EDSE 505 - Strategies for Addressing Student Anxiety (3)

Anxiety is a normal reaction to situations that we regard as dangerous or threatening. As a species, we have survived because our bodies respond to perceived dangers by automatically preparing to defend ourselves and get to safety. However, the effects of long-term anxiety can compromise our life functions and tax our resources. It can also affect our ability to learn and can disrupt digestion and sleep.  

Approximately one third of us will experience an anxiety-related disorder in our lifetimes, so you can expect that one in five of your students currently struggles with anxiety issues. In this course, you will learn to understand and recognize anxiety dysfunction and then develop classroom strategies to support students who suffer from it. Ideally, you will establish classroom practices that teach students how to prevent anxiety escalation. Finally, you will learn how clinicians handle anxiety and how you might support students under their care.

With the strategies and interventions you learn in this course, you will be able to create a classroom environment where students can successfully cope with stressors and instead focus on learning.