1. Tests, Stress and Anxiety
Building a Culture of Positive Mindsets to Achieve Success
February 3, 2017
8:00-9:00 am

2. Positive Growth Mindsets
We want to focus on praising effort, rather than outcome.
Our emotions can be changed based upon our thinking, attitude and behavior.
We need to step back, take a breath, and realize that it is not about how fast our children master learning. It is about their persistence and their effort.
Learners with a growth mindset believe that they can learn just about anything. “Intelligence is malleable and can continue to develop.”
Providing children with many opportunities to develop their cognitive abilities through critical thinking (problem-solving) experiences will contribute to a growth mindset and a positive view of themselves.
Adapted from Mindsets in the Classroom
by Mary Cay Ricci

3. What is Stress and Anxiety?
Stress is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals (adrenaline) into the blood.
Anxiety is simply the body's reaction to stressful, dangerous, or unfamiliar situations. It's the sense of uneasiness, distress, or dread you feel before a significant event. 
With stress, we know what’s worrying us but with anxiety you become less aware of what you’re anxious about [in the moment] and your reaction instead becomes the problem.

4. Stress or Anxiety?
Stress and anxiety share many of the same physical symptoms.
Anxiety and stress are categorized by separate feelings. The stress we experience in our day-to-day lives is associated with frustration and nervousness, where anxiety often comes from a place of fear, unease and worry (much more extreme.)
Stressful or anxious emotions speed up our heart beats, trigger rapid breathing and cause muscle tension. 
Stress and anxiety differ when anxiety yields to a panic attack, which brings about more severe versions of the symptoms, including chills, headaches, hot flashes, chest pains and “brain lock”.

5. Stress Busters
I. Defuse Home Stress:
1. How is the everyday climate in your home? Does it increase your kid’s stress level or help him relax? Are there opportunities for your family to relax?
2. Are you watching your family’s diet intake for things that could increase stress?
3. Are there times you’re modeling how to let down and cool off to your kids?
4. Are you checking your kids’ (and yours) stress loads?
5. Are you making sure sleep is on everyone’s agenda?
6. Are you taking time to talk to your kids about their day and their worries?
7. Are you checking your kids’ work load? Can they keep up?

6. Stress Busters… II. Know Your Kid’s Stress Signs
Physical Kid Stress Signs: Headache, neck aches and backaches, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, stomachache, vomiting, shaky hands, sweaty palms, feeling shaky, lightheadedness, bedwetting, trouble sleeping, nightmares, change in appetite, stuttering, frequent colds, fatigue
Emotional or Behavior Kid Stress Signs: New or reoccurring fears; anxiety and worries; trouble concentrating; frequent daydreaming, restlessness or irritability; social withdrawal, unwilling to participate in school or family activities; moodiness; sulking; or inability to control emotions, nail biting; hair twirling; thumb-sucking; fist clenching; feet tapping; acting out, anger, aggressive behaviors such as tantrums, disorderly conduct; regression or baby-like behaviors; excessive whining or crying; clinging, more dependent, won’t let you out of sight; withdrawal behavior.
Look for triggers (patterns of events or activities) that bring on the stress in your child or teen.
III. Teach Your Child How to RELAX and Handle Stress

7. Relaxation Tips Review the “What if” questions with your child:
What if I forget everything?
What if I fail?
What if I run out of time?
80% of what we worry about does not happen. “FEAR”
Teach your child some of the Brain Gym techniques:
Hook-ups
Crossovers

8. Relaxation Tips
Teach your child how to Breathe Deeply using Positive Thoughts:
Tree Breathing
Elevator Breathing
“Blow your troubles away…”
Visualize a calm place.
Positive Thoughts: “I will calm myself down. I can relax and focus. I am prepared for this test.”
Teach your child to recognize physical signs of their stress; to circumvent the development of anxiety.
Listen to your child and accept their thoughts and feelings. 

9. Testing Tips and Schedule
“Give Me Five Testing Tips”
Get a good night’s sleep.
Eat a healthy breakfast.
Be on time to class.
Be prepared.
Be calm and positive!

10. Questions and Discussion
Thank you!