Lockdown Practices in School Causes Fear

     

     As  I surfed the web this evening I came across this article in the New York Times. It brings up the fear that lock down drills can cause in children. It is something that has been weighing on my mind as of late.

     Thankfully, lock down drills are announced in advance to the teachers in our district. This gives us time to prepare our students and discuss that is only practice. The principal announces it as a "practice lockdown." When I write "thankfully", I truly am thankful that we avoid the unnecessary alarm and fear that occurred in the East Harlem School. Lock down drills are important steps we need to take to prepare and protect our students, but even with preparation and careful conversations, they cause anxiety and fear in children. This is a challenge in teaching that I never thought I would have to face.

    We were told by our guidance counselor to end conversations with students regarding this matter on a positive note. As teachers, part of our job is to remind that we will do everything we can to protect them and will everything we can to reduce their anxiety while at school.

What have you found helpful in this regard?

In the comments please share how you have helped reduce fear during lockdown practice. 

Thanks for sharing!

Teaching and Stress

According to this article, Teaching and Stress: Symptoms and Cures Teaching ranks in the top 5 stressful jobs. This was an interesting article! What can be done? 

Teaching and Stress: Symptoms and Cures What makes teaching one of the most stressful occupations, and what teachers can do to avoid the detrimental effects of stress.
by Alan Haskvitz www.reacheverychild.com/alan.html Regular to the Gazette September 1, 2008 What can help us to cope? Have a specific situation stressing you? Be honest with yourself. Think of the situation that is stressing you. What are the REAL and POSSIBLE outcomes of this situation? Accept the worst outcome. Think: What can I do to proactively avoid negative  outcomes. Think practical.  Let go of what is out of your control.  You know these stress busters: Eat regular, healthy meals Get enough sleep Stay hydrated Exercise All of these can be hard to do when you are busy. Keep this mental mantra: "I perform better when I have fuel and rest. These tasks will happen faster if I take care of myself."     Create a positive social network! It's ok to excuse yourself from negative talk and workplace gossip. Proactively create a positive social network at school.  Seek out teachers that are problem-solvers, not gossip-mongers. Some co-worker will like to complain, but are seeking sympathy not solutions. Exposed to this on a daily basis, it WILL create stress. Throughout the school year, build healthy relationships of mutual respect and common interests (not just discussions of problems). However when a problem does arise, those colleagues will likely be happy to be your sounding board. Don't forget to reciprocate--be a positive, safe place in return!