Worries
Ella forgot to bring in her homework folder to school. She starts feeling tense and thinking she will get in big trouble. What can Ella do to manage her anxiety and this situation?
Ella can take some deep breaths and remind herself that she rarely forgets to bring her homework She can let the teacher know she forgot and see if she can call a parent to bring it in or bring it in the next day.
Layla was late for her first class because she got lost in the building. How much Layla be feeling and how can we help her if she is feeling anxious about this?
Layla may be feeling embarrassed that she did not know where her class was. We can remind her it's normal to get lost at the beginning of a new school year and it happens to other kids too. We can remind her that other kids in the class probably will not remember that she was late after the class is over and she can talk with her teacher at the end and explain what happened.
On the first day of middle school, Kayla does not know where to sit in the lunchroom. What can she do?
She can look for her friends and pick a spot to sit at together. If she does not see her friends at first, she can pick a table and signal to them when they get to the cafeteria.
On the first day of school, Kendra gets lost and can't find one of her classes. What can Kendra do to solve this problem?
Kendra can walk into the first classroom she sees and ask for directions. She can also go to the front office and see if a front desk staff member can help her find her classroom.
When Cassie got home from middle school, she was feeling overwhelmed by the amount of homework she had. How can Cassie remember to get all her homework done?
Cassie can identify what homework she has for each class and work on one at a time. She can start with easier homework tasks to get them done first. She can also take movement or snacks breaks while she is working if she notices she is losing her focus.
Alice gets her schedule before the first day of school and is worried because none of her friends are on her team. Alice starts feeling really anxious. How can Alice manage her anxiety about this?
Alice can take some deep breaths and remind herself that she will see her friends at lunch time and before and after school. She can tell herself that maybe she can make some new friends on her team this year.
Maya is feeling frustrated with her homework and wants to crumple it up and throw it on the floor. What advice would you give to her in this siuation?
Maya could take a break from her homework if she is feeling frustrated and come back to it later. She can also ask an adult at home for help with it.
When Emma saw her schedule for middle school, she saw that she has a different teacher for each class. She started to feel anxious about this since it is not something she has experienced before. How can we help Emma feel more confident about this change?
We can remind Emma that change can feel scary at first. Even though change is scary, it does not mean it is a bad thing. It is possible that Emma will enjoy switching teachers throughout the day and not having the same teacher all day.
Becca was feeling anxious about raising her hand to ask for help in class. She was worried what the other kids would think of her. How can we help Becca with this situation?
We can acknowledge that asking for help can feel scary or embarrassing. We can also remind Becca that asking for help is important and it may help other kids feel comfortable asking for help too. We can remind Becca that teachers are there to help students and answer questions. Becca can also stay after school if she needs more support.
When Jenna looked at her new school schedule, she noticed that school gets out later than it did in elementary school. Jenna is annoyed that she will have to be in school longer. How can we help Jenna change her negative thinking?
We can acknowledge that this change feels frustrating for Jenna. If Jenna is feeling fidgety at school, it is possible she can take some movement breaks or bring in fidget toys to help her stay focused for longer.