13 minute read
STRESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATION
Living in a fast-paced demanding society, we forget that our kids have to handle excessive stress daily. Stress is a way of our body taking various kinds of stress and reacting to it emotionally, physically, or psychologically.
It was only when I saw my kids go through educational stress, that I realized how intimidating and overwhelming it is for students. The looming idea of stress prevails as soon as a school year begins, leading to multiple cases of anxiety and depression in the student body.
While we as parents continue to build pressure on our children to excel in life and meet our requirements, we forget the pressure it builds upon them. During this entire process, we don’t realize that our kids need to learn stress management from the root level.
A study conducted by the American Psychological Association determined that teens have the same stress levels as adults.
Not only are they unable to cope with this stress effectively but also get overwhelmed, depressed or sad because of it. Stress also leads to health issues including sleep disorders, poor diet, and little to no physical exercise.
Stress management education must be taught in our education system to support our kids from the burdens of stress at an early stage. Taking teachers and school bodies onboard this agenda has become a necessity with an increasing number of students complaining about anxiety and depression.
Stress management should also begin at home where children know they can rely on their parents. As parents, we need to ensure that we understand when our children are under stress and help them cope with it accordingly.
Stress management education should touch upon these topics:
Importance of Sleep:
Stressed-out students are notorious for missing out on sleep especially when they have a pile of work to do. Lack of sleep is unhealthy and also has a direct effect on mood, studies, grades, and productivity. Schools should emphasize the necessity for at least 8 hours of sleep for students.
At home, you can initiate a routine where your child is well-rested and gets the necessary sleep before heading off to school each morning.
Support Networks:
A great stress buffer is a strong support system including family and friends. With life complications and transitions in relationships, it is necessary to enhance one’s support network. The building of reliable support networks should be focused upon since its one of the most effective ways for students to cooperate with their stress.
While it can be difficult to maintain a support network within schools, institutions must understand the need for these networks for students. Having group-based discussions and projects can prove to be great destressors in children.
Regular Exercise:
Blowing off steam through physical exertion is one of the best ways to cope with extra stress. Yoga, running, biking, and encouraging students to join extra sports classes should be recommended within classrooms. Research shows that students participating in some physical activity show lower stress levels than those who don’t.
School institutions should encourage all students to sign up for physical activity during school hours. While having visible benefits, these classes will also promote mental wellness within the student body.
We may not realize diet's role in stress management. Stress may lead you toward sugary snacks which only provide temporary relief. A healthy diet boosts the mood and overall performance of students. Tactics like keeping a water bottle handy, carrying healthy snacks like dry fruits and nuts, and reducing caffeine intake should be brought to students’ notice.
Even though schools can’t possibly keep an eye out on every single student’s diet, they can encourage them to opt for healthier options. Health discussions within classrooms can be successful in deterring students from choosing unhealthy snacking options within school hours.
Kids shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help when they feel overwhelmed with stress and are unable to cope with it. We, as families and teachers, should provide them with a safety net to rely on. Stress isn’t the same for everyone and it takes time for someone to identify it. Parents and teachers must be capable of managing our kids' stress issues and helping them reduce those by becoming a part of their support network.
Stress management has been swept under the rug for many years leaving students to suffer alone while dealing with their stress. We’ve been quite casual with the idea of our children coping with stress which has led to multiple problems. Including stress management education in their daily discourse will not only guide them but will also ease the stress we feel as parents. Let’s work together to provide our children with the toolkit they need to face stressful situations.
Ghazal Qureshi is a (now) native Houstonian who came to Houston with her family from Pakistan in 12th grade. She is a Computer Scientist and has worked for over 20 years in the technology space. When she saw a lack of adaptive educational programs focused on developing critical thinking skills, she formed her first educational company in 2011, offering STEM afterschool programs. She grew from 1 location in Houston to over multiple countries. In early 2020, she was dissatisfied with the lack of innovation in education. For this reason, she exited her first company. She formed UpBrainery, as an Innovative and Immersive educational technology platform coupled with neuroscience research-based programs to provide adaptive learning and individualized pathways for students at home or in the classroom.
