Understanding School Anxiety

This discussion helps students articulate their feelings about school-related anxiety and explore ways to manage it.

What makes you feel anxious about school?

Encourage students to think about specific situations or subjects that cause anxiety.

What did you learn from the video about managing stress?

Guide students to recall specific techniques mentioned in the video.

How can we help each other feel less anxious?

Promote ideas of peer support and sharing strategies.

My Calm Plan

This worksheet helps students identify and plan personal strategies to manage anxiety and stay calm in school.

List three things that make you feel anxious at school.

Think about times when you feel worried or nervous.

Write down two techniques from the video that you want to try.

Consider the stress management techniques discussed.

Who can you talk to when you feel anxious?

Think about trusted adults or friends.

Parent Handout: Week 1 - Understanding Anxiety

This handout provides parents with an overview of the first week's lesson on understanding anxiety and offers tips to support their child's anxiety management at home.

Overview of Week 1

In this session, your child learned about what anxiety is and how it can affect their school performance. They watched a video on stress management techniques and discussed their feelings about school-related anxiety.

Key Strategies Discussed

• Understanding Anxiety: Recognizing what anxiety feels like and when it occurs.

How You Can Support Your Child

• Talk About Feelings: Encourage your child to share their thoughts and feelings about school.
• Watch Together: View the Stress Management Techniques for Kids video together and discuss it.

Recommended Books and Videos

• "The Whole-Brain Child" by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
• "Anxiety Relief for Kids" by Bridget Flynn Walker
• Video: Understanding Anxiety in Children

Parent Handout: Week 2 - Deep Breathing Techniques

This handout provides parents with an overview of the second week's lesson on deep breathing techniques and offers tips to support their child's anxiety management at home.

Overview of Week 2

This week, your child learned about deep breathing as a technique to manage stress and anxiety. They practiced breathing exercises and identified situations where these techniques can be helpful.

Key Strategies Discussed

• Deep Breathing: A simple and effective way to calm the mind and body.

How You Can Support Your Child

• Practice Together: Try deep breathing exercises with your child.
• Create a Routine: Encourage regular practice of deep breathing, especially before stressful situations.

Recommended Books and Videos

• "Breathe Like a Bear" by Kira Willey
• Video: Deep Breathing for Kids

Parent Handout: Week 3 - Positive Thinking

This handout provides parents with an overview of the third week's lesson on positive thinking and offers tips to support their child's anxiety management at home.

Overview of Week 3

This week, your child explored the power of positive thinking and how it can influence their feelings and behavior. They practiced creating positive affirmations.

Key Strategies Discussed

• Positive Thinking: Using positive affirmations to boost confidence and reduce anxiety.

How You Can Support Your Child

• Encourage Positivity: Help your child create and use positive affirmations daily.
• Model Positive Thinking: Demonstrate positive thinking in your own life.

Recommended Books and Videos

• "I Can Handle It" by Laurie Wright
• Video: Positive Thinking for Kids

Parent Handout: Week 4 - Peer Support and Communication

This handout provides parents with an overview of the fourth week's lesson on peer support and communication and offers tips to support their child's anxiety management at home.

Overview of Week 4

This week, your child learned about the importance of peer support and communication. They practiced role-playing scenarios to ask for help from friends and trusted adults.

Key Strategies Discussed

• Peer Support: Building a support network with friends and adults.

How You Can Support Your Child

• Encourage Communication: Talk to your child about the importance of asking for help.
• Role-Play Scenarios: Practice different scenarios where your child might need to ask for support.

Recommended Books and Videos

• "How to Be a Friend" by Laurie Krasny Brown
• Video: Communicating with Friends

Parent Handout: Week 5 - Review and Reflect

This handout provides parents with an overview of the fifth week's lesson on reviewing and reflecting on the strategies learned and offers tips to support their child's anxiety management at home.

Overview of Week 5

In the final session, your child reviewed all the techniques learned throughout the series and reflected on what worked best for them.

Key Strategies Discussed

• Review and Reflect: Understanding which strategies are most effective for managing anxiety.

How You Can Support Your Child

• Reflect Together: Discuss with your child what strategies they found most helpful.
• Encourage Continued Practice: Support your child in continuing to use these strategies.

Recommended Books and Videos

• "The Invisible String" by Patrice Karst
• Video: Reflecting on Calm Strategies

Parent Permission Letter

This letter requests parental permission for their child's participation in the small group series, outlining the objectives and importance of the program.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

We are excited to offer a new small group series titled "Calm and Confident: School Success Series" for 3rd-grade students. This program is designed to help students manage anxiety related to school performance through experiential and collaborative learning.

Program Details

• Duration: 5 weeks, 25 minutes each session
• Objective: To equip students with coping skills for anxiety reduction and emotional regulation
• Activities: Includes videos, discussions, role-playing, and reflection exercises

Why This Program is Important

This series aims to provide students with essential coping skills, fostering a positive mindset and enhancing their overall well-being. By participating, students will learn techniques such as deep breathing, positive thinking, and peer support strategies.

Permission Request

Please sign and return the attached permission slip by [Date] to allow your child to participate in this beneficial program.

Thank you for your support in helping our students succeed both academically and emotionally.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Position]
[School Name]
[Contact Information]