain yoga my third day...haha) After that, they came back together and were ready to do their work. It does make a difference when the teacher notices that something is off or that they may be a little stressed. Also in reference to the Sousa chapter that I read the other night, if a student is sitting down for 30+ minutes, the blood circulating begins to pool in your feet (and decreases the amount of blood flowing through the brain), so having an activity or movement exercise would be advantageous to incorporate in the classroom (Sousa 73).
I don't know many people who have done super brain yoga with their students during their internships, but quite a few have done it with students once they became full time teachers. I wish I could remember to do it!
These are great points. I liked the idea of having a three-minute vacation as well. It doesn't necessarily have to be fun either. Just having a think, pair, share time can be enough of a break that students can feel like their brain is resting from receiving new information.
I completely agree, Jess. Sometimes my brain just gets overworked and at that point I'm literally just staring at words. A two or three minute break is all I need to get my learning on again! :)
I definitely agree! Sometimes we all just need a breather to refresh ourselves and our brains. It can be really helpful, especially when we become overwhelmed.
We do need breathers!! One time I made middle schoolers dance to a song for a few minutes (a J. Biebs one, of course!) and they really picked up their energy after that. I hate when there is "dead time" during class.
Question: The part about an administrator walking into your classroom and asking students "Why are you learning about this?" happens from time to time. (It's happened at both of my placements). I was discussing this same topic the other day with a former MAT and she said that her admin comes in and randomly selects a student to explain the standards and what they are learning that day. This could definitely add stress to the classroom, not only for the student(s), but for the teacher as well.
-How could you ensure that the students could answer with a reasonable response? -How can you gauge who is understanding and who is not?
With that in mind, Willis mentions that "many teachers are mistrustful and anxious about how they will be judged by mandated curriculum enforcers or legislative analysts who judge teachers and teaching without the benefit of having been trained as professional educators. Uninformed critics may make the erroneous assumption that if children are laughing, interacting in groups, or being creative with art, music, and dance, they are not doing real or important academic work" (Willis 57-58). This is a valid point and also something to consider.
This is terrifying to me. There hasn't been any discussion at all of standards between teacher and students in my placements, so I really wouldn't even know how to approach teaching the students to be able to recite a standard. I really don't think I would want to. If it isn't completely strict to the exact standard, I think the way the we are learning to teach will give the student the ability to explain what they are learning, but only at the end of the class when it all really comes together. I do think beginning the lesson with an explanation of what you're learning and how it will help you in life is a great start, though. (And something that I need to work on!) :]
I've never encountered this, but I'd freak out a bit over it, I think. I think having the standards on the board or on a screen is a good idea or at least a start and I think gauging who understands or not depends on how well you've gotten to know your classroom. Part of me wants to tell any critics off, but of course, that would be the wrong response...+
I find that when I get really stressed, I just shut down and rebel (been doing that this weekend a lot). So, I totally get what Willis (What'choo talkin' 'bout...) is saying about stress and how detrimental it can be to learning. The thing that I'm wondering is how to make your classes fair for everyone, as everyone learns differently and you should 'challenge' them, but not overstress them. It's a lot to try and wrangle and I know it takes practice, but do you tailor lessons to the individual students? the majority? give options?
Also, I like that the book talks about how stress plays into self confidence (or lack thereof) and I see that happen a lot in every placement so far as well as in my personal life. Stress really can affect us in a ton of ways, which is fascinating and a bit scary...
Noel, this is somewhat related and yet not really -- the cohort should try a yoga class. Like all of us. haha. I actually took a stress management class (to fulfill an upper level psychology requirement for my minor way back when) and we learned about meditation, biofeedback, chakras, and finding our "happy place." I still try to apply what I learned when I feel stressed. I'm not very good at meditation, but in theory it would be wonderful if I could really destress using it.
Maybe you could try collaborating with the other teachers, if the school is small enough, to decide who gives out whatever amount of homework to whoever.
I think that this is interesting because I am a person who stresses a ton. Like right now, for example, I'm super stressed about getting everything done that needs to be completed. But knowing that stress is bad for you is not a solution, it is the stressor or the things that are stressing the person out that should be fixed. I think this has definitely backed up my thinking on creating a classroom that kids feel comfortable in. I also think this has affected my thoughts on homework.
