How to support stressed-out students

How to support stressed-out students

Helping stressed-out students has always been a top priority for teachers, but given current events, students are certainly finding it hard to not get caught up in a feeling of stress and panic. There are a number of ways students can help reduce their stress, from getting a good night’s sleep to exercising regularly; but here are a few other ways you can help support your students:

Put yourself in their shoes

Try to put yourself in your students’ shoes and see their stresses from their point of view. If you only see things from your own view of what a “real” problem is, you’ll downplay how your students are feeling and make them feel like their stresses aren’t important. The stresses students are facing can seem like the end of the world to them at times, so you need to try your best to let them know you understand how they’re feeling and that you’re there for them.

Help with time management and organisation

Two of the biggest struggles for students can be time management and organisation; people can become stressed if they feel that they’re running out of time to complete a task. Talk to your students about creating a schedule which breaks down their tasks into more manageable chunks. Encourage students to not only organise their study time, but also plan time to relax and socialise. If you can help your students become more organised and improve their time management, they will benefit greatly and the number of stressed-out students in your classroom will be reduced.

Encourage students to talk

Suggest to your students that they talk to their friends or family if they’re feeling stressed, as they’re the ones who know them best and sometimes just talking about what is stressing them out is enough to help. Perhaps talking to other students on their course will help, they will no doubt find they are not alone in their feelings. Of course, as their teacher you will want to let the students know that not only do you understand that they are stressed out, but also that you’re there for a chat if they ever need it. This gives pupils several lines of communication and they can choose which is best for them. Whoever students decide to talk to, remember to check in with them regularly to let them know that you care about them and that you’re there if they need you.

There are many other stress-busting strategies you could suggest to your students: eating healthily, taking a break from social media, changing their mindset and focusing on a positive attitude, or taking their mind off things by doing something they really enjoy such as listening to music, baking or reading.

When it comes to stressed-out students, being there for them and giving them some valuable tools can really help them, both now and in the future. Encourage your students to live in the moment and make the most of each day.