Understanding Anxiety – 10 things you need to know

Developed from Pooky Knightsmith’s online training at www.creativeeducation.co.uk

1. Anxiety is a Master of Disguise: Affects performance and ability to learn or be engaged ANGER | RUDENESS | IRRITABILITY Anxiety = PUPILS APPEAR LESS ABLE

2. Some anxiety is good

Often thinking about how to support particular students will come up with ideas that would benefit everyone!

3. PREDICTABILITY & CONSISTENCY - helps everyone – it creates a ‘HALO’ effect and it makes children feel safe

4. Are they getting good quality sleep and are they getting enough? Lack of sleep is used as a form of

torture!

ENGAGE TEENAGERS - SLEEP HYGEINE – ENGAGE WITH PARENTS

5.

MAKE THE EXPERIENCE THAT CASUES THE ANXIETY POSITIVE OR AT LEAST NEUTRAL

When shared with peers it can be an important learning opportunityDeveloping healthy coping skills together

ANXIETY IS A

CYCLEDO YOU HELP TO

BREAK THE CYCLE?

AVOID AVOIDING!

PLAN FOR A CRISIS WHEN IN TIMES OF CALM

6.

7. Children need the adults around them to be like a SWAN

CALM | SUPPORTIVE | CARING

8. Teach them to help themselves

9. AIM LOW

10.When it all goes wrong (and inevitably it will) – LEARN something – be curious – WHAT COULD WE DO NEXT TIME? – forgive yourself and MOVE ON.

When to WorryIf the anxiety has a significant impact on everyday life or has been going

on for sustained period of time – refer on!

PLAN FOR A CRISIS WHEN IN TIMES OF CALM

Teach them a range of silent strategies they can use so they don’t always need an adult.

Give them the POWER to control and switch it off

Plan small incremental steps to reduce the anxiety from 7/10 to 6.5/10 – it won’t go to 0/10

LADDER OF BRAVE BEHAVIOURS!Build on small steps – one rung of the ladder

at a timeCelebrate every success however small