What could be some other ways to keep students from feeling overwhelmed or confused in the classroom?
I know that a lot of students see group work as stressful and awful because they think they will have to do all the work for multiple people, but I think that if we can teach our students to do effective group work it might help lower stress because they will start to see their classmates as people they can rely on for help.
I think that this is interesting because I am a person who stresses a ton. Like right now, for example, I'm super stressed about getting everything done that needs to be completed. But knowing that stress is bad for you is not a solution, it is the stressor or the things that are stressing the person out that should be fixed. I think this has definitely backed up my thinking on creating a classroom that kids feel comfortable in. I also think this has affected my thoughts on homework.
What could be some other ways to keep students from feeling overwhelmed or confused in the classroom?
This chapter along with the other readings is very thought-provoking. While it may be common sense that stress would hinder thinking and learning, many times we, as adults, seem to forget that middle school and high school students experience stress in much the same way that we do. They have stresses in their lives, and we should not disregard those stresses simply because they may seem trivial and unimportant to us adults. One point that Willis makes about stress is that the stressed state concerning the affective filter “happens when a lesson is tedious, not relevant to their lives, confusing, or anxiety-provoking” (60). I love how Willis states the scientific reason why stress affects learning but then expounds specifically on how teachers may induce that stress through their lessons. Making sure that students know why they are learning what they are learning is not only just a good practice and use of essential questions but also a stress-reliever. Honestly, I think most of the aspects of stress and learning that Willis writes about describe my years studying or attempting to study geometry.
Along with her exposition on how stress is detrimental to learning, Willis also states that small amounts of stress can be helpful to the learning process. She states, “From brain scan research, we know that pleasurably challenging lessons cause the amygdala to have moderately stimulated metabolism and that this warmed-up state of alert stimulation facilitates the brain’s processing of information” (61). Research shows that learning is not a relaxing state. There must be some stress related to challenging material in order for learning to occur.
My question concerns the idea of how much should we challenge our students in order to increase their learning, but not do so in a way that hinders their learning. Is there a way to gauge whether or not students are stressed out about the material that is being presented?
I like the idea of giving students breaks or three-minute vacations discussed on page 62. What are some other examples of breaks that we can give students during class that are not listed in the book?
I once considered having students practice learning to juggle wads of paper during breaks. That would be something fun that would clear their minds from academics for a minute.
Okay so lately I've been having this thing happen where if I'm overstimulated with noise or clutter I can't do schoolwork. Like it actually gives me anxiety, so I have to take away the distractions and noise and get back on track. And knowing that I am not the only one like this, I think it is important to have equal parts of discussion and quiet work time in the classroom, so I will try to remember that as a teacher.
As far as Willis goes, I am not shocked by anything that we learned in chapter 3. Our students are going to have external stress, that just comes with being a high schooler in America, but we can do our best to remove any stress brought on in our classroom.
Test anxiety is a very real thing. What can we do as teachers to help eliminate stress during assessments that would give an incorrect measurement of that student's ability?
I wish I had an answer to this question. I get horribly awful test anxiety. I think one thing that I personally hate is silence. It stresses me out to the highest possible degree. I would say that playing classical or some other type of instrumental music during a test might help with test anxiety, but only because it works for me. I think that would have to be something that we discuss with each class, so that we aren't messing up anyone's concentration.
I think part of test anxiety could be lessened by discussing things with the class, trying different methods of testing and/or review, and/or not building it up to be a big, huge thing. Sometimes, we (as people) tend to talk ourselves into feeling a certain way (i.e. I can do this! or Oh no! Tomorrow's test is HUGE and I don't know anything!)
