Tackling negative thinking in the classroom

Abstract

Anxiety has been on the rise since the pandemic, yet teachers are often unsure how to help students with anxiety. Anxiety is characterized by rumination and negative or distracting thoughts, and teachers can help by changing those inaccurate thoughts. In this updated version of a November 2019 Kappan article, Jessica Minahan provides a series of practical strategies for helping students recognize their inaccurate negative thoughts and replace them with more accurate thoughts. For instance, teachers might help students see that only one part of a daunting task is actually difficult or that experiences students previously dreaded turned out to not be so bad. Over time, with the daily support of their teachers, students can learn to think more accurately, allowing them to develop anxiety-reducing strategies and fully engage in the classroom.