Presented in a question-and-answer format, this digest offers guidelines to help gifted students manage stress effectively. The following questions are considered: What is stress? How can a youngster experience stress when nothing bad is happening? Is a gifted student more likely to feel stress than others? What are some stresses on a gifted…

Ways that college faculty can increase students' learning by reducing stress are identified. Consideration is given to: the effects of stress on learning, the value of feedback and control, the importance of the interaction between faculty and students, the value of stress awareness, and what students can do. When given properly, feedback can…

Stress is experienced by college students at different educational levels, but colleges can help reduce its destructive forms. There are explanations of why students perform badly under stress, such as "hypervigilance" (i.e., overstudying for an exam) and "premature closure" (i.e., rushing through an exam). Situations that are…

This factsheet presents several generalizations regarding stress, then looks specifically at faculty/counselor distress and student distress. Coping strategies to help faculty and counselors reduce their own stress and the stress of students are listed; both preventive and combative strategies are included. (NB)

Educational research often defines educational goals narrowly by reading levels or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores and equally narrowly correlates student success in these areas with the content of the curriculum or time spent in learning. According to Rutter et al., secondary schools with a good ethos create students who perform well…

Many educators believe that if the United States is serious about reforming the nation's educational system, schools must implement high standards for student achievement that stress performance. While there is some disagreement over what form standards should take, there is consensus that expectations for achievement should cut across subject…

This digest discusses the need for troubled students to receive habilitative services instead of haphazard punishment, then outlines sources of frustration for aggressive students and stages of frustration (anxiety, stress, defensiveness, physical aggression, and tension reduction), and appropriate responses. Teachers are advised to prevent…

This digest reviews some of the recent literature about adult female students at community colleges. Their motivations, unique needs, and barriers to entry are discussed, as well as ways institutions can enhance the educational experience for adult women. Female students have outnumbered male students in higher education for nearly 30 years. In…

In this digest a rationale is given for using open-ended questions in the assessment of student achievement, the use of open-ended questions in reading is discussed, and some implications for the classroom are outlined. Research has helped shift the focus from learning as content knowledge per se to learning as the ability to use and interpret…

The information digest presents information on stress management in the schools for learning disabled students. The following questions are addressed: Why does the education "spotlight" need to be trained on stress management in the schools? What is stress? What are possible causes of achievement stress for the learning disabled? (school…

This digest discusses why special education teachers may become stressed by role overload and lack of autonomy, and presents strategies for successfully managing stresses related to teaching. Strategies include: (1) setting realistic expectations; (2) making distinctions between job and personal life; (3) finding ways to exercise professional…

Although employment can be an exciting challenge, it can also induce stress. This digest examines some of the characteristics of job-related stress. Three concepts characterize the association of work, mental health, and physical health. (1) Stress is an interaction between individuals and any source of environmental demand. (2) A stressor is an…

With North American women joining the work force in record numbers, the effect of employment on women's well-being is gaining attention. This digest examines various stressors affecting women in the work world and some actions companies can take to alleviate these stressors. While some studies show that work has detrimental effects on some…

Children's fears can have a self-preserving and motivational quality or have an inhibiting or debilitating effect. Counselors can use three levels of intervention for the prevention of disturbances related to fear and anxiety. The first of these focuses on developmental guidance and counseling activities designed for all children to develop a…

This paper provides an overview of research findings concerning the stresses experienced by Southeast Asian refugees undergoing acculturation in the United States. Sources of stress are briefly described, including worries about family and others left behind in Southeast Asia, underemployment and unemployment, cultural conflicts, changing family…