How to help elementary students with test anxiety

When a student stops showing up (physically or emotionally) it isn’t about laziness. It's often anxiety, depression, or past experiences making school feel unsafe or unmanageable. On this episode of Learning Differently, Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson UCLA PEERS® Clinic talks about why students disengage and how caring adults can help them come back. Hear what warning signs to notice, how to respond with empathy, and what kinds of school environments support emotional recovery. 🎧 Listen now to understand what’s really going on when students “check out:" https://ow.ly/Nh0L50XfM4Z #fusionacademy #schoolavoidance #teenmentalhealth

Every October, it hits — the fatigue, the germs, the doubts. But what if it’s not just the kids making teachers sick? October is often called the hardest month of the school year — that stretch when the newness has worn off, routines still feel heavy, and the first wave of exhaustion (and illness) sweeps through classrooms. But after years in high-stakes schools and coaching teachers across different systems, I’ve realized this pattern might not just be seasonal — it might be systemic. In my latest blog post, What’s Making Teachers Sick? The Hidden Costs of the Profession, I explore how chronic stress, guilt, and misaligned expectations are quietly eroding teachers’ health — and what we can do to change that. If we want thriving students, we need thriving teachers. Read the full post here 👇 🔗 https://lnkd.in/emexzCZi #TeacherWellbeing #EducationLeadership #TeacherBurnout #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherHealth #EducationReform

Counseling Helps-But It’s Not Enough When we hear about students struggling with substance use, our first instinct is often to send them for counseling. And while counseling can be life-changing, it’s only the first step, not the full solution. The truth is, addiction and risky behaviors don’t grow in isolation they grow in environments filled with pressure, silence, and disconnection. Unless we change those environments, the cycle repeats. What schools truly need is a whole system response: teachers trained to notice early signs, parents equipped to listen without judgment, and classrooms that teach coping, not just content. This is where MindConnect steps in not as a therapy substitute, but as a bridge. It brings emotional grounding, reflective dialogue, and values-based decision-making into daily school life. Because when awareness spreads beyond the counselor’s room, prevention becomes culture and that’s where real healing begins. #MINDCONNECT#MINDSHIFT#SOLUTIONS

This month, we are highlighting the value of school attendance and the impacts of chronic absenteeism. Build a deeper understanding of school attendance in Wisconsin, plus tailored recommendations of how parents, schools, and policy-makers can make a difference by reading our Attendance, Absenteeism and Mental Health fact sheet: 🔗https://lnkd.in/g2rQFj_j Appleton Area School District took action to improve student attendance at their 15 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 3 high schools, and 14 charter schools. Learn more about their success in the newest Showcasing Solutions publication: 🔗https://lnkd.in/g_ktSY_3

Understanding trauma isn't just for therapists—it's essential for families and educators who want to truly support children and adults in their care. Trauma can look different for everyone. It might show as anxiety, withdrawal, anger, or even physical symptoms. When families and educators recognize these signs, they can respond with compassion instead of frustration. At Take Flight Wellness, we believe healing begins with awareness. Here are three ways to create trauma-informed environments: • Listen without judgment—validate feelings. • Offer consistent routines for safety. • Encourage open conversations about emotions. For example, a school that integrated trauma-informed practices saw improved student engagement and reduced behavioral issues because educators understood the roots of their students' struggles. What does this mean for you? Whether you're a parent or teacher, learning about trauma empowers you to foster resilience and growth, helping those you care for spread their wings and heal their minds. How are you creating safe spaces for healing in your home or classroom? Share your experiences below—we're in this together. #TraumaInformedCare #EmotionalResilience #TakeFlightWellness

‘I Can’t Go to School, It Isn’t a Won’t’: Lived Experiences of Neurodivergent Children’s School Anxiety Within the UK’s Systemic Crisis (Fisher, MacLennan, Mullally, Rodgers, Tzemou). Some kids aren’t going to school—not because they’re stubborn, but because school feels like a sensory hurricane with homework stapled to it. This newly-published study listened to 31 people (Neurodivergent children, adults, parents, and professionals) and found a pattern: ➡️ The system expects “one way to learn, one way to behave,” and if you don’t fit that, anxiety spikes. ➡️ Support often arrives late (after a crisis or a diagnosis), and then disappears when a child looks “fine” again. ➡️ Meltdowns and shutdowns are alarms we need to pay attentionto. ➡️ When school is loud, unpredictable, and rigid, staying home can be self-preservation, not refusal. The fix? 💡💡💡System-level change: flexible policies, needs-based support, and listening to Neurodivergent people about what actually works. What single change would make school actually accessible for Neurodivergent learners—reduced noise, flexible timetables, sensory-friendly spaces, or something else? Drop your top pick (or invent your own) 👇 #NeurodiversityJournal #SchoolAnxiety #Accessibility #SEND https://lnkd.in/gRY6mG85

