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Stress-busters promote calm at exam time

Heritage Woods uses calm week, bikes, animals to help high school students cope with pressure
Heritage Woods
Heritage Woods students study whether therapy dogs reduce stress at exam time.

Late nights, frantic texting, busy schedules and keeping up with social media can put high school students in a heightened state of stress and anxiety.

Throw in a couple of provincial exams and even the most composed student can lose her cool.

The latest McCreary Centre Adolescent Health Survey found 84% of SD43 students reported feeling stressed at least some time in the previous month, with 13% of females and 5% of males reporting feeling extreme stress.

But not at Heritage Woods secondary, where Calm Week last month had students take time to re-focus and slow down. And the following week, during provincial exams, students could pet therapy dogs, drink free tea and stretch out on yoga mats to relax.

"It's a journey," said Jody Moss, a former behaviour teacher who's now a vice-principal and has brought concepts of self-regulation to the high school.

Therapy Dogs
Loraine Li, Maggie Dai and Joanna Zhang worked with St. John Ambulance therapy dogs to see if having the animals around during exam time reduced stress for Heritage Woods high school students. - Diane Strandberg

So far, Moss' colleagues appear to be accepting the idea of creating a school environment where students are encouraged to take note of their emotional and physical state and take steps to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
There are more plants in schools now and couches where students can work alone or in groups as well as boards where students can work standing up.

"Sitting is the new standing," said Moss, who said research has proven that physical activity, such as riding a stationary bike while reading, can engage the brain and improve memory and retention.

During exam week, the school was as quiet as a Buddhist monastery. With students relaxing in various rooms or in the great hall, free tea offered, therapy dogs to pet and yoga mats to stretch out on, students had plenty of opportunities to de-stress.

It's not all fun and games, though, and Moss says there is a serious intention behind Calm Week and providing relaxing opportunities during the exam period. Anxiety is ranked as one of the biggest issues for Tri-City students.

The latest McCreary Centre Adolescent Health Survey found 84% of SD43 students reported feeling stressed at least some time in the previous month, with 13% of females and 5% of males reporting feeling extreme stress.

Encouraging students to pay attention to their stress levels and take action to reduce stress is behind the Calm Week initiative and Moss wants to do research to see if it makes a difference to students when they graduate.
"We want to see how you are coping six months out," she said, noting the added benefit of research is being taken more seriously by colleagues and the community.

Heritage Woods bikes
Constables Angela Fisher and Rob Degoey with one of the bikes purchased by Port Moody Police and given to PoMo schools to help struggling students self-regulate and focus. - Diane Strandberg

So far, the idea of teaching high school students self-regulation skills seems to be spreading. Port Moody Police recently donated three stationary bikes that help students burn off excess energy so they can focus on their studies. One is situated in resource room, another in a French class and another at Moody middle school, where it was given to a student who struggles with anxiety. The student had a history of bolting from the school when stressed, but the bike seems to have made a difference, calming him and helping him stay on task.

"It's putting that energy to good use and keeps him in the classroom," says Const. Rob Degoey, a youth liaison officer who helped the school acquire the bikes.

It may take some time before all high schools adopt such measures, and before research proves conclusively that the strategies work, but there is common sense to the idea that learning to recognize stress and taking positive steps to reduce it, will make a difference to peoples' lives. And high school students need those skills as much as anybody.

Thanks for reading Part 2 of a series on how School District 43 is introducing the concept of self regulation. Part 1 is available here

Calming Week
The week before exam period was calming week at Heritage Woods Secondary in Port Moody. - Submitted

THE WRAP: WHAT IS SCHOOL DISTRICT 43 DOING?

School District 43 has been working with the Canadian Self-Regulation Initiative (CSRI) on programs to help students recognize when they are in stress and teach them strategies for reducing it. Find out more: www.self-regulation.ca
The district is also partnering with WellAhead, a philanthropic initiative of the J.W. McConnell Foundation that aims to improve child and youth mental health with various strategies, such as a "mindful pause."

 

Heritage Woods tea
Calming Week at Heritage Woods secondary included free tea. The school has many areas where students can relax, read and study. - Submitted

Why?
Students are feeling stress more than ever. The latest McCreary Centre Adolescent Health Survey found 84% of SD43 students reported feeling stressed at least some time in the previous month, with 13% of females and 5% of males reporting feeling extreme stress.

The goal
Teaching students self-regulation skills, such as how to recognize when they are in an anxious state and strategies for reducing it will help them be calm, focused and alert, the conditions for success in the classroom.