24 Jan Supporting Children with Anxiety in the Classroom
Children with anxiety often experience heightened stress in school settings, which can impact their ability to focus, participate, and engage in learning. A supportive, calming classroom environment that is implemented by a clear and calm adult in charge of the classroom is so helpful for children with anxiety. So, as an important side-note, it is important that adults implement the necessary self-care so that they can effectively help children who are anxious.
- Create a safe and predictable environment
Children with anxiety thrive in structured, predictable environments. Having clear routines and expectations helps them feel more in control and reduces feelings of uncertainty.
A consistent routine: A visual daily schedule that outlines the flow of the day. This helps children know what to expect and reduces anxiety about transitions.
Prepare for changes: Unpredictability can destabilise some children. If there are any changes to the routine (like a substitute teacher or a special event), inform children ahead of time.
- Breathing and visualisation to settle the nervous systems
These can benefit the whole class if implemented as a whole class activity. A whole class approach reduces focus on the child’s anxiety (which makes them more anxious), and also helps children practice these strategies, so that they can use them more effectively when stressed.
Breathing exercises: Regularly practice deep breathing exercises with the whole class – this can be done within one minute. Then when a child is anxious, they will be already practised at using breathing to help settle their nervous system. For example: “breathe in for 3, hold for 1, and breathe out for 4.”
Visualisation exercises: Implement guided imagery or body scans, to help children focus on the present moment and release tension.
Calming corner**: Set up a designated space in the classroom where students can go when they feel anxious. Equip this space with calming activities like stress balls, soft lighting, or calming visuals (e.g., nature pictures).
- Provide clear instructions and breaks
Children with anxiety tend to be helped by certainty and unpredictability. This means that they may struggle with complex or vague instructions. Adults should be clear and calm. It is helpful if instructions are clear and concise, chunked (broken up into digestible portions). Frequent breaks to move, stretch and defocus and help to reduce feelings of anxiety and overwhelm.
- Offer positive reinforcement and support
Building a child’s self-esteem and creating a positive classroom environment can help reduce anxiety over time.
– **Praise Effort, Not Just Results**: Focus on recognising effort and perseverance rather than only rewarding the outcome. For example, “I’m proud of how hard you worked on that project!” This builds confidence and reduces fear of failure.
– **Private Praise**: If a child is feeling especially anxious, offer praise or encouragement in a private, non-public setting. This can reduce the fear of drawing attention to themselves.
– **Encourage Small Wins**: Help children set small, achievable goals and celebrate their successes. This allows children to experience a sense of accomplishment, reducing anxiety about larger, more overwhelming tasks.
- Be sensitive to known triggers
Some children with anxiety may have specific triggers that exacerbate their stress levels, such as public speaking, group work, or large transitions. It may not be possible to avoid these all of the time, but awareness of triggers can help adults understand the child’s perspective.
- Foster a supportive peer environment
Encouraging a culture of empathy and kindness in the classroom is good for all the children in the classroom. This is best attended to as a whole-class strategy vs. support system for individual children. In developing empathy and support amongst the whole peer group will assist children to notice and support peers who might need more support and make it easier to develop buddy systems with appropriate children.
Classroom discussions on emotions: Hold open discussions about emotions and mental health. Encourage students to share how they are feeling and provide strategies for managing stress. This reduces stigma and normalises feelings of anxiety.
Create a culture of exploring situations from different perspectives. This helps young children understand others’ feelings. This fosters empathy better than trying to directly “teach empathy” by encouraging children to consider different viewpoints and experiences
- Maintain open communication with parents
Collaboration between teachers and parents is key to providing consistent support for children with anxiety.
Regular check-ins: Use a communication book, if possible, to keep lines of communication open with parents to share updates on how their child is doing in school and what strategies are working. This helps ensure a consistent approach to managing anxiety at home and school.
In summary, supporting children with anxiety in the classroom requires a combination of empathy, structure, and tailored strategies. By creating a predictable environment, providing calming tools, offering clear instructions, and fostering positive reinforcement, teachers can help children with anxiety feel more secure and confident in their learning space. The goal is to reduce the impact of anxiety on their daily activities and promote a positive, inclusive atmosphere where all students can thrive.
If you would like to have a conversation further on how to navigate this, please contact us at Prosper Health Collective for further information on 6381 0071.
