Stress-management for students (and teachers): activities to reduce stress (new ideas each week!)

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Here are some stress-management activities for students and teachers:

1. Mindful Breathing Sessions: Incorporate short mindfulness exercises into the daily routine, focusing on deep breathing and being present in the moment.

2. Outdoor Walks: Organize weekly nature walks or outdoor activities to help students and teachers connect with nature and reduce stress levels.

3. Art Therapy: Set up regular art therapy sessions where students and teachers can express themselves creatively through painting, drawing, or other art forms.

4. Yoga Classes: Offer weekly yoga classes for students and teachers to practice relaxation techniques, improve flexibility, and reduce stress.

5. Journaling: Encourage daily journaling as a way for students and teachers to reflect on their emotions, experiences, and stressors.

6. Music Therapy: Host music therapy sessions where participants can listen to calming music, play instruments, or even learn how to create their own music.

7. Guided Imagery : Conduct guided imagery exercises where students and teachers can visualize peaceful and calming scenes to promote relaxation and reduce stress.

8. Laughter Yoga: Introduce laughter yoga sessions to promote laughter and joy, which can help alleviate stress and boost mood.

9. Healthy Cooking Workshops: Teach students and teachers how to prepare nutritious meals and snacks that can support their mental and physical well-being.

10. Group Discussions: Organize weekly group discussions where students and teachers can share their stressors, challenges, and coping strategies in a supportive environment.

11. Puzzle Breaks: Incorporate short puzzle breaks into the school day, such as solving crosswords, Sudoku, or riddles, to help students and teachers relax and refocus.

12. Gratitude Practice: Foster a culture of gratitude by encouraging students and teachers to express appreciation for the positive aspects of their lives through daily gratitude exercises.

13. Guided Relaxation: Lead guided relaxation sessions that focus on progressive muscle relaxation, body scans, or visualization techniques to promote deep relaxation and reduce stress.

14. Stress B***s and Fidget Toys: Provide stress b***s and fidget toys in classrooms to give students and teachers a physical outlet for stress and anxiety.

15. Pet Therapy: Arrange visits from therapy animals or create a pet-friendly space where students and teachers can interact with animals to reduce stress and promote well-being.

These activities can be rotated weekly to keep things fresh and engaging while providing consistent support for stress management

@Ana_moderator
Just want to share one of my method.
Introduce chapter / topic with a Challenge:
Before I TELL the students how to do something, I let them first try it themselves. This gets those creativity flowing and encourages them to think critically.
For instance, when I teach a lesson on trees classification, I ask students to write different trees name and, without much instruction, challenge them to group the trees in ways that they thought made sense, based on similarities. The students came up with some pretty interesting ways to group the trees and then we follow with the discussion on the concept of classifying.
(Note: This exercise does not exceed more than 5 to max 7 mins.)

Have you tried any methods that might be interesting or innovative?? Do share with us.

@Ana_moderator
Love this idea! Imagination works!

@Ana_moderator it's just great !!!! I will definitely use these techniques in my classroom . It sounds like so much helpful.

@ANWAR4678aa33b6 thank you for sharing! To me, it is a great example of active learning !

@Mariam said in Stress-management for students (and teachers): activities to reduce stress (new ideas each week!):

I will definitely use these techniques in my classroom . It sounds like so much helpful.

Please feel free to try any of theese instruments and share with us how it goes with your students! Super interested!

@Ana_moderator I think best way to manage stress in class is to have friendly relationship with students but in discipline.
What I do is to Identify the student's behaviour if it is unusual I talk to his or her peers first see his or social activities and go to counselling my students at least once in a week.
Secondly whatever my inner feelings or problems I I've I keep them a side and give healthy environment to my students.
Thirdly taking them outside the class asking for deep breaths and thinking to thank God to bless us healthy and complete body parts. Count the blessings and thank God every day .and so on give 5 to 10 minutes on alternating days .

It is BrillianT having ideas on a weekly basis! Teachers are very good at managing stress today. What really disturbs them are administrative tasks. Research says that potential efficiency gains on administrative tasks can reduce teacher stress and risk of attrition.

@Bilim said in Stress-management for students (and teachers): activities to reduce stress (new ideas each week!):

It is BrillianT having ideas on a weekly basis!

Yes, I have temporarily stopped posting new activities each week, as there has already been a lot of information about stress management techniques. And I wanted to give you (the forum members) a chance to provide feedback and share your own ideas.

@Bilim yes you are right . Actually by the end teacher is actually who has to handle and manage the thing at right place.so teacher should be healthy mentally and emotionally.

@Ana_moderator

Mandalas are very useful for my students. I try to make a balance in the use of technology and functional strategies with no tech. Here you can see one of my students right after a tantrum. She loves to color mandalas to recover calm.

