Common_Sources_of_Stress_in_Intermediate_Phase_Learners

What is stress' Stress is the body’s reaction to change. When the body is under stress it is affected by various stimuli, also called stressors, which will cause changes in the body. The body’s response to stress is called homeostasis; this is a vital function of our body where it will strive to maintain a normal or balanced state. There are two types of stress – good stress (eustress) and bad stress (distress). Eustress can motivate children to reach their goals, where distress can cause physical or psychological breakdown (Weinstein and Rosen 2003: 272). Everybody experience stress, even children. I am going to discuss common sources of stress (stressors) in intermediate phase learners. Then I will look into how an educator can assist learners to cope with these various sources of stress. Common sources of stress in intermediate phase learners Intermediate phase include grades 4-6, in other words children of ages 10 to 12. During a child’s development they are confronted with challenges and demands. These can be external (for instance the environment) or internal (changes in the body as they grow). I am going to discuss sources of stress in three different categories. Stress of growing up Weinstein and Rosen (2003: 276) identified stressors children may experience while growing up and they are: Meeting personal goals – parents or teachers can set goals or tasks that are too difficult. In a child’s attempt to reach this they can be unsuccessful which will cause stress. Every so often children set unrealistic goals for themselves as they compete with friends. It is important to set realistic and attainable personal goals because if they are too low, children can become unmotivated and they would not realise their potential. Self-esteem – are affected and developed by surroundings, parents, friends, success, failure, family values, attitudes and personal experiences. A positive selfimage will result in the development of good skills to effectively cope with and respond to stress. Changing values – it is important that parents and teachers make sure children understand the value system imposed on them. If not this can lead to confusion and conflict because children will believe that the things they value, are not important for the adults in their lives. Social standards – expectations and standards change during development. This can be present in peer groups and school setting changes. Children become confused when they are acceptable at one time and not at another. Ability and personal competence – when children have low confidence in their abilities it can have a major influence on their morale and create problems in school. Competition with others – children want to be liked and accepted by their peers. If not it can induce stress. Home and family stress Weinstein and Rosen (2003: 277) recognises marital discord, low social status, overcrowding or large families, paternal criminality, parental psychiatric disorder and admission of children into the care of local authorities as factors that strongly associates with stress. Other factors that fall under this category include parents: who are ill, have emotional problems, or experience marital tension. These parents tend to be less responsive, less nurturing, less affectionate, and more punitive with their children. Introduction of a new parental figure is particularly stressful for schoolaged children. Other childhood stressors include accidents, injuries, or hospitalization of a family member, family relocation, separation from parents, and the addition of a sibling. This list can go on and on. It is very clear from this paragraph that home and family factors can have a great influence on a child’s stress levels. Stress in school Weinstein and Rosen (2003: 278-279) discussed the major school stressors and placed them into the following categories: School adjustment – the physical environment of the school, the classroom, and even the cafeteria can contribute to a child’s stress. It is important that children perceive the school as a safe place. The learning process – children learn in different ways and motivation to develop learning skills is also not the same. Teachers should recognise this and cater for each and every learner. Competition – this can produce a sense of success and fulfilment or of anxiety and feelings of failure. Subject stress – it is proven that performance declines as stress increases. So teachers can assist to reduce anxiety about a subject which in turn can help raise performance. Test anxiety – verbal tests produce greater anxiety than written tests. Educators can reduce test anxiety by giving practice tests, which will not count but prepare them. Parent involvement – reporting back to your parent can be stressful. Teachers can alleviate this by keeping parents involved parent-teacher evenings. Stressors in school can also be classified by grade level. Weinstein and Rosen (2003: 279) identified sources of stressors by grade level. They are listed in order of intensity in the table below: Stressors by grade level Fourth grade Fear of being chosen last, peer disapproval of clothing or appearance, friends not choosing them to share secretes, student ridicule, not being liked by teacher. Fifth grade Fear of being chosen last, losing a best friend, not being able to complete work, peer disapproval, not being a sixth grader next year. Sixth grade Fear of being chosen last, sexuality, not going to junior high, peer disapproval of appearance, being unpopular. Ways in which an educator can assist children to cope with stress. In the previous section, common sources of stress, I have briefly discussed what teachers can do to assist learners in copings with subject stress, test anxiety and parent involvement. I will now elaborate on methods teachers can use to assist learners. When we look at the physical environment teachers can supervise activities, stop violence, avoid crowded classrooms, create organised environment and effectively administer the curriculum. This will definitely reduce stress and facilitate learning. With the focus on the fact that children learn in different ways, the teacher can make sure they have appropriate books, supplies and resources to meet different needs. Socialisation, individual attention and self-esteem are also sources of stress. The teacher can reduce this by giving positive feedback, which will result in children feeling good about themselves. Competition can be reduced when children are required to work together in groups towards a shared goal. An important step in reducing stress and preventing stress disorders is to help children allocate time for relaxation. Weinstein and Rosen (2003: 280-283) discussed various techniques that can be used to foster relaxation. Laughter and fun – everybody knows that having fun and laughter will help you to temporarily forget and make you feel better. Teachers can create breaks during the day for fun and laughter. Altering perception – a cause of stress can be the way one thinks, especially children. Teachers can help them to expand their thinking and alternatives, replace negative thoughts with positive ones, and get children more involved. This will broaden their perceptions and increase their feelings of control. Revising attitudes – teachers can help children to build positive self-esteems, confidence and express their needs. Communication is also very important so that they can talk about their feelings. Nutrition – it is essential to maintain a well-balanced diet. For the reason that poor nutrition and certain chemicals in food (like caffeine) have a direct influence on stress. As a teacher you can monitor foods eaten during lunch time by putting up a “snack menu” in class. You can provide parents with a copy and explain to them the influence food can have on their children, so that they can prepare the right lunchbox. Activities – Teachers can create activities for children to help them relax. Physical activity like sport must be encouraged because it can get rid of excess energy and are excellent for stress relive. Meditation where children close their eyes for a couple of minutes, will force relaxation and help them to focus. Deep breathing can be used in conjunction with meditation or on its own where the whole class can take a few deep breaths together, this will result in decreased pulse rate and anxiety, which in turn will reduce stress. Being familiar with what a specific child’s stressors at home can help the teacher to be a role model for that child to trust and share their concerns with. Teachers have a very important role in children’s lives. It is clear that intermediate phase learners’ can have many confrontations and challenges. We need to recognise and be aware of sources of stress in the classroom as well as at home or family stress. Teachers can definitely help children to cope with stress.