The Importance of Play

It's possible that students have always felt the anxiety that is present in our classrooms today, and that we are just noticing (and managing) it more now.  Even so, the number of students who seem or verbally express their anxiety and stress is higher than ever in my classroom.  Some perspective: I primarily teach AP Literature & Honors courses at a high-performing high school.  More and more, I see students struggling with managing their school work, studying, completing applications, etc.  And frankly, their stress leads to my stress.  And I don't like it. 

As an adult, I have the coping mechanisms to manage my own stress.  I recently started meditating, and I LOVE it.  I use the app Headspace (https://www.headspace.com/ ), and it brings me an incredible sense of calm.  I receive no sort of incentives to say this.  I just like it.  And it's on sale now.  I digress.


I know that I need to manage my stress, and so I do.  I find ways to cope.  Whether that's through meditating, getting outside, exercising, focusing on the good in my life, playing a game with my family, or any other means, I make sure to take time for me.  And that's something I don't see my students doing.


I recently read the article "Record Numbers of College Students Are Seeking Treatment for Depression and Anxiety--But Schools Can't Keep Up" by Time Magazine writer Katie Reilly.  Important take-aways from the article:

• the number of students visiting counseling centers has increased by about 30% on average (while enrollment overall increased by less than 6%)
• 40% of college students said that they had felt so depressed in the prior year that it was difficult for them to function
• 61% (SIXTY ONE PERCENT, people!) said that they felt overwhelming anxiety

So, as a high school teacher, how can I help?  There are several things I have tried in my classroom, but the one I will highlight here is: the Importance of Play.

As noted in "Current Health," taking time to play helps relieve stress in a variety of ways:

1.  exercise is good for the body AND  the mind
2.  play usually requires engaging with other people (which is good for you!)
3. "it makes life fun!"

To incorporate play, the last day before Final Exams, I host Stress Busters in our class.  This includes coloring sheets, board games, a physical game (my favorite: Catchoo!), and, of course, food! This year, as a part of my seniors' Senior Bucket List (another great idea to keep them focused on something positive they look forward to), we hosted The Great Litish Bake-Off!  Students brought in treats to Stress Busters, and we voted on Star Bakers!  It should be noted: this was OPTIONAL.  Students were not required to attend (they could go study elsewhere if they wanted), and look how many showed up!  They craved the chance to have a space to relax and enjoy each others' company before the long week ahead.

Here are some photos of our Stress Busters in action:

These groups are playing BananaGrams:

Judging for the Bake-Off:




Here is Catchoo! in action:





Some of our Star Bakers:

Who doesn't love Apples to Apples?

I'd love to hear some of the ways you help your students manage their stress!  Feel free to share in the comments!