My Inquiry Project Proposal

Name: Renceh B. Flojo

Mr. Smith
English Period 2
23 August 2016
Topic of Inquiry (social issue affecting America):
Student Stress
Guiding Question(s):
What affects a students ability to learn?
How are they negatively impacted by the status quo (ie getting good grades, good college..etc)
Does the rising importance on scores positively or negatively influences students?
How many students drop out due to student stress?
How can we alleviate student stress and create a healthy and fun learning environment?
Does student stress increase with age and grade level?
Rationale (or explanation for why you want to study this topic all semester):
I would like to find ways to improve the learning environment in Maryknoll and find effective strategies to
alleviate the stress of school and expectations.
Summary (of what you already know about the topic at beginning of your inquiry):
Currently I dont know much about the topic and I would like to learn more about it.
Prediction (about what you think you will discover or hope to discover during your study):
I think I will discover that student stress does play a major part in their performance and whether or not
they remain in school. With rising expectations students can become depressed and trapped in the
constant cycle of not knowing what to do.
Titles and Authors of books to read (and Genres):
1.

Stress Education for College Students by James H. Humphry

2. Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: An Updated Guide to Stress, Stress Related Diseases,
and Coping by Robert M. Sapolsky
Discussion (of the relevance of this topic in a bigger context i.e., the so what?):
This topic is relevant because many students are facing more stress as America shifts its focus from
practical and artistic skills to having a higher importance on scores and test taking. The shift causes
students to loss their creative side and develop certain mental problems when it gets out of hand.
Other Sources (websites, films, publications, articles you will consult for more information on
your topic):
To further augment my study I will watch documentaries on the effect of stress on students and I will look
for online sites that talk about the correlation between rising stress levels and grade level increase.