" Our findings highlight the urgency of re-conceptualising school anxiety and non-attendance as rational responses to systemic harm." YES "Meaningful change requires systemic and cultural transformation – involving policy and pedagogy – grounded in the epistemic inclusion of Neurodivergent individuals. " This article has implication far beyond the primary, secondary - or even tertiary - education system. Let's move away from treating young people's attention, motivation, emotions and behaviors as disordered and needing fixing and instead focus on the systemic root causes of our distress by challenging structures that oppress our neurodivergences and providing support to young people, their families, and teachers: Full article in comment. Thanks to the authors for this important piece. #neurodiversity #neurodivergence #neuronormativity #ableism

He looked fine. No bleeding. No blackout. Just a little shaken after hitting his head on the way down. Everyone said, "He's okay." But what if "okay" was just what we could see - not what was really happening inside his brain? 🧠Research now shows that even mild concussions can raise the risk of stroke 10× in the first 3 months, 5× in the first year, and keep that risk elevated for years. What starts as "just a bump" can quietly change how a child thinks, remembers, sees or even behaves in school. Sometimes the symptoms show up weeks later - in focus, grades, or mood - not in the ER. ➡Parents, coaches, teachers: If a child hits their head, even if they seem fine, get them screened. Early evaluation can prevent lifelong consequences. ____ 💬Question for you: Have you ever seen someone "walk it off" after a head hit - only to have symptoms appear later? 👇Share your story or thoughts in the comments - it might help another parent or coach catch what other miss. #ConcussionAwareness #BrainHealthMatters #HiddenInjuries #PostConcussionRisk #StrokeAwareness #YouthSportsSafety #ProtectYoungBrains #ConcussionPrevention #HeadInjuryAwareness #ChildSafetyFirst #BrainInjuryAwareness #KnowTheSigns #EarlyDetectionSavesLives #CBICareNetwork #ConcussionEducation #BrainSafety #SportsInjuryPrevention #ParentsBeAware #CoachesCare #SchoolSafety

Ever feel like getting your students the support they need is harder than finding a parking spot at school during drop-off? 🙋♂️ I hear you! Parents are waiting months—sometimes YEARS—just to get their teens diagnosed or working with the right clinician. By the time progress is finally happening, boom, their trusted therapist moves on. Talk about a plot twist nobody asked for! But here’s where things get interesting: Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo drops real wisdom about not just therapy, but skills training—teaching students how their minds work so they can use their thoughts to work FOR them, not against them. Sometimes, the right tools do more than endless waitlists ever could. So, here’s my challenge for all the awesome principals, teachers, and superintendents out there: How are you helping your students understand their own minds and build skills that last a lifetime, even when resources are stretched thin? Let’s get creative and start building those skills right inside our schools! Who’s with me? 🚀 #StudentWellbeing #MentalHealthMatters #Educator #Teens #MentalHealth #Depression #TeenCoach #TAAP #TheAttitudeAdvantageProgram #JesseLeBeau

Student anxiety doesn't fix itself—but the right support across a whole school community can change everything. The Anxiety Project for primary schools & Resilience In Our Teens (RIOT) for secondary schools, are whole school anxiety management projects that equip all school staff and parents with evidence-based, 'simple less of and more of' strategies to manage anxiety and build long lasting resilience. Real results: - 52% Increase in teacher confidence - Measurable student wellbeing improvements - Whole-school cultural change - EOIs open for 2025/26! The Anxiety Project: https://lnkd.in/gjHbEMyX Resilience In Our Teens: https://lnkd.in/gV-Gdpb4 Video thanks to SchoolTV #StudentWellbeing #MentalHealth #AusEducation #Youthmentalhealth #schooltv #resilience #TeacherWellbeing #anxietymanagement #EducationAustralia