UpBrainery takes advantage of the technological advances in AI, Machine Learning, and game-based education to provide an immersive and engaging educational experience. Since its inception, UpBrainery has won major accolades through Google for Startups, Forbes Next 1000, Houston Business Journal, and others. UpBrainery is also the exclusive K12 educational pathway provider for the US Congressional App Challenge. www.UpBrainery.com
INCARNATE WORD ACADEMY
FAST FACTS
Established: 1873 Grades: 9-12 Enrollment: 253 Total Enrollment Awards: 2019, 2020, 2021 College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award Student/Faculty Ratio: 9:1 Sports: 8 Athletics Teams
Other Things of Note:
86% Students who are Catholic 100% Students accepted to college 61% Class of 2022 members who earned a Distinguished Leader distinction 1391 – Average SAT score of the top 10% of the Class of 2022 14 Advanced Placement (AP) classes
A C a t h o l i c C o l l e g e P r e p a r a t o r y F o r Y o u n g W o m e n S i n c e 1 8 7 3
or nearly 150 years, Incarnate Word Academy has provided young women with a Catholic, college preparatory high schoo education in the heart of downtown Houston. F l
With pillars of academics, values and spirituality, we help our students grow into confident, caring young women who are able to advocate for themselves and for others. IWA's rigorous academic program includes 14 Advanced
Placement (AP) classes, a wealth of
STEM and humanities opportunities, as well as courses in the fine and performing arts. Our Young Leaders Program, unique among U.S. high schools, offers four years of progressive classes that help students develop their leadership abilities through hands-on projects in our school and throughout our community. IWA’s Catholic mission allows students to grow in their relationship with Jesus, the Incarnate Word, and live according to His values. This compels students to embrace service as an integral part of their daily lives, and become bold, authentic servant leaders who embody kindness, problem solving and compassion.
Incarnate Word Academy provides rich, experiential learning opportunities and our diverse student body brings together young women from across Houston. Our graduates go on to some of the country's top schools, prepared to succeed in college and beyond.
Contact Email: Admissions@incarnateword.org
609 Crawford Street, Houston, TX 77002 713.227.3637
"Students at IWA learn to advocate for themselves and others. They receive a superior education with an emphasis on serving their community. As young women embracing sisterhood and service, they discover tangible qualities to cultivate confidence and curiosity as they lean in to challenges and leave the Academy ready to take on the future.
Cathy Stephen, Principal
www.incarnateword.org
A College Prep Montessori School, Teaching Early Childhood through Grade 12.
School of the Woods, the oldest continuously operating Montessori school in the Houston area, provides an educational program proven and strengthened through more than four decades of successful experience.
The Main campus is nestled cozily in a close-in neighborhood in Spring Branch approximately 1 mile north of I-10 off Wirt Rd.
The campus is heavily wooded and landscaped with native Texas plants. The sylvan environment is an integral part of the curriculum. The buildings were designed to integrate with the natural environment of the campus. They are cottage style structures sized to fit the needs of the students.
In addition to a robust academic program, students at School of the Woods participate in both sports & the arts. Music, Theater, Dance and Performance Arts, as well as Volleyball, Soccer, Basketball, Swimming and Track & Field are all available!
Regis' core strength is teaching boys and creating scholars and gentlemen 7330 Westview Drive Houston TX 77055 P: 713-682-8383 TheRegisSchool.Org
At its founding in 1991, The Regis School of the Sacred Heart became the first and only 3 Pre-K through eighth grade all-boys Sacred Heart school in the Houston area, fulfilling a need in the city’s Catholic community.
The school’s founders—with the guidance of Archbishop Fiorenza—envisioned a unique educational environment for their sons, simultaneously grounded in rigorous academics and the Sacred Heart Goals of faith, intellect, service, community and maturity.
The Sacred Heart Goals shape not only curriculum development, but also teaching practices, character education and—most importantly—spiritual development.
Based upon the Sacred Heart Goals, Regis students move through a deliberate progression from a guided learner to an active participant to an effective contributor, and ultimately to become an engaged leader called The Regis Experience.
Regis Quarter Page Ad (October).pdf 1 9/21/21 12:55 PM
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Authentic. Diverse. Empowering. Passionate. Inspiring. Nurturing. Inclusive. Faithful. All-boys.
At Our Savior, it is their mission to Serve Families for Jesus Christ. They provide a classical Lutheran education for the nearby areas of Inwood, Garden Oaks/Oak Forest, the Heights and Houston communities.
