Lesson 2: What is in your Stress Container?
Introduction The class are asked to discuss and consider what stress means to them. They are encouraged to think about whether all stress is bad for you. When the term ‘anxiety’ is used, it can have a negative effect upon people, although it is important to realise that some anxiety may be helpful and that it is completely normal, so talking about stress can be more accessible. The teacher introduces the idea of the Stress Container to the class. Essentially, stress flows into our containers and, unless we find ways of coping, the container overflows and we become unwell. Resources – Small plastic, glass, or metal containers – glasses, mugs, bowls – be creative! – Scrap paper – Post-its and flip chart paper – Pens Aims – To consider what stress is and how it affects individuals – To explore and list the protective factors that influence wellbeing – To understand more about resilience and what might promote it to reduce problems Method The idea is that pupils explore what increases their levels of stress. They are encouraged to write them down and place them in their containers. Pupils are reminded of the ground rules to ensure safety and advised that whatever they write on the paper that goes into the buckets will not be read by school staff.
Activity When the containers are full, pupils are asked how they felt completing the activity. They reflect on how cathartic it is to offload your worries and dispose of them. They are then provided with Post-its and asked to write down suggestions of coping strategies. This might mirror their own chosen preferences or ideas they would like to try or have heard about. Flip charts are pinned up around the class and pupils are encouraged to stick their positive coping strategies to the sheets to enable everyone to look at them and make other suggestions. The teacher might like to collate all the ideas and reproduce them for pupils to remind them of ways of coping. Discussion The teacher facilitates discussion around what are the stressful factors that influence young people to determine if there are common themes. (For example, exam stress is likely to come up – what else?) This also provides an opportunity to emphasise the importance of talking to someone if you are worried or feeling stressed and will be continued in the next session. It is also useful to point out that if pupils are concerned about a friend, then perhaps they could talk to someone about that too, as this may prove very helpful. Some people find it easy to talk about their problems, while others find it very difficult and can find having an advocate incredibly helpful. It also provides the opportunity for the teacher to highlight how early intervention helps and that people do not access support for a number of reasons. The class could be encouraged to explore these. The teacher notes some reasons for not getting help: – “I don’t think anything will help and I don’t know where to go.” – “I prefer to manage it myself.” – “I am worried what people will think.” (Child and Adolescent component of Mental Health and Wellbeing survey, 1998)
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