As grad students, we have all been stressed out once or twice in our lives. It's easy for us to forget that for our students have lives outside of our classrooms which can cause them stress as well. They have papers, are concerned with their social lives, extracurricular, and so many other things that take up their time in high school. As teachers, we need to remember that they are human and prone to stress, just as much as we are. It's a good idea to take a step back and let students clear their thoughts from time to time. Like Jess mentioned above, super-brain yoga! I want to create an environment that allows students creativity to flow, and in order for that to happen it's ideal that they are stress-free. Nothing clogs the creative mind more than a stressed out person. I would like to think that my classes will actually eliminate stress more than cause it, but I don't know yet! Question: how do we make absolute sure that our classes aren't the cause of the stress? how would you handle a situation if a student came up to you and said "This paper is stressing me out!"
I think that stress, along with reducing our ability to learn, also hinders how well we do just about everything else. Situations of high stress require the brain to focus to a great extent. For example, a hunter is stressed staring down the face of his (or her) prey. The stressor is right there, and so is the attention of the mind. But in other terms, our students may have lots of stress at home, with death or divorce, or with relationship or other things. Their focus is not in our classroom because coordinating conjunctions has no relation to any of the things on the student's mind so their brains focus on what is the most potentially threatening or life changing. So we have to make our classes relative; we have to be life changing.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I love the way that Willis makes it clear and concise about the reasons why we need to "ignite" student learning in ways that we were not taught when we were in school. I also really enjoy the way she gives us hints about when to notice when the students are too stressed or overwhelmed to answer a question or respond, when it may seem like they are just bored. Stress affects every one of us in ways that are good and bad, and most of the time, students can respond by just shutting down which is the opposite of what we want. Building a comfortable classroom community is essential to learning for all ages--it is simple--if we are stressed, then good work does not happen. Incorporating art, music, exercise--it is all a way to really teach PEOPLE--because let's face it: these are not "kids" they are real fully formed individuals (without the frontal lobes, but still...) who are essentially looking for their purpose in life just like all of us. The first thing is to understand that they are people, and the next is to be the person that helps these people live happy lives.
ReplyDeleteDr Seuss said it best: "A person's a person, no matter how small..."
I like the underlying idea here. I agree that we need to see our students as fully formed people, and we also need to figure out ways to prove that to our students. It's probably pretty important to them to know that there are adults who respect them and actually want to hear what they have to say.
DeleteThe readings for our module really use the research effectively in demonstrating how stress is negative as opposed to positive for a student. The quality of the student's work becomes degraded and the student completely shuts down sometimes when the pressure becomes too thick. I've been in several situations during the beginning of my college career where I was loaded with work and the stress convinced me to put it off until later. Doing big time work at the last minute is not an exciting experience at all and it can be damaging to one's health. I knew a friend who pulled three all nighters in a row and came down with one of the worst colds I've ever seen a person catch. On top of that, my friend was seeing images for another three days. I've seen people with other health problems all because they couldn't handle the level of stress they had thrown at them.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Have you ever known anyone who claims stress helps them work better? Do you believe them or no?
ReplyDeleteI know tons of people who claim they work better under stress. I suppose the truth is that there are certain kinds of stress that can be helpful. There is positive stress and negative stress. People need to be motivated to work hard, and some people don't feel motivated unless there is a deadline nipping at their heels. But such people would be better off if they could find better ways to motivate themselves so they wouldn't be so rushed.
DeleteI think that there have been plenty of times I have worked well under stress. Sometimes when my brain is in full throttle I produce good work because I am focusing hard to get the task done. In undergrad, I used to work better under stress. I always took a full course load. One semester I took 21 hours! Don't ask. That was crazy, but I did my best that semester because there was no time to goof off. I had to be really disciplined, but the constant stress kept me on my toes and in the end I got everything done. However, now I like to start early on my assignments because what I have learned in all my years of school is that my best work is produced when I have time to reflect and think.
DeleteI was always a procrastinator. I once wrote a 15 page paper in one night (I wouldn't recommend this) I liked concentrating on one thing at a time, which usually meant putting other things off until the last minute. There is nothing more motivating than the last minute. However, my last semester in undergrad I realized the error of my ways while writing my capstone. There was simply no way I could put it off until the last minute. While sometimes stress is a motivator, it saves a lot of energy and makes life more peaceful if I do things ahead of time. While I can brag about my stupidity when it comes to procrastinating, I want to communicate to my students that life is easier when you plan ahead of time.
