Acting Out May Be the Result of Stress

Stress is detrimental to everyone that experiences it. Most people do not think about younger kids having stress, or being affected by the aftermath of stress. However, children are experiencing stress."Children today live with more uncertainty, stress, and trauma than those of a generation ago, leading many to act out in school. Teachers need to differentiate between kids who are disobedient and those who are anxious, says child trauma expert Barbara E. Oehlberg" (Delisio 1). Stress can make people act differently than what they would act if they were not stressed. A study has found that stress, not primarily the lack of self-discipline, in children is linked to students acting out. The forms of how they are acting out include bullying and emotional fits.

There are many causes of stress. Stress may be caused by not getting an adequate amount of sleep. Students need to have plenty of sleep in order to be able to function, much less cope with various situations. It is hard to internalize one's feelings if they are mentally not there. Stress may be caused by living in a hostile environment. It may also be caused by problems in the home such as parents either being divorced or separated. A child needs to be around stability. Stability is crucial in both the development of a child as well as the enjoyment of life. The list of causes of stress can go on and on. Teachers may not be aware of what is stressing the students. It is hard for a teacher to know how to help if the child is externalizing their feelings by acting out.

The effects that stress has on a person is countless. Stress can cause students to act in ways that they should not. Students under pressure or stress feel that the only way to relieve their stress is to act out. They may act out by having a temper-tantrum, throwing items, or by bullying other kids. Not only does stress make someone act differently, but it can do serious damage to a child's health. Thanks primarily to stress, high blood pressure is on the rise in today's youth. Stress also weakens the immune system. It takes longer for a child to get well from getting sick from the occasional bug that is being passed around at school. Not only does a childs' behavior and health suffer, but so does their learning. Students are not able to learn well if they are stressed. Their brains are not able to focus on anything else other than what is stressing them out.

As educators, we have to take a step back and evaluate the situation to see what we can do to to help reduce the stress levels of children to promote learning. There is a multitude of resources that can help teachers with this issue. "Reaching and Teaching Stressed and Anxious Learners in Grades 4-8: Strategies for Relieving Stress and Trauma in Schools and Classrooms" is a book written by Barbara E. Oehlberg to assist teachers in helping kids. This book contains information that is extremely helpful to teachers.

At the center where I am currently doing my service learning, we have been participating in a stress level reducing ritual. Each day we go outside, depending on the weather, lay on the ground and close our eyes. We then focus on our breathing, motor skills, and visual imagery. Each of these helps to slow the children down and take a moment to relax. Many of the kids enjoy this time to wind down and be in a quite environment.

Delisio Ellen,R. "Acting Out Could Be Sign of Stress." EducationWorld. 2. Apr 2010 http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/chat/chat199.shtml .