1. Teenage Stress: Strategies for School Success with Nicola Morgan
Up-to-date science,
classroom materials,
free advice, books and more:

2. More information Your handouts My website (www.nicolamorgan.com)
Today’s blog
Handouts with hyperlinks
This presentation
Lots of free things
Teaching resources – discount code on blog
Free Brain Sane newsletter: wellbeing, brains, adolescence, stress, science of reading and learning, digital/online effects

3. Main aim: “Active agency”
Feeling of autonomy: control reduces stress and improves wellbeing
This helps build resilience: I “can do” this
“growth mindset”
“The small steps I take make a difference”

4. Five Strategies

5. FIRST: Educate about stress
A. What stress IS – good and bad
Stress affects wellbeing  performance
So, RELAXATION IS NOT A LUXURY

6. B: Relaxation  wellbeing  performance
Better sleep
Better wellbeing
Better success
Manage stress
Relaxation
is not a luxury

7. C. Three strategy groups
Instant
Mindset
In control, calm and strong
Daily

8. D. Instant stress strategy
Breathing skills – for panic or general relaxation
Free audio on my website
Or search “belly-breathing”

9. E. Empower daily relaxation
Down-time – activities to reduce cortisol
Deliberate and conscious
Varied
What about computer gaming??
Personal choice - autonomy

10. Daily relaxation: essential
stroke a pet
draw
daydream
music
breathe deeply
walk
SWITCH OFF!
read
look at nature
be alone OR social
write
bath
yoga
mindfulness
laugh
bake

11. 2. Value and cater for introverts
First, understand introverts:
Expend energy in all social interaction
May not do best work when collaborating
Extra need for quiet time
May “ruminate” excessively
Likely to feel inadequate compared to extroverts
“Quiet” by Susan Cain – and her website

12. 3. Promote better sleep

13. “sleep hygiene” 90 minutes before desired bed-time
See handout for do/don’ts
Create ROUTINE
Crucial role of screen-based devices
Mimic daylight?
Exciting and awakening
Bring potential stressors
Therefore may hinder sleep and increase stress

14. 4. Manage screen-time

15. Educate/empower re screentime
Share knowledge of the problems
Recognise as powerfully addictive
Activates same reward pathways in the brain as addictive behaviours/substances
And unavoidably distracting
Show them the science (The Organized Mind, D Levitin)
“You will do your work faster and better if you switch off distractions”

16. But HOW?! Develop a strong school policy
Offer/discuss strategies to reduce use
(“intrinsic motivation” – self-motivated)
Apps to block social media
“Out of sight, out of mind” – remove!
Pomodoro technique – timed sessions
MODEL good behaviour

17. 5. Promote Reading for Pleasure

18. Evidence-based
Reading Agency Literature Review 2015 – huge meta-study (see my website)
Self-esteem; greater life satisfaction
Increased vocab and general knowledge
Increased empathy + self-understanding
Better mood + relationships
Stress

19. Readaxation
Definition: “Reading to relax, as a conscious strategy for wellbeing and stress management. The aim is to feel and function well.”

20. Why does reading de-stress?
Readers feel effect – try my Readaxation diary as an activity
Allows “engagement” / “flow”
Chance to forget worries – a CBT effect

22. To sum up strategies for “active agency”:
Educate about stress management: why + how
Support introverts
Promote better sleep
Manage screen time
Promote reading for
pleasure

23. Teenage Stress: Strategies for School Success with Nicola Morgan
Up-to-date science,
classroom materials,
free advice, books and more: