STRESS REDUCTION in STAFF & STUDENTS

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This class will address the important topic of childhood and adult stress.  The impact of stress on any given child is significant and creates a tremendous strain on their academic learning. Though "stress" is often viewed as a negative impact on a life, this course will help each person to see the positive aspects of stress and anxiety. Recognizing that educators are in an excellent position to teach and impact each child, this class will give specific ideas to minimize the negative influence of stress/anxiety in the classroom. Specific strategies to help children to direct their stress into a positive arena and to learn critical coping skills will be taught.  Peer relations, chaotic family structures, generalized feelings of anxiety, failure and negative thought processes, as well as many other topics will be addressed. Each person will have an opportunity to examine their professional sphere of influence, their personal sphere of influence and their collegial sphere of influence. The goal of this course will be to help each person find a better balance in their own personal and professional lives as well as to be able to effectively teach the skills to help children find that balance. It will be geared to a broad audience, encompassing K-12 students.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon completion of this course, participants will have:

1. Learned how to implement stress management theory into their personal/professional lives.
2. Gained an understanding of the relationship between achievement, stressors, and balance of life as it relates to the educational process.
3. Developed an effective teaching plan for students and adults that shares intervention approaches.
4. Evaluated classroom stress, indicators and ways to evaluate external demands.
5. Examined principles of time management as they pertain to our personal and professional lives.
6. Effectively transfered programs and interventions across domains (school, home, community.)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Completion of all specified assignments is required for issuance of hours or credit. The Heritage Institute does not award partial credit.

HOURS EARNED:
Completing the basic assignments (Section A. Information Acquisition) for this course automatically earns participants their choice of CEUs (Continuing Education Units), Washington State Clock Hours, Oregon PDUs, or Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours. The Heritage Institute offers CEUs and is an approved provider of Washington State Clock Hours, Oregon PDUs, and Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours.

UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT INFORMATION

REQUIREMENTS FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
Continuing Education Quarter credits are awarded by Antioch University Seattle (AUS). AUS requires 75% or better for credit at the 400 level and 85% or better to issue credit at the 500 level. These criteria refer both to the amount and quality of work submitted.

1. Completion of Information Acquisition assignments 30%
2. Completion of Learning Application assignments 40%
3. Completion of Integration Paper assignment 30%

CREDIT/NO CREDIT (No Letter Grades or Numeric Equivalents on Transcripts)
Antioch University Seattle (AUS) Continuing Education Quarter credit is offered on a Credit/No Credit basis; neither letter grades nor numeric equivalents are on a transcript. 400 level credit is equal to a "C" or better, 500 level credit is equal to a "B" or better. This information is on the back of the transcript.

AUS Continuing Education quarter credits may or may not be accepted into degree programs. Prior to registering, determine with your district personnel, department head, or state education office the acceptability of these credits for your purpose.

ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION

REQUIRED TEXT

None. All reading is online.

MATERIALS FEE

A course manual may be downloaded, from the instructor’s website at http://www.michaelsedler.com/ without charge, once you have registered for this course. Click on classes, from there scroll down the page and click on the orange lettering ‘Manual’ next to the class “Stress”. It will download as a PDF. While there is no fee for the manual, you may have to pay in order to order a book from the bibliography. Or, you may borrow one from a friend or check one out at the public library for free.

ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR HOURS OR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT

A. INFORMATION ACQUISITION

Assignments done in a course forum will show responses from all educators who have or are taking the course independently. Feel free to read and respond to others' comments. 
Group participants can only view and respond to their group members in the Forum. 

Assignment #1: Read the Manual.

Assignment #2: Read A Chosen Book.

Assignment #3: Complete Designated Worksheets in Manual.

Assignment #4: Two Week Journal.

Assignment #5: Plan for Personal Success.

Assignment #6: Share Your Plan.

Assignment #7: Classroom Observation.

Assignment #8: Case Study In Manual

ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT

B. LEARNING APPLICATION

In this section, you will apply your learning to your professional situation. This course assumes that most participants are classroom teachers who have access to students. If you do not have a classroom available to you, please contact the instructor for course modifications. Assignments done in a course forum will show responses from all educators who have or are taking the course independently. ​Feel free to read and respond to others' comments. Group participants can only view and respond to their group members in the Forum. 

Assignment #9: Student Candidate.

Assignment #10: Lesson Development.