DeleteI was always a procrastinator as well.. When I do things in advance, I tend to find (like I sometimes feel in this class :P) does not help me at all. It makes me want to go hide and pretend all the work doesn't exist... Not a good way to be, considering I will have to face it sooner or later.
DeleteStress can be helpful, as well as detrimental. I think it just depends on where the happy medium is for the individual in determining whether the stress motivates them or shuts them down. It can be a tricky thing to figure out and may change over time. So, yes, I know people of varying stress tolerances and needs. :) I do believe them, as they would know more about how much stress they find effective than I do.
DeleteI agree with Doctor Alby's answer in that there are people who are just naturally motivated to work hard under stress. I remember when I was a freshman and I waited until the night before to do my paper. My friends in the class had gotten it done a couple of days earlier than me and I ended up pulling an all nighter. However, I made a higher grade then they all did but I was flat out exhausted the next day and I try to avoid all nighters if possible. Stress may produce better work but I don't believe that it should cost you your health.
DeleteI know this isn't the most insightful comment, but I feel like most people who read Willis chapter 3 should probably be saying to themselves, "Well obviously stress is bad for learning." It just seems like common sense to me that a calm, interested student is going to internalize concepts better than a worried frightened one.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the way this book is written makes it sound like this isn't just common sense to a lot of people, and apparently some of those people help write policies. That is worrying to me, because if I can avoid it I would rather not have to go up against a school board about the best way to run my classroom.
I agree-- A stressful learning environment is a poor learning environment if you ask me. People don't perform as well when under a lot of stress. Many people will shut down and stop performing all together when they become overwhelmed. I think students need to realize the importance of what they are doing, and feel enough pressure to know that they have to get it done and not just blow it off... but not so much pressure that they feel they can't handle it. Students will often stop learning for learnings sake when they get too overwhelmed and will only be trying to "get it over with." this does not benefit the learner or the teacher.
DeleteI think what I found most helpful about Willis are the ways she mentioned to help notice when students might be stressed, confused, or not understanding and jut not saying anything. Especially when she mentions that just because no one is asking questions doesn't mean that everyone understands. I think that sometimes teachers are trying to cover so much that they don't take time to notice that the silence isn't an affirmation of understating but of confusion, and if you don't take the time to explain students will become more and more stressed until they start shutting down. I also liked the ways she discussed keeping kids from feeling stressed; good classroom environment, being aware of your students, support from parents, etc.
ReplyDeleteMy questions stems from one of her ways to combat confusion. She suggests taking time in class for students to write the main idea of the lesson and then to have students compare in groups what they have to attempt to work it out. If the majority of the class ends up understanding, wouldn't an exercise like this one stress those who still don't out even more?
Comment: On page 62, Willis suggests that "teachers can give students a three-minute vacation to reduce stress." Superbrain yoga anyone? One time when my host teacher had to step out of the classroom for one block, I took over the lesson and mirror taught his lesson. I could tell the kids were tired and needed a break. So, I let them make noise for about 20 seconds and then let them stand up and stretch for a couple of minutes. (I wasn't brave enough to try superbrain yoga my third day...haha) After that, they came back together and were ready to do their work. It does make a difference when the teacher notices that something is off or that they may be a little stressed. Also in reference to the Sousa chapter that I read the other night, if a student is sitting down for 30+ minutes, the blood circulating begins to pool in your feet (and decreases the amount of blood flowing through the brain), so having an activity or movement exercise would be advantageous to incorporate in the classroom (Sousa 73).
ReplyDeleteI don't know many people who have done super brain yoga with their students during their internships, but quite a few have done it with students once they became full time teachers. I wish I could remember to do it!
DeleteThese are great points. I liked the idea of having a three-minute vacation as well. It doesn't necessarily have to be fun either. Just having a think, pair, share time can be enough of a break that students can feel like their brain is resting from receiving new information.
DeleteI completely agree, Jess. Sometimes my brain just gets overworked and at that point I'm literally just staring at words. A two or three minute break is all I need to get my learning on again! :)
DeleteI definitely agree! Sometimes we all just need a breather to refresh ourselves and our brains. It can be really helpful, especially when we become overwhelmed.
