Hey there! I recently stumbled upon this article by Jessica Minhan called “How to Help Anxious Students Move Forward,” and wanted to share it with you. Picture this: a chat across a desk sprinkled with graffiti, where a 9th-grade English teacher, almost at her rope’s end, opened up about Jeremy. Imagine a kid so in love with basketball, it might as well have been his first language. Despite being super talented and smart, Jeremy was having a tough time keeping his head above water academically, often roaming the halls instead of cracking open books in class. And here’s the kicker: Jeremy’s been wrestling with generalized anxiety disorder from a young age, making the usual school hurdles feel even more challenging.

For Jeremy, basketball was more than a game; it was his dream, his escape ticket from the inner city life. But, academic obstacles and a firm heads-up from the school’s guidance counselor about his grades meant his basketball dreams were dangling by a thread. By year’s end, Jeremy’s report card was a sea of F’s, sidelining him from the basketball court.

Jeremy’s story isn’t a solitary one. It turns out anxiety is a giant among kids and teens in the U.S., touching about one-third of them at some point. Despite this, it seems like there’s a missing chapter in educator training on how to genuinely support students wrestling with these invisible battles.

From my own days as a teacher, then later a principal and now as an executive function coach, I’ve seen a common myth: avoiding work equals not wanting to do it. But Jeremy’s story sheds light on a much deeper issue. It wasn’t for lack of wanting that Jeremy struggled; he was missing key skills like accurate thinking, getting started, sticking with tasks, and reaching out when stuck.

Relying on rewards or consequences often misses the mark, leaving kids feeling more lost and alone. The real game-changer? Teaching them the how-to’s of engaging with their work and overcoming academic challenges head-on. Simple changes, like breaking assignments into bite-sized pieces or fostering a can-do mindset, can work wonders for their confidence and resilience.

Creating a safe space for kids to ask for help is also crucial. Imagine setting up a secret code for help so they don’t have to feel embarrassed. Every kid is on their own unique journey, and what helps one might not fit another. For Jeremy, custom-tailoring his assignments to meet him where he was at turned out to be the key that unlocked his potential.

Jeremy’s journey underscores a vital truth: understanding and tackling the root causes of work avoidance can completely flip the script for students like him. By focusing on building skills and celebrating every win, big or small, educators can guide students through their struggles to discover their own paths to success.

In the grand scheme of things, education is so much more than just grades and test scores. It’s about nurturing resilient, self-reliant individuals ready to face the world head-on. And stories like Jeremy’s remind us of the incredible impact understanding and support can have on a young person’s life. Let’s not forget, amidst the hustle of academic achievements, the importance of teaching our kids how to learn and thrive through life’s challenges.