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
© SUSIE FITZHUGH
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.
Seeing Clearly
Remember, students in poverty are not
broken or damaged. In fact, human