Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Students Nervous for Break

A couple of students in my advisory expressed some tension that they feel in their families over break due to family tensions, divorce, being with a parent they don't like as much, etc. I was thinking about this--and about how much our jobs entail. What we do has so much to do with the whole student--not just what they do in class. I know more about these students since they are in my advisory, so I do get to know them more than I would in a large classroom setting. I am glad that the district sent out the email about how some students may be having a hard time around this time of year. For many students, coming to school is a safe place and a refuge. They know and understand the routine, and they have some control over some of the factors. For some students, they DO have a hard time at home.
I just wanted to put this out there and was wondering if other people have experienced this with students.
Happy holidays to everyone--it is important for us to take care of ourselves and rest, relax, and be around supportive family and friends!

4 comments:

  1. It's no wonder why so many people get ill this time of year! I feel like this is a stressful time of year and it isn't enjoyable for everyone. I try to remind them about how to stay healthy at this time of year.

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  2. This is such a good point. I wonder how many of our students feel stressed out during this time of year. I can imagine that coming back after break is almost as hard if you do not have a big Christmas with big families and large presents. At this age so much of what students are is defined by what they have or don't have in comparison to other people. It'd be nice if our advisory time could structure some sort of presentation to address these issues and help students become more sensitive to what others might experience. The school that I student taught at had a "curriculum" for advisory. I know that the high school is trying to do the same thing.

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  3. I definitly see this with my students in the EBD setting. They thrive on structure and freedom within defined limits; so much of that structure goes out the window over long breaks due to the issues you mention; it has a large impact on their ability to focus and learn when such a transition is eminent.

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  4. Thanks for your insightful comments--great teacher empathy!

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