Most of us can recall times we experienced performance anxiety in a school or work setting. Sometimes it happened when we were much younger. Our children sometimes struggle with those same feelings. Here are some suggestions for helping our children through these challenges in our home education programs.
On homeschooling an anxious child
by SHAWNA WINGERT on MAY 18, 2017
When I was in the sixth grade, I ran for student council president.
One of the requirements was getting up on stage, in front of the entire school, and giving a speech about why you should be elected.
I bombed. For reals.
I couldn’t remember the lines I had prepared. I stuttered and started sweating. I ran off the stage as fast as I could and burst into tears.
It was pretty awful.
But what I remember most about that day is what happened next. I went back to class.
I remember trying to take a math test and the page seemingly swimming before me. I remember not being able to focus on verbal directions and wondering what was wrong with me. I remember my anxiety increasing, not decreasing as the day went on.
I didn’t learn a thing that day at school.
My eleven-year-old son struggles with anxiety more intense than I ever experienced at his age.
While my difficult afternoon in sixth grade ended, and school returned to normal by the next day, my son feels that same anxiety all the time. Moreover, he is struggling to learn with that same level of anxiety every day.
One of the reasons we homeschool is to accommodate his learning needs. But the truth is, I often struggle with my own worries when I consider how best to approach his education.
Read the rest of the article at Simple Homeschool.
