http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2009/03/20/schools-battle-student-stress-with-creative-strategies.html?PageNr=1
3:45 P.M.
3/22/09
Jacob Nord
In many schools across the nation and across the world, stress is building up in unprecedented levels, whether it is from neighborhood problems, to pressure from home, one’s peers or oneself. Multitudes of students are reporting high levels of stress and difficulty with coping with stress. This article is about some of the methods and programs that school boards have developed to help students deal with stress in ways such as yoga and Tai Chi. Studies have shown from these programs that these programs aid students in dealing with test anxiety and overall improve the functional quality of their academic performance. Students who undergo these programs report that they are able to function and concentrate better than they previously could.
I think that this is a wonderful solution to student stress. Not only is there concrete evidence that this improves overall well being of students and academic performance, these programs also promote multiculturalism and awareness of cultures outside of the West. With communication technologies growing at an unprecedented rates and transportation technology growing as well, there will be increasingly less and less room for ignorance of other cultures in the world and early exposure to other cultures is a sure way to ease relations between our country and the rest of the world. I am also glad to note that school boards are recognizing finally that stress is a very real adherent to problems among adolescents such as academic dishonesty and excessive substance and alcohol use and are taking measures to reduce such results of stress.
2 comments:
I really love your post and article. I agree with you; it's great that the school board is recognizing that these students are under a lot of stress. People of all ages experience different problems in life. We can never underestimate the power an issue can have on a person's life; what may seem small to us, may be devastating to another person. I also like the way that they are dealing with those problems. I'm sure everybody can relate to the issue of stress. Unfortunately, I believe it's just part of life. However, I think it's great to find creative ways to deal with that problem. The fact the the school board is using yoga as an outlet for stress is brilliant. I occasionally use yoga as a stress reliever as well. So, I think they have a really good idea. It's also a great way to get kids to participate in extracurricular activities. Students are excercising instead of sitting at home on the couch or out getting into to trouble. The school board has found a way to "kill two birds with one stone." Great topic!
Awesome. Sounds like a great idea actually. Formerly illegal acts and the like were the only way out but with this it might help some to regain some sense of stability.
Cool idea.
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