As a classical Lutheran school, they provide an exceptional education for all children. Classical education is a beautiful, tried, and true teaching model that allows our teachers to instruct all children, regardless of their abilities. Our Savior does not exist to simply provide our young scholars with the skills they need for the next level, or the ability to score high on standardized tests. They provide an education that is centered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and seek to cultivate wisdom and virtue by nourishing the soul on that which is true, good, and beautiful. They are teaching our scholars how to think and to express themselves eloquently. OSL is a loving community of families where our children grow and learn to live in the grace of Christ each day. Nurturing the faith of the children inside the school doors and outside on campus is their greatest joy and most important task. It is a privilege to serve each child and family.
God has blessed them with a beautiful 60-acre campus which allows them to see the beauty of His creation on a daily basis.
If you'd like to take a tour and see for yourself, please contact DGuevara@oslschool.org or visit their website at www.OSLSchool.org.
The Honor Roll School has been proud to serve students in the Sugar Land area since 1991. Recent expansion of the Riverstone campus, serving students 2 years through Kindergarten opened in August 2022. Links to Learning preschool curriculum prepares children for kindergarten and beyond by developing important academic, social and emotional skills. In the elementary and middle school years, they combine a rigorous, standards-based curriculum with experiences that develop 21st century skills such as creativity, collaboration and communication. Thus creating a safe, supportive learning environment in which teachers focus on the strengths and learning styles of each individual child.
At The Honor Roll School they believe that learning and achievement go hand in hand, whether inside or outside the classroom, they have built programs that meet the highest academic and extracurricular standards. By providing an environment that challenges and nurtures each child’s development, their students are able to discover their strengths and respect each other’s differences through global and international awareness. They learn to work together, making the most of everyone’s talents.
The international makeup of our student body lends itself to unique learning opportunities. The style of teaching builds on proven traditional methods by also incorporating newer developments in child psychology, technology, and science. Central to this is the promotion of academic excellence, responsible citizenship and international understanding, whereby students become critical, compassionate thinkers, and active, informed, life-long learners.
The pursuit of excellence as a school depends on each student’s desire to pursue his or her talents in academics, athletics, the arts (fine and performing), leadership and service/citizenship. Likewise, they must do our part as a school community to provide the most opportunities possible for each child’s growth. As educators, they believe that this is best accomplished when an administration with vision, a committed faculty, supportive parents, and focused students work together.
Contact Admissions at (281) 864-3536 or doris.quintero@thehonorrollschool.com for more information.
Proudly Cultivating a Love of Learning since 1991.
At The Honor Roll School, our early childhood program develops important academic, social and emotional skills in a safe, nurturing environment. In elementary and middle school, we combine a rigorous, standards-based curriculum with well-rounded experiences, including creativity, collaboration, and communication.
JOIN US FOR A TOUR!
TheHonorRollSchool.com
Sugar Land Campus
4111 Sweetwater Blvd Sugar Land, TX 281-265-7888 2 years – Grade 8
Riverstone Campus NOW OPEN!
20417 University Blvd Missouri City, TX 832-440-1134 2 years – Kindergarten
FAST FACTS
Grades Served: 18 monthS - 5th grade School Type: Private Elementary & Pre-School Afterschool Programs: Coding, Yoga, Chess, Piano, Tae Kwon Do, Golf, and dozens more Recognitions: The first and only Ocean Guardian School in the Houston area
Yorkshire Academy, a private school located in the Memorial area, was established in 1984 with its primary goal being to create an environment in which children can develop to their fullest potential at their own individual rate.
Yorkshire’s tag line “A Little School Making a Big Impact” rings true. Yorkshire provides top notch academics, stellar enrichment classes, and a nurturing environment which makes students feel welcome and secure.
Yorkshire strives to develop the whole person, guiding each child with experiences to enhance his or her own self-image, whether it be excelling within dynamic classroom academics, singing and dancing in amazing musical productions, earning a 1st place academic competition ribbon in math, or mastering the latest technology in the computer lab. Yorkshire students graduate with all the tools necessary for middle school success.
www.yorkshireacademy.com Call 281.531.6088 to schedule a personal tour
Now accepting applications!
Apply at: www.sttheresaschool.cc/admissions-process
Educating students students from from Pre-K to Pre-K to 8th grade 8th grade since 1947 since 1947
For more information contact Kelly McCarty, Admissions Director k.mccarty@sttheresa.cc | 346-335-1706
