5 Tips for Reducing Back-to-School Anxiety for Your Students

Even with proactive preparation, students may still experience some anxiety during the first weeks of school as they acclimate to new expectations. Anxiety can manifest in different ways, from crying and avoidance to asking repetitive questions or zoning out.

When challenging behavior occurs, it's important to look beyond the behavior itself and consider what may be contributing to it. As Autumn Bailey explained, "Instead of simply asking, 'How do I stop this behavior?' consider asking, 'What is this behavior telling me?'"

Pay attention to what's happening before the behavior. Maybe the classroom got particularly noisy, there was an unexpected change to the schedule, or the student was expected to transition to a non-preferred activity. Identifying those antecedents can help you pinpoint where additional support is needed.

Don't forget, behavior is communication. The key is to determine what the behavior is communicating and identify strategies that not only help the student feel more comfortable, but also give them an effective way to communicate their needs and how they're feeling.