Adolescents Stress and Role of Teacher

Adolescents Stress: Here we present to you another useful article on Adolescents’ Stress and the Role of Teachers to resolve them. In this article, we will be discussing Adolescents’ Stress and The Role of The Teacher to resolve it. This topic is very important for B.Ed, CTET, and other teaching-related programs.

At the end of this article, you will be able to understand the kind of Adolescents Stress and the Role of the Teacher to resolve it.

INTRODUCTION (Stress)

Stress is an inevitable part of life, and adolescents are no exception. The teenage years can be challenging as young individuals navigate the complexities of school, relationships, and personal growth. As stress levels rise, it becomes crucial for educators, particularly teachers, to play a significant role in helping adolescents cope with and overcome stress.

This article explores the impact of stress on adolescents and the essential role that teachers can play in resolving and alleviating stress among their students.

ADOLESCENTS STRESS

Adolescence is a period of rapid physical, emotional, and social changes. During this stage, teenagers face various stressors such as academic pressure, peer relationships, self-identity, and future uncertainties. The inability to cope with these stressors effectively can lead to significant negative consequences.

Teachers can make a substantial difference in helping students manage their stress levels and foster a healthier learning environment.

Children belonging to the developmental stage of adolescence are known as adolescents. The word ‘adolescence’ comes from the Latin word ‘adolescence’ which means ‘to grow’. Adolescence represents a period or stage of intensive growth and changes in nearly all aspects of a child’s physical, mental, social, intellectual, moral, sexual, and emotional life.

This stage also includes social relationships and contacts and children in this stage the child becomes sex conscious. Technically, a child is described as an adolescent when he achieves puberty, that is when he has become sexually mature to the point, where he is able to reproduce his own kind.

THE IMPACT OF ADOLESCENTS STRESS

Stress can have profound effects on adolescents, impacting their emotional well-being, cognitive abilities, and physical health.

EMOTIONAL EFFECTS OF STRESS

High levels of stress can cause adolescents to experience anxiety, depression, and mood swings. They may become irritable, withdrawn, or exhibit changes in their behavior. Stress can also contribute to low self-esteem and feelings of helplessness.

COGNITIVE EFFECTS OF STRESS

Stress affects cognitive functioning and academic performance. It can impair concentration, memory, and decision-making abilities. As a result, stressed adolescents may struggle to focus in class, retain information, and perform at their full potential.

PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF STRESS

Prolonged stress can lead to physical health problems in adolescents. It may manifest as headaches, stomachaches, sleep disturbances, and weakened immune systems. Adolescents under stress are also more susceptible to engaging in unhealthy behaviors such as substance abuse or disordered eating.

IDENTIFYING SIGNS OF ADOLESCENTS STRESS

Recognizing the signs of stress in adolescents is essential for early intervention. Some common indicators include changes in appetite, sleep patterns, academic performance, social withdrawal, increased irritability, and persistent physical complaints. Teachers should maintain open lines of communication to identify students who may be struggling with stress.

Teachers can make a significant impact on adolescents’ stress levels by employing various strategies within their classrooms and interactions with students.

CREATING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT

Teachers should strive to create a supportive and inclusive classroom environment where students feel safe and valued. By fostering positive relationships with their students, teachers can provide a sense of security and belonging, reducing stress levels.

PROMOTING EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING

Incorporating social-emotional learning (SEL) into the curriculum helps students develop emotional intelligence and resilience. Teachers can integrate activities that promote self-awareness, empathy, and stress management skills. These practices empower adolescents to better navigate stressful situations.

TEACHING STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

Teachers can educate adolescents about effective stress management techniques. These may include deep breathing exercises, mindfulness practices, time management strategies, and physical activities. By equipping students with these skills, teachers empower them to take control of their stress and develop healthy coping mechanisms.

ENCOURAGING OPEN COMMUNICATION

Teachers should foster an environment where students feel comfortable discussing their stressors openly. By actively listening and providing empathetic support, teachers can guide students toward problem-solving and finding constructive solutions. Open communication channels help alleviate stress and build trust.

COLLABORATING WITH PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

Teachers and parents/guardians should work together as a cohesive unit to address adolescents’ stress. Regular communication and sharing of information help identify stress triggers and develop appropriate interventions. Collaborative efforts ensure a comprehensive support system for students.

ADOLESCENTS STRESS AND THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER TO RESOLVE

1. TO HAVE PROPER KNOWLEDGE OF ADOLESCENTS PSYCHOLOGY

The stage of adolescence is a bridge between childhood and adulthood, thus it is essential for the teachers to have proper knowledge of adolescents’ psychology.

2. PROVIDING A SUITABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR PROPER GROWTH

A suitable environment must be provided to adolescents for their proper growth and development. Therefore all the necessary facilities should be provided to adolescents.

3. RENDERING PROPER SEX EDUCATION

Adolescents should be made aware of their bodily changes. Girls should be made aware of the menstrual cycle. Similarly, boys should be made aware of the seminal discharge.

4. PROPER DEALING WITH THEM

Things should be made easy between adolescents and elders. In conclusion, conflicts may arise due to the generation gap and they should properly be handled. Teachers should realize that the demands of the students are important.

5. TRAINING OF EMOTIONS AND SATISFACTION OF EMOTIONAL NEEDS

The adolescents are highly inflammable and restless. Therefore teachers should take care of their emotions by guiding them.

6. ARRANGING GUIDANCE SERVICES

Lack of guidance creates restlessness, and indefiniteness among adolescents. The teacher should provide proper guidance and solve their problems.

7. RELIGIOUS AND MORAL EDUCATION

Teachers much provide religious and moral education to adolescents for their better growth and development.

