Educational Leadership

Affirm your students,
and let them know how
much good you see in them.

should say”). End by affirming common goals and interests (“We’re both in this together. We can make this work—if we each do our part”).

Difference 7: Distress

Although small amounts of stress are healthy, acute and chronic stress— known as distress—is toxic. Children living in poverty experience greater chronic stress than do their more affluent counterparts. Low-income parents’ chronic stress affects their kids through chronic activation of their children’s immune systems, which taxes available resources and has long-reaching effects (Blair & Raver, 2012). Distress affects brain development, academic success, and social competence (Evans, Kim, Ting, Tesher, & Shannis, 2007). It also impairs behaviors; reduces attentional control (Liston, McEwen, & Casey, 2009); boosts impulsivity (Evans, 2003); and impairs working memory (Evans & Schamberg, 2009).

Distressed children typically exhibit
one of two behaviors: angry “in your
face” assertiveness or disconnected
“leave me alone” passivity. To the
uninformed, the student may appear
to be either out of control, showing an
attitude, or lazy. But those behaviors are
actually symptoms of stress disorders—
and distress influences many behaviors
that influence engagement.

What You Can Do

Address the real issue—distress—and the symptoms will diminish over time. Begin by building stronger relationships with students; this helps alleviate student stress.

Reduce stress by embedding more classroom fun in academics. Provide temporary cognitive support—that is, help students get the extra glucose and oxygen they need—by having them engage in such sensory motor activities as the childhood game “ head-toes-knees-shoulders,” in which children touch different parts of their bodies

in quick succession. Such actions can support behavioral regulation, which is so important for early academic success.

Next, don’t try to exert more control over the student’s life. This will only create continued issues with engagement. Instead, give students more control over their own daily lives at school. Encourage responsibility and leadership by offering choices, having students engage in projects, and supporting teamwork and classroom decision making. Having a sense of control is the fundamental element that helps diminish the effects of chronic and acute stress.

Finally, teach students ongoing coping skills so they can better deal with their stressors. For example, give them a simple, “If this, then that” strategy for solving problems using new skills. You can do this through telling stories about your own daily stressors, allowing students to brainstorm solutions, and then sharing the coping tools that worked for you and modeling how you addressed various challenges.