No matter what they know stress and anxiety is part of being humans, those feelings move us.

Best,
Mr. Bryan

@Bousl2336873cb4

Since the pandemic I create a community project called bCalm Box to give kids Calm Boxes to overcome emotional disparities. We have in Puerto Rico 78 municipalities, and I finally reach 25 of them to give 100 of boxes on each spot. Mental health is very importante, our kids in the island first suffer a huracane that interrupt school during a school year, the catastrophic earthquakes and then the pandemic.

As teacher we have to know that our classroom doesn't have just walls, the world is our classroom.

Best,
Mr. Bryan

To effectively revise the subject of life and earth sciences, it's essential to adopt practical strategies that promote focus, comprehension, and well-being. Begin by scheduling regular breaks during study sessions to prevent burnout and maintain concentration. Incorporate physical activity into your routine, such as short walks or stretching, to alleviate stress and boost cognitive function. Ensure you're fueling your body with nutritious snacks like fruits and nuts to sustain energy levels and support brain function. Practice breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques to manage anxiety and maintain a calm mindset during study sessions. Utilize peer support networks for collaboration and emotional encouragement. Break down study material into manageable chunks and prioritize tasks to maximize productivity. Create a conducive study environment that is well-organized and free from distractions. Set realistic goals for revision and acknowledge your efforts with positive reinforcement. Prioritize sleep hygiene to ensure adequate rest and mental rejuvenation. Finally, remember to seek help from available resources if needed, and lead by example by demonstrating self-care and stress management techniques. By implementing these practical tips, you can optimize your revision process for life and earth sciences while minimizing stress and maximizing learning outcomes.

Proverb:

"A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor."

@Bousl2336873cb4 said in Stress-management for students (and teachers): activities to reduce stress (new ideas each week!):

"A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor."

Hi Bousl,
Hope everything is going well.

This assertion does not apply for my students with Autism unfortunately. I need to assure a calm sea in order to reach them. That is part of our job, to promote an environment that gives them predictability, order and structure, and that is the relevance of technology in my classroom.

Best colleague,
Mr. Bryan

@Ana_moderator

Hello Ana,
Managing stress of students is a challenging issue for educators. As I am working in a ZEP school, everyday students of Grade 5 and 6 come to school in a different mood as they live in a marginalized region. Everyday before starting the classroom, pupils are reminded about the Classrooms rules: "I will talk nicely with my peers, I will remain quiet when my classmates instigates me and I will show him the emoticon happy stick in the classroom and school board........". To deal with stress management of pupils, last week there was a Continuous Professional Development Programme (CPD) at school named as TIPA. It is an NGO which proposed various strategies educators can focus on to mitigate stress among students.

@BRYANb8875625e5 said in Stress-management for students (and teachers): activities to reduce stress (new ideas each week!):

mandalas

Your picture of mandalas reminded me of an idea that I wanted to share with the community - coloring pages! I believe that it is a simple yet effective way to help students concentrate and calm down.

But look what I found recently - A CLIMATE CHANGE COLORING BOOK
I think it's a brilliant idea that combines stress management techniques with environmental learning. The coloring activities include information about the causes and effects of climate change, as well as ideas for reducing climate change.

@BRYANb8875625e5 said in Stress-management for students (and teachers): activities to reduce stress (new ideas each week!):

Calm Boxes

What is inside the calm boxes?

@Housna said in Stress-management for students (and teachers): activities to reduce stress (new ideas each week!):

Classrooms rules:

In my opinion, classroom rules can be a great tool, especially when they are created by the students themselves.

I hope the training has been successful! I think it would be interesting to hear your insights on different strategies for reducing stress among students if there were any

@Ana_moderator

Hi Ana,
Sensory toys, mini mandalas, mindfulness cards. lavender mist and others according to the student's needs. This July I will visit a municipality island that is part of Puerto Rico main island. Parents need strategies and kids needs physical resources to find their self-regulation. I make these sensory toys become low technology tools for good.

Best,
Mr. Bryan

@Ana_moderator
Hello Ana,
I completely agree with you when students create their own Classroom rules, the rules identified by them have greater impact on their socio-emotional behaviour compared to when the teacher devised them. Especially if children have done hand printing and created a sort of a chart which highlights the Classroom rules, this chart will be more proactive and pupils will thrive to abide to the rules set for the whole classroom. Indeed the training was very helpful, breathing exercises were proposed to be carried out as it is a good mean to manage stress among pupils. Use of affirmations has positive impact on children. They can write or say affirmations that resonate with them, reinforcing positive beliefs about themselves. Teachers were encouraged to make their students laugh and integrate music.