Student Challenges
FRUSTRATION AND AGGRESSION
A child’s behaviour tells us something about their inner world. What’s the emotion behind aggression? What can we do to address aggression at its root instead of getting caught up in the cycle of managing symptoms? Lets explore what is behind the challenging behaviours that we see in our students as well as look to ways we can reduce outbursts in our classrooms.
EDITORIAL: When Push Comes to Shove: The Answer to Children’s Aggression
Deborah MacNamara
Aggressive behaviour in children can be alarming. Hitting, screaming and yelling, fighting with others, and even eye rolling are emotionally charged actions that can leave parents at a loss for how to respond.
To read more: https://www.cebm.ca/post/when-push-comes-to-shove-the-answer-to-children-s-aggression
What our Kids Need Us to Understand about Aggression
Deborah MacNamara
There are likely few things more provocative to a parent than attacking behaviour from kids. The hardest challenge arises when our own kids are attacking each other, and our loyalties are stretched in two directions. Our instincts to protect the attacked child will jump into gear as well as our frustration.
To read more: https://www.cebm.ca/post/what-our-kids-need-us-to-understand-about-aggression
Ten Things Not To Do When a Child is Frustrated or Having a Tantrum
Deborah MacNamara
Every child seems to have their own signature move when it comes to lashing out in frustration including screaming, kicking, yelling, throwing, stomping, name calling, to self attack. Knowing how to lead a child through their emotional storms can feel challenging.
To read more: https://www.cebm.ca/post/ten-things-not-to-do-when-a-child-is-frustrated-or-having-a-tantrum
What to do with Frustration
Lisa Weiner
If one were trying to create a recipe for frustration, these past few months would be the winning combination. Frustration is one of our primary mammalian emotions and it arises when things are not going the way we want them to.
To read more: https://www.cebm.ca/post/what-to-do-with-frustration
Inside Out Activity: The Frustration Monster!
Hannah Beach
This is a great activity for kids ages five to eleven. (These ages are approximate and are suggested guidelines only.) What’s the benefit? This activity can help a child think about frustration and what it feels like inside of them. It can also help children express their frustration, as it gives them the permission to draw a really ugly picture. Often children are expected to make “nice” drawings, and this activity gives them the space and room to do otherwise.
To read more: https://www.cebm.ca/post/inside-out-activity-the-frustration-monster
Emotions Rooms: a safe place for children to expressheir emotions freely within a school setting
Charles Lefebvre and Eva de Gosztonyi
Emotions are rather a tough concept to describe and comprehend. What are their purpose? In which manners do they arise? How do they come into effect by means of our behaviours? How can we understand their meaning, their functions and mainly, how can we handle them? These questions raise even more issues in a school environment where thousands of children and adults interact daily through human relationships that are tainted with vulnerability, and specifically, in an educational setting where the learning of cognitive, socio-emotional and affective skills is at stake in the midst of major ministerial directions (educate, qualify and socialize).
To read more: https://www.cebm.ca/post/emotions-rooms