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Anxiety

Department of Education, University of the People

EDUC 5710: Understanding Barriers to Learning

Dr. Nick Sanders

March 3, 2021
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Signs of anxiety in a classroom can be exhibited by students in many ways. It’s important

to know what they are. Anxiety is characterised by an irrational fear or a stimulus that is in

excess (Mcloone et al., 2006). There are physical manifestations that can be visible for a teacher

to see such as restlessness, irritability, muscle tension, and fatigue. Cognitively there can be

manifestations with difficulty concentrating, racing thoughts, depression, nausea, and sleep

disturbances (Mcloon et al., 2006). There are many environmental factors that can contribute to

and trigger anxiety.

In my hypothetical classroom there are two students who are showing irritability when

called upon. Instead of focusing on the question that is asked, these two students focus on the

font of the textbook and ask why the font is the way it is. These students, also, when called upon

in zoom, suddenly have audio problems at the moment they are called upon, but not anytime

during the lecture. One student expressed that this class is dreadful and the other student slouches

in the chair and is visibly unengaged with his physical posture and facial expression and says

he’s sleepy. These two students have Cs in the class while the rest of class has As. My current

school is holding a FRIENDS seminar for teachers to implement in their classrooms.

FRIENDS Program

This program helps students build resilience to prevent anxiety through positive

relationships, self-expression, problem-solving skills, and increased self-esteem (“BC FRIENDS

Program, 2015). The focus is on prevention. There is no need for clinical assessment or

diagnosis, which means that it will make it more cost-effective in the long run. All students

participate to bring awareness, decrease stigma, and provide peer support (“BC FRIENDS

Program, 2015). The seminar will train teachers on how to use tools to prevent and manage
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anxiety. Some of the tools used are awareness of feelings, learning self-regulation and coping,

recognizing helpful and unhelpful thoughts, having mentors, and conflict resolution.

It would be worthwhile to implement this program because of its preventative benefits

and the peer support it gives to those going through anxiety disorders. It builds resiliance for

those who have no anxiety or emotional concerns, but it also helps those who are struggling with

anxiety. It benefits everyone. The World Health Organization recognizes it as an effective

prevention program (“BC FRIENDS Program, 2015). The skills learned will not only benefit

students during primary, secondary, and university level schooling, but beyond school years and

in the rest of life. My classroom has only two students that are showing signs of anxiety.

However, while the rest of the students may not be struggling with anxiety this year, they

may face situations that would require them to use coping mechanisms learned today. The two

students will benefit directly for the current situation, but the rest of the students will be

equipped for future potential problems that may arise in their lives.

I would definitely attend this training. I can see that if every teacher is trained and

employs this unit into curriculum, there could be multiple benefits. The benefits would be

opposed to the negatives of anxiety which involve school absences, worry about quality of work,

social phobia, depression, classroom management issues, low motivation, and even low self-

esteem. There would be a cognitive, emotional, and physical increase in health for all students.

The end result would also lead to academic efficiency if barriers to learning can be removed and

managed. The best part of the seminar is that parents are also included and welcomed to learn

strategies and tips in anxiety prevention. Involving parents and the local community in tackling

mental health is a way to bridge and create relationships beyond the classroom and beyond for

the students.
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References

BC FRIENDS Program (2015) BC FRIENDS program in BC. British Columbia Ministry of

Children and Family Development.

https://www2.vsb.bc.ca/prodpdf/bc_friends_program_brochure.pdf

McLoone, J., Hudson, J., & Rapee, R. (2006). Treating anxiety disorders in a school setting.

Education and Treatment of Children, 29(2), 219-242. Retrieved

from http://www.jstor.org/stable/42899883