DeleteWe do need breathers!! One time I made middle schoolers dance to a song for a few minutes (a J. Biebs one, of course!) and they really picked up their energy after that. I hate when there is "dead time" during class.
DeleteBreathers are good. I cannot even try to work hard on a paper when I'm brain dead.
DeleteQuestion: The part about an administrator walking into your classroom and asking students "Why are you learning about this?" happens from time to time. (It's happened at both of my placements). I was discussing this same topic the other day with a former MAT and she said that her admin comes in and randomly selects a student to explain the standards and what they are learning that day. This could definitely add stress to the classroom, not only for the student(s), but for the teacher as well.
ReplyDelete-How could you ensure that the students could answer with a reasonable response?
-How can you gauge who is understanding and who is not?
With that in mind, Willis mentions that "many teachers are mistrustful and anxious about how they will be judged by mandated curriculum enforcers or legislative analysts who judge teachers and teaching without the benefit of having been trained as professional educators. Uninformed critics may make the erroneous assumption that if children are laughing, interacting in groups, or being creative with art, music, and dance, they are not doing real or important academic work" (Willis 57-58). This is a valid point and also something to consider.
This is terrifying to me. There hasn't been any discussion at all of standards between teacher and students in my placements, so I really wouldn't even know how to approach teaching the students to be able to recite a standard. I really don't think I would want to. If it isn't completely strict to the exact standard, I think the way the we are learning to teach will give the student the ability to explain what they are learning, but only at the end of the class when it all really comes together. I do think beginning the lesson with an explanation of what you're learning and how it will help you in life is a great start, though. (And something that I need to work on!) :]
DeleteI've never encountered this, but I'd freak out a bit over it, I think. I think having the standards on the board or on a screen is a good idea or at least a start and I think gauging who understands or not depends on how well you've gotten to know your classroom. Part of me wants to tell any critics off, but of course, that would be the wrong response...+
DeleteI find that when I get really stressed, I just shut down and rebel (been doing that this weekend a lot). So, I totally get what Willis (What'choo talkin' 'bout...) is saying about stress and how detrimental it can be to learning. The thing that I'm wondering is how to make your classes fair for everyone, as everyone learns differently and you should 'challenge' them, but not overstress them. It's a lot to try and wrangle and I know it takes practice, but do you tailor lessons to the individual students? the majority? give options?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I like that the book talks about how stress plays into self confidence (or lack thereof) and I see that happen a lot in every placement so far as well as in my personal life. Stress really can affect us in a ton of ways, which is fascinating and a bit scary...
Noel, this is somewhat related and yet not really -- the cohort should try a yoga class. Like all of us. haha. I actually took a stress management class (to fulfill an upper level psychology requirement for my minor way back when) and we learned about meditation, biofeedback, chakras, and finding our "happy place." I still try to apply what I learned when I feel stressed. I'm not very good at meditation, but in theory it would be wonderful if I could really destress using it.
DeleteI used to love guided meditation! I wonder if I could get back into it again... :)
DeleteMaybe you could try collaborating with the other teachers, if the school is small enough, to decide who gives out whatever amount of homework to whoever.
DeleteI think that this is interesting because I am a person who stresses a ton. Like right now, for example, I'm super stressed about getting everything done that needs to be completed. But knowing that stress is bad for you is not a solution, it is the stressor or the things that are stressing the person out that should be fixed. I think this has definitely backed up my thinking on creating a classroom that kids feel comfortable in. I also think this has affected my thoughts on homework.
ReplyDeleteWhat could be some other ways to keep students from feeling overwhelmed or confused in the classroom?
I know that a lot of students see group work as stressful and awful because they think they will have to do all the work for multiple people, but I think that if we can teach our students to do effective group work it might help lower stress because they will start to see their classmates as people they can rely on for help.
DeleteI think that this is interesting because I am a person who stresses a ton. Like right now, for example, I'm super stressed about getting everything done that needs to be completed. But knowing that stress is bad for you is not a solution, it is the stressor or the things that are stressing the person out that should be fixed. I think this has definitely backed up my thinking on creating a classroom that kids feel comfortable in. I also think this has affected my thoughts on homework.
