Worriers to Academic Warriors: Overcoming Anxiety in Kindergarten
My students need books to learn about ways to diminish anxiety and a device they can use to set timers for themselves and select relaxing music to listen to.
The 19 kindergartners in my classroom are a spirited, fun-loving group. They come from families who care a lot about their education and, as a result, they also care very deeply about doing their best at school.
They care so much, in fact, that sometimes they can get very down on themselves because they don't always live up to their own high expectations.
The manifestation of this anxiety looks different ways for my students: some become silent and withdrawn, some break down in inconsolable tears, and some get angry—occasionally lashing out at their classroom community in an attempt to feel in control.
This brilliant group of young people are from diverse backgrounds. While we celebrate those differences every day, some continue to fear being singled out by their peers because of their uniqueness. Some have non-traditional family structures, some hear a language other than English at home, and some have unique medical needs—all of which, at times, are a source of worry for them.
My Project
Again and again at family/teacher conferences, parents have asked me about ways to overcome their students' anxieties. I realized that this is a challenge that our community must face head-on.
This project will help students learn more about anxiety—and to help them understand that it is a common human concern and one they can cope with in healthy ways.
The books will give them insights into different strategies to use to overcome worry, using relatable fictional characters as role models. Furthermore, students will realize that, since these books discuss anxiety directly, it is not a taboo topic or something to be borne alone. By using these texts, it is my hope that we can open discussions that will help bring us together: sharing the different ways we express our fears and sharing strategies that work for us.
Some common causes of anxiety in my classroom are not being ready to finish a project and not knowing what is coming next. By setting timers themselves via oral commands on the Echo Dot, students can get a greater sense of control over time—rather than feeling ruled by it. When the reminders go off, they can anticipate transitions and prepare themselves for them.
Furthermore, by having control over the music in the classroom, students can choose tunes and playlists that help them do their work calmly and peacefully. We can listen as a community or, using headphones, one student can listen on their own. By asking for music by name, my young students will be able to choose calm music that is culturally or personally relevant—not just music teachers think will help.
My students face an increasingly anxiety-filled world. By learning to address fears directly with these tools, we can turn our young worriers into academic warriors!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mx. Edie (Mileham)🌈 and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
