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“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” William James

Children who are in a state of emotional distress are incapable of learning. Moreover students with considerably lower levels of stress or anxiety are also equally affected. Many kids, parents and educators are often unaware of the effects of stress. Teachers and educators need to be cognizant of how our behaviour and expectations may be affecting students.

There are increasing numbers of kids who face difficulty in self-regulating stress. Either they are in an emotional state or they are hyper-aroused. Even a simple thing as smiling can greatly uplift children’s mood. Here are 5 simple ideas from some of the best nursery schools in Gurgaon that teachers can do to help students:

1. Establish a routine and rules from the very first class

With lower-primary and pre-school children, setting up a classroom routine is extremely crucial. Once the routines are established, children know what is expected from them. A well thought out routine saves valuable time, helps with discipline, and allows the teacher to spend more time on meaningful interaction with the students.

Establish a clear routine from Day 1 of the class. Simple routines like Good morning, hello or a Goodbye song to mark the start and end of a class. Also while changing from one activity to another use songs or jingles to signal a change from story time to table-time. These are particularly important in pre-school and early primary classes.

2. Introduce variety

A favourite classroom activity could be fun and educational, however if we do it every day in the same way, it could become boring. It is well-known that every child has a distinct learning ability. They learn different activities in different ways. Storytelling provides children with perspective, just like songs, rhymes and jingles. Role play, drama and games help them learn better. There are many other activities that children enjoy and it helps them learn effectively. A teacher should use them to his full advantage.

3. Have fun

Creating fun in the classroom does not mean that the teacher has to be an entertainer. Fun can be established in many ways singing, storytelling, quiz, puzzles, jingles, games, role play etc. It is an endless list. A good example could be asking the children to name the topics they want to choose. Write the topics on a white board and number them 1 to 6. Give the children a rolling dice and divide them into teams. Each team has to throw the dice and all the teams need to write a list of words on that topic. It is more fun than dictation. 

4. Music and movement

Music has been defined as an “art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions through elements of rhythm, harmony and melody.” Music has special qualities and a carefully selected song can provide great learning benefits from Pre-Primary to the Middle school.

By using music, song, movement, and all the other activities involved in the musical process, teachers can address the basic skills and key abilities. Many studies have concluded that music has a far reaching effect on learning in students.

5. Praise

Everyone likes positive feedback. We respond well to recognition and appreciation for a job well done. Children love positive attention and want their teachers to praise them. Try to appreciate any efforts that they make while they follow your instructions. Praising good behaviour will motivate other children to follow the same behaviour.

Some of the best nursery schools in Gurgaon adopt these strategies to maintain fun and engaging classrooms. Children in stress are not good learners and performers. Teachers need to work towards counteracting the effects of outside stresses which may hinder success in the classroom. Presidium is one of the best nursery schools in Gurgaon that believe that stress free classrooms are a boon to every institution.