Tips for Teachers

A program of
Children's Home of Detroit

Tips for Teachers

Your students may be tired – you might want to provide some extra quiet time with soft music. Stress to the children to go to bed early.

Your students may startle easily – they are on the look out for danger – keep distractions to a minimum and keep your regular routine.

Your students may become more irritable, aggressive and acting tough – keep firm expectations in place. They are feeling powerless.

Your students may forget what they have just learned – instruct in short chunks of time with lots of psychomotor activity – drawing, cutting, creating, etc.

Your students may become more forgetful – they have a lot on their minds.

Your students may regress in their behaviors – remind them they are to talk like, act like “big girls, big boys,” etc. in a gentle way.

Your students might withdraw and want less to do with their friends – encourage them to participate in activities.

Your students might develop school problems you haven’t seen before – stay firm but loving, chances are when things are calm, the problems will go away.

Your students might have more stomach aches, head aches, etc. – push them gently to stay in school.

Your students might fixate on one issue that is happening in his life – allow him to talk through it – he is trying to gain power over it.

Your students will need more nurturing. They may want to be physically closer to you. We need to do all we can to let our students know they are safe with us at school, and we are there for them. Abandonment is a major fear for children.

Minimize homework – they may not have help at home.

This is a good time for writing about different feelings in journals. This is a good time to draw pictures of them also.

Take extra breaks during the day. Physical exercise is very important to release stress.

Give honest brief answers to children’s questions. You may be the best source of information they have.

Create opportunities for children to talk with each other.

If a child keeps asking the same question over and over again, it’s because they are trying to make sense out of their confusion.

Keep your sense of humor and bright outlook on life – you may be the only stable person in your student’s life.