Teach relaxation skills

Why should I do it:

Students can get overwhelmed easily
Many students want to be successful but haven’t yet developed all the skills, which can lead to anxiety/frustration
Everyone needs a break every once in a while
Provides students a way to manage their own feelings and emotions
Increases instructional time when students can calm themselves and utilize coping skills, like relaxation
Improves student focus and attention
Helps refocus and refresh students
Has positive physiological benefits, like improved blood flow, oxygen levels, and endorphin levels, as well as decreased cortisol or “stress hormone” leves
 

When should I do it:

When you see a student becoming frustrated (banging things, groaning, crying, refusing to do work)
When a student is involved in a mild confrontation with another student
When student has a lot of work to do
When a student appears, tense, uptight, anxious
When a student is having a “bad day”
When a student appears uncomfortable
When a student has become unfocused and off task
 

How do I do it:

Take time to speak with the individual student alone or teach the entire class the relaxation techniques they will use in class
Assure student that everyone gets stressed/frustrated/worried/ overwhelmed
Teach the student to know when they are stressed, frustrated,  worried, overwhelmed, etc (some common answers are: clench fists, breathe heavily, cry, sweat)
Teach student when they feel stressed, frustrated, upset, etc, to ask to go relax
Practice the first time with the student or class
Establish where, when, and how students will initiate and carry out a break to relax (establish where in or out of the room students will do it, if there will be one or more choices of relaxation techniques to choose from, how they ask to take a relaxation break, how long they are, how may and which students may do them, etc)
Practical relaxation techniques for students:
Deep Breathing
Count to 10
Write in a journal
Draw
Color
Scribble
Read
Visualization
Listen to music or nature sounds
Take a break