Assignment #10:  You must choose either “A” or “B”  (Required for 400 and 500 Level) 

Assignment #A:

Develop a lesson to reflect what you’ve learned in this course.
Implement your lesson with students in your classroom.
Write a 2 page commentary on what worked well and what could be improved.
Include any student feedback on your lesson.

OR

Assignment #B: 

Use this option if you do not have a classroom available.

Develop a lesson to reflect what you’ve learned in this course. (Do not implement it.)
Write a 2 page summary concerning any noteworthy success you’ve had as a teacher with one or more students.

Assignment #11: (500 Level only)

C. INTEGRATION PAPER

Assignment #12: (Required for 400 and 500 level)

SELF REFLECTION & INTEGRATION PAPER
(Please do not write this paper until you've completed all of your other assignments)

Write a 400-500 word Integration Paper answering these 5 questions:

1. What did you learn vs. what you expected to learn from this course?
2. What aspects of the course were most helpful and why?
3. What further knowledge and skills in this general area do you feel you need?
4. How, when and where will you use what you have learned?
5. How and with what other school or community members might you share what you learned?

INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS ON YOUR WORK:

Instructors will comment on each assignment. If you do not hear from the instructor within a few days of posting your assignment, please get in touch with them immediately.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHING THIS COURSE:

Mike Sedler, M.S.W., D. Min., brings over 40 year of educational experience as a special education director, social worker, behavior specialist and teacher to each of his classes.   He provides consultation and seminars throughout the United States and Canada for schools, agencies and businesses. He has a graduate degree in Social Work, a Doctoral degree in Ministry, a Counseling license, as well as his teaching certification. Mike has worked with children of all ages, specifically with children exhibiting behavioral challenges, mental health concerns, and characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder.  In addition, he taught general education classes in the elementary school and middle school arenas.   All of Mikeʼs classes are practical and “field tested” in schools and classrooms. Educators have found success in implementing Mikeʼs clear and concise approaches. All of his course material may be immediately implemented into a school or a home.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

STRESS REDUCTION in STAFF & STUDENTS

You may choose a book from this list or one of your own choosing that is compatible to this course.  Please let the instructor know if you choose a book that is not on this list.

Alter, Robin and Clarke, Crystal.  The Anxiety Workbook For Kids.  New Harbinger Publications, 2016.  Illustrations and activities for children (grades P-6th.)  www.newharbinger.com   800 748 6273.

Blaustein, Margaret.  Treating Stress in Children and Adolescents.  Guilford Press, 2018.  The impact of trauma on anxiety and attachment.  (grades P-12).  www.guilford.com 

Chansky, Tamar. Freeing Your Child From Negative Thinking. Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2020. Help to change negative thinking habits.   (grades P-12.) www.dacapopress.com

Coyne, Peter.  The Unbreakable Mind: Overcoming Anxiety, Stress, and Overthinking.  Independently Published, 2023.  Avoiding obstacles of negative habit patterns. (P-12)   www.amazon.com 

Huebner, Dawn. What To Do When You Worry Too Much. Magination Press, 2024. Strategies to reduce stress and anxiety in children (grades K-6.) www.maginationpress.com.

Merrell, Kenneth.  Helping Students Overcome Depression and Anxiety.  Guilford Press, 2013.  Intervention techniques to reduce anxiety (grades P-12.)  www.guilford.com   800 365 7006.

Reed, Joss.  Anxiety Management For Kids. Joss Reed Publishing, 2024.  Helping children understand their stress.  (P-12).  www.amazon.com 

Tierney, Jeff.  Teaching Social Skills to Yourth.  Boys Town Press, 2022.  An easy to follow guide to teach life skills and prosocial skills.  (P-12).  www.boystownpress.org

Tompkins, Michael.  Social Anxiety Relief For Teens.  Instant Help, 2021.  A simple 5 step process to help reduce anxiety and fears.  (P-12).  www.newharbinger.com  

Trenton, Nick.  Stop Overthinking: 23 Techniques to Relieve Stress and Negative Spirals.  How to get out of the loop of negative thinking and patterns.  Independently published, 2021.  www.nicktrenton.com

Wong, Harry K and Wong, Rosemary T.  The First Days of School.  Harry Wong Publishers. 2009.  Book to help teachers set a successful tone for the year (grades K-12.)  www.harrywong.com  650 965 7896.