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADOLESCENTS STRESS

During this age and the rapid growth in all aspects of adolescents’ life, they may be found to be inflicted with a number of problems and stresses.

Let us have a look at those factors:

1. PERPLEXITY WITH REGARD TO SOMATIC VARIATION

Every adolescent has a more or less difficult task of adjusting to somatic or bodily changes which may occur during or after puberty.

These bodily changes, like menstrual cycles in girls and seminal discharge in boys, cause stress in adolescents.

2. INTENSIFICATION OF SELF-AWARENESS

During this age, adolescents develop self-consciousness. Generally, there is a strong desire in adolescents that their bodily changes, dresses, make-up, manner of talking, etc. should be noticed by others.

They want to be the center of attraction for the opposite sex and their abilities, intelligence and capacities should be noticed by the peer group and others.

Thus these expectations of theirs cause behavioral problems and stress in them.

3. INTENSIFICATION OF SEX-CONSCIOUSNESS

Many problems in adolescents are caused by sudden changes or functioning of their glands, secretion of sex hormones, and awakening of the strong sex instinct.

4. INDEPENDENCE v/s DEPENDENCE

This stage comes after childhood and before adulthood hence adolescents feel stuck in between.

They have to behave childishly and need care as well as they want to show themselves as strong and mature.

5. PEER GROUP RELATIONSHIPS

Peer group relationship plays a substantial role in the life of an adolescent.

During this stage, adolescents are directed by the standard and norms of their peer groups and pay the least attention to their parents.

They don’t want to be ignored or rejected and here the difficulty or stress arises.

6. IDEALISM v/s REALISM

During this stage, adolescents start thinking more rationally and try to find aims and ideals. In search of idealism, they go away from realism.

7. VOCATIONAL CHOICES AND NEED FOR SELF-SUPPORT

The adolescent’s strong desire is to achieve self-sufficiency and make himself quite independent like an adult member of society.

He is also required to be prepared for the vocations which he wants to adopt.

In short, emotional instability, lack of experience, and immaturity proved to be an obstacle to their making the right choices.

ISSUES RELATED TO ADOLESCENTS STRESS

There are some issues that lead to stress in adolescents which are as follows-

1. INCREASING LONELINESS

Adolescents of the modern age are facing a new emerging problem in the name of increasing loneliness.

As a result, they find themselves all alone coping with their environmental needs and the stress including situations of one or the other kind.

REASONS BEHIND THEIR LONELINESS

Nuclear family settings.
Working parents.
Social and environmental cut-off.
Both of the parents remain out of the home for work.
Parents’ lifestyles do not permit them to look after their children.
Formal teacher-student relationships.
Self-centered friendships.
No proper guidance and counseling services.

CONSEQUENCES AND IMPACTS OF LONELINESS

Children may develop symptoms of mental illness. Chances are high that the children may be detached from social, educational, and cultural fields.

They may develop a negative attitude towards their parents. Children may develop bad habits in themselves. They may engage in wrongful acts.

Children may also develop a timid, shy, cowardly, and unpleasant personality.

2. CHANGING FAMILY STRUCTURE

Changes in family structure also cause stress in adolescents, some of the reasons are as follows-

Shift from a combined family system to a nuclear family system. The influence of modernization is a big reason behind the change in family structure. Also, the spread of awareness about the two-child policy makes people believe in population control.

Impacts:

Collective responsibility has turned into an independent responsibility.
Due to nuclear families, adolescents do not have anyone from Dada-Dadi, Chacha-Chachi, Bua-Fufa, etc to support them.
There is a lack of valuable support and guidance from the elderly.
Hence in the nuclear family, there are fewer chances to get together and interact with the members of the family.

3. RISING PERMISSIVENESS

Permissiveness is a situation in which behaviors that some people may disapprove of are allowed.

In other words, permissiveness is the habit or characteristic of accepting or tolerant of something as a social behavior that others might disapprove of or forbid.

REASONS BEHIND RISING PERMISSIVENESS

Rapid industrialization and urbanization, have forced parents to engage in service.

Rising prices and demands of struggling for earning livelihood patterns. Parents pay no proper attention to their children. Over-westernized parents spend their time enjoying lust. Parents provide a number of undue privileges to their children.

The emergence of nuclear families is also responsible for rising permissiveness. Teachers have also adopted permissive attitudes.

IMPACTS

It has given them boundless freedom to spend their time and energy on useless or harmful activities.
It has resulted in picking up unhealthy and improper living habits such as late sleeping, late rising, consumption of junk, and unhealthy food.
Increased possibilities of confrontation and conflicts of adolescents with their peers and teachers etc.
Adolescents fall prey to unsocial, immoral, and problematic behavior.
They may develop a pressure of showing themselves superior to others.
They may develop unhealthy and improper living habits. Freedom to spend time is a useless and harmful activity.

CONCLUSION (Adolescents stress)

The adolescence stage is a bridge between childhood and adulthood. In this article, we have discussed many things. Firstly adolescents, during this stage, are at the peak of their emotions, social breakdowns, etc.

Secondly, the topic of Adolescents’ stress and the role of teachers enhances our understanding of the stress faced by adolescents and what role should be played by teachers to resolve it. Thirdly they should be handled properly. Proper guidance and counseling services should be arranged for them during this phase of their lives.

Adolescents face a multitude of stressors, which can have detrimental effects on their overall well-being. However, teachers can act as pillars of support and play a crucial role in resolving and alleviating stress among their students.

By creating a nurturing environment, promoting emotional well-being, teaching stress management techniques, encouraging open communication, and collaborating with parents, teachers can help adolescents navigate the challenges of stress and thrive academically and personally.

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