ReplyDeleteWhat could be some other ways to keep students from feeling overwhelmed or confused in the classroom?
This chapter along with the other readings is very thought-provoking. While it may be common sense that stress would hinder thinking and learning, many times we, as adults, seem to forget that middle school and high school students experience stress in much the same way that we do. They have stresses in their lives, and we should not disregard those stresses simply because they may seem trivial and unimportant to us adults. One point that Willis makes about stress is that the stressed state concerning the affective filter “happens when a lesson is tedious, not relevant to their lives, confusing, or anxiety-provoking” (60). I love how Willis states the scientific reason why stress affects learning but then expounds specifically on how teachers may induce that stress through their lessons. Making sure that students know why they are learning what they are learning is not only just a good practice and use of essential questions but also a stress-reliever. Honestly, I think most of the aspects of stress and learning that Willis writes about describe my years studying or attempting to study geometry.
ReplyDeleteAlong with her exposition on how stress is detrimental to learning, Willis also states that small amounts of stress can be helpful to the learning process. She states, “From brain scan research, we know that pleasurably challenging lessons cause the amygdala to have moderately stimulated metabolism and that this warmed-up state of alert stimulation facilitates the brain’s processing of information” (61). Research shows that learning is not a relaxing state. There must be some stress related to challenging material in order for learning to occur.
My question concerns the idea of how much should we challenge our students in order to increase their learning, but not do so in a way that hinders their learning. Is there a way to gauge whether or not students are stressed out about the material that is being presented?
I like the idea of giving students breaks or three-minute vacations discussed on page 62. What are some other examples of breaks that we can give students during class that are not listed in the book?
I once considered having students practice learning to juggle wads of paper during breaks. That would be something fun that would clear their minds from academics for a minute.
DeleteOkay so lately I've been having this thing happen where if I'm overstimulated with noise or clutter I can't do schoolwork. Like it actually gives me anxiety, so I have to take away the distractions and noise and get back on track. And knowing that I am not the only one like this, I think it is important to have equal parts of discussion and quiet work time in the classroom, so I will try to remember that as a teacher.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Willis goes, I am not shocked by anything that we learned in chapter 3. Our students are going to have external stress, that just comes with being a high schooler in America, but we can do our best to remove any stress brought on in our classroom.
Test anxiety is a very real thing. What can we do as teachers to help eliminate stress during assessments that would give an incorrect measurement of that student's ability?
ReplyDeleteBecause, like Willis said, a little stress is good (mild to moderate), severe stress is bad. How do we find a balance?
DeleteI wish I had an answer to this question. I get horribly awful test anxiety. I think one thing that I personally hate is silence. It stresses me out to the highest possible degree. I would say that playing classical or some other type of instrumental music during a test might help with test anxiety, but only because it works for me. I think that would have to be something that we discuss with each class, so that we aren't messing up anyone's concentration.
DeleteI think part of test anxiety could be lessened by discussing things with the class, trying different methods of testing and/or review, and/or not building it up to be a big, huge thing. Sometimes, we (as people) tend to talk ourselves into feeling a certain way (i.e. I can do this! or Oh no! Tomorrow's test is HUGE and I don't know anything!)
DeleteAs grad students, we have all been stressed out once or twice in our lives. It's easy for us to forget that for our students have lives outside of our classrooms which can cause them stress as well. They have papers, are concerned with their social lives, extracurricular, and so many other things that take up their time in high school. As teachers, we need to remember that they are human and prone to stress, just as much as we are. It's a good idea to take a step back and let students clear their thoughts from time to time. Like Jess mentioned above, super-brain yoga! I want to create an environment that allows students creativity to flow, and in order for that to happen it's ideal that they are stress-free. Nothing clogs the creative mind more than a stressed out person. I would like to think that my classes will actually eliminate stress more than cause it, but I don't know yet!
ReplyDeleteQuestion: how do we make absolute sure that our classes aren't the cause of the stress? how would you handle a situation if a student came up to you and said "This paper is stressing me out!"