Understand Learning Difficulties

While small amounts of anxiety can be productive and even motivating for students, too much anxiety can interfere with a student’s learning, self-confidence and overall social, emotional, and physical well-being. Here are some signs that a student might be struggling with anxiety or depression.

Meaningful decline in academic performance without another explanation 

Unwillingness to participate in class

Disinclination to interact with other students

Be careful before assuming it is anxiety holding your student back, as the signs of anxiety can resemble behaviors typically associated with ADHD and other learning struggles. Consulting the school counselor or other professional is always the best way to ensure a student is receiving all the right supports.

understand how your child learns

Teachers can help calm an anxious student once they understand the primary cause. While it might take a student time to open up and share their “anxiety triggers”, just knowing there is a caring adult at school can make a world of difference to a student who feels anxious.

Specific supports for anxious students could include

Provide extra time for assignments

Give advance notice before calling on them in class

Allowing them to sit next to a supportive friend (or away from other students who might make them nervous).

Consider mindfulness and meditation in the classroom which can be calming and have positive impacts on academic performance for all students.

get strategies for anxiety

Reported anxiety in adolescents is on the rise. Anxiety can have a negative effect on students socially and emotionally, as well as academically. Adults play an important role in supporting students and helping them feel safe and confident so they are ready to learn. 

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By 3^rd grade, students should have self-control of their words and actions, even when needled by other students. While it is natural and expected for students to make an occasional mistake, chronic misbehavior might signal a student is struggling to control impulses or is experiencing built-up frustration with academic or personal challenges. While it is often appropriate to reprimand a misbehaving student, it is also important to understand why a student is consistently acting out and address the underlying reason.

understand behavior

Students might misbehave or lack self-control for a variety of reasons. These are the most common but it is essential to understand the true why for a student’s misbehavior rather than make assumptions.

Social, personal or emotional struggles

Insufficient sleep or food

Struggling to learn and don’t know how to ask for help

Poor attention or inhibitory control

Weaker flexible thinking

Don’t understand they’re doing something wrong

Can’t handle disappointment

understand behavior challenges

Adults can help students manage their impulses and coach them how to respond appropriately to unexpected or disappointing circumstances. Here are strategies that will help most students.

Weaker Attention, frequent, scheduled breaks provide the opportunity to release excessive energy and prevent the uncontrolled impulse that come when they are asked to sit quietly for longer than they can manage.

Weaker Flexible Thinking Coach them to step back and take a pause; provide advance notice that a change is coming.; Help older students create contingency plans so they are prepared for unfortunate situations.

If you believe a student might be misbehaving because they are struggling to learn it will be important to address the learning issue first.

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Here are common signs of a student who struggles to self-monitor:

Doesn’t understand why he gets in trouble

Needs to be reprimanded repeatedly for the same thing

Makes careless mistakes

Often interrupts others or invades personal space

Gets in frequent fights or arguments

Has trouble waiting for his turn or needs to be first

understand self-monitoring

Most self-monitoring difficulties have their roots in the following challenges in the executive functions skills of

Attention 

Flexible thinking

Working memory

Knowing if your student is struggling with executive functions, and which one(s) is a key first step. If your student’s executive functions are good but still showing signs of behavior challenges, you might begin to explore social, emotional or personal concerns.

identify self-monitoring needs

Students who self-monitor tend to be more effective and efficient learners. They find it easier to complete assignments to the best of their ability, are more likely to enjoy school, and often find it easier to make friends. Generally speaking, the earlier these skills are learned, the happier your students will be.

Talking in class or misbehaving, require them to take a pause.

Too many questions in class, learn how to save up their questions.

If homework has scattered errors, teach explicit strategies of how to check their work 

personalized self-monitoring strategies