Building Routine and Resilience with High School Students

Written by Ashton Plette

High school is a critical time in a student’s life, marked by significant growth in social, emotional, and academic domains. They are learning to navigate complex social landscapes while simultaneously forming their identities and learning to manage their emotions. It’s a time of increased independence, but also a period where teens feel a heightened need for acceptance and belonging. For some students, this time can be particularly challenging. Students may struggle with feelings of isolation, low self-esteem, or frustration. The social environment in high school can amplify these feelings as the desire to fit in can clash with a student’s individual and unique needs.

For high school students, especially those with learning disabilities, Autism, ADHD, and various other needs, the gap between their abilities and the demands of the curriculum and social expectations can lead to frustration and anxiety, particularly when they do not receive the support they need. School-related anxiety is not uncommon and can manifest in many ways, including difficulty concentrating, avoidance of school, social withdrawal, and poor academic performance. Supporting students experiencing school-related anxiety requires a multifaceted approach that addresses their academic, social, and emotional needs. 

One of the most beneficial things you can do for your student is to help them understand their “why”—why they are feeling anxious, not just the surface why, but the deep, underlying reason. High school students need support in coping with those anxious feelings both at school and at home. Try the tips below in the classroom, and share this article with parents so they can implement the strategies at home.

Strategies For Students To Use In The Classroom

Mindfulness

Mindfulness brain breaks can help a student calm their body and mind. Mindful breathing is one way to support anxious students; it sends messages to the brain that let you know that you are safe and everything is okay. Some other mindfulness strategies include meditation, journaling, body scans, and sensory exercises. 

Clear and Predictable Routines

Children with anxiety benefit from clear expectations, routines, and schedules. Knowing what to expect helps students feel more in control of their environment and less anxious about what might happen next. Structure and predictability also promote independence and self-regulation. Try posting a visual agenda or providing students with an agenda so they can check off events as they occur. Make sure to give as much notice as possible to students about any changes to their routine or schedule.

Calm Corners

Students of all ages respond well to calm corners or safe spaces in the classroom. These spaces are comfortable areas where students can go to decompress and regroup. Many teachers include sensory objects such as glitter jars, fidgets, headphones, or books to help students self-regulate. A teacher can work with a student and their family to help identify warning signs of anxiety, as well as coaching the student to recognize their triggers and warning signs in the classroom. When these triggers arise, the teacher can encourage the student to take a step back and use the calm corner.

Destigmatizing Anxiety

Teachers can help de-stigmatize anxiety in the classroom by normalizing open conversations about mental health and emotional well-being. By discussing anxiety as a common experience, they create a safe space for students to share their feelings. Teaching social-emotional regulation strategies equips students with tools to manage their anxiety, while implementing accommodations ensures that individual needs are met. Regular check-ins with students and their families help maintain open communication, provide support, and reinforce the idea that anxiety is a normal challenge that can be addressed with understanding and care.

Strategies To Try At Home

Create a morning routine or timetable

Having a routine for getting up, getting dressed, having breakfast, and leaving the house can create a sense of security and reduce stress for everyone. Try to prepare things like checking their timetable, packing bags, and laying out clothes the night before. In the morning, focus on the one thing they need to do next as you work your way through the timetable, rather than thinking about a big goal like ‘getting to school’.

Encourage them to do things that help them relax

Having time to unwind after school can be important. This could be spending time with friends and family, listening to music, going for a walk or run, playing a sport, baking, drawing, or watching a favorite film.

Recognize small achievements

Notice small successes such as getting out of bed at the right time or handing work in at school – tell your child you’re impressed with them and you’ve noticed a development in their executive functioning skills, or that they’ve made progress towards a specific goal. 

Try to take the pressure off

On some days, your child may not be able to manage schoolwork or homework. Remember their mood will go up and down and you can always try again the next day.

Ashton Plette has over a decade of experience in special education, having worked in various settings, including autism-specific classrooms, adult transition programs, and mild to moderate and moderate to severe needs programs. Her time as a behavior therapist, both in schools and providing in-home therapy, ignited her drive to serve students in a role where she can meet their needs both globally and individually. Most recently, Ashton served as the special education resource teacher at Monterey Peninsula Unified School District’s alternative education middle and high school.