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LESSON: Managing Anger & Anxiety

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Social-Emotional Learning All Ages Strategy

LESSON: Managing Anger & Anxiety

All students, particularly those who might be struggling with anxiety or anger

Teach It!

  1. Objective: Anger and anxiety are key factors that can interfere with learning. Understand the root cause of a student's anger and anxiety to help address these emotions.
  2. Teacher Takeaways: While a little bit of anxiety can be a good thing, too much anxiety impedes learning. Working memory, processing speed, and attention are the skills most negatively impacted by anxiety. A key source of anxiety is a mismatch between expectations for the student and the student's capabilities and achievement. In addition to addressing the root cause of the anxiety, health management can play an important role in helping students manage anxiety and stress.
  3. Instruction/Activities: a)Teacher-led discussion on the role of anxiety and stress in learning. Discuss the performance-anxiety graph b)Student Activity: "Throw Away Test Anxiety" c) Coaching: Incorporate mental health breaks and mindfulness into class routines d) Student Activity "Create a Study Schedule" e) Student Activity: Group Reflection
  4. Click for the complete lesson plans and activities

Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!

Anger, anxiety and collaboration skills are the three biggest skills to interfere with student achievement (Lawson, 2002) Learn how to identify the root cause of these challenges and help students address them with classroom-appropriate strategies. This chapter was excerpted from the book The Empowered Student available from CAST Professional Publishing, the leaders in UDL.