Stress in schools is my area of research interest. I came to this topic from personal experience. As someone who was a frequently stressed student, teacher, and now administrator (although I’m getting better at stress!) I’ve spent my career exploring ways we can reduce stress in our school system.
If you’re looking to cultivate a calmer, more resilient school community this year, this blog is the 411 on practical ways administrators, teachers, staff, and students can ease stress. We’ll walk through simple strategies you can start using right away—from communication practices for leaders to self-regulation skills for learners.
Acknowledging Our Collective StressStress in schools has many roots: recovering from pandemic disruptions, navigating staffing shortages, and coping with politically charged debates. Rising mental health concerns among students, teachers, and administrators only add to the pressure. Calling out these stressors isn’t defeatist—it’s the first step toward designing solutions that actually stick. When we name stress, we free up the mental space it takes up when unacknowledged.
Leaders set the tone (and here’s the thing – we’re all leaders).However you lead inside of your school building – and we know you all do – here are some tips for how you can support those around you:
- Prioritize transparent communication by sending short updates. People are more forgetful when stressed. Simpler communication is better.
- Assume positive intent. When stressed, it’s easy to see the worst in people. Assume they mean well, and it will ease your stress too.
- Carve out time on the calendar for a 15-minute “mindful moment” each week to take a pause – don’t ask anything from anyone or from yourself.
- Designate a quiet corner stocked with calming resources for anyone who needs it.
If you are a teacher or staff member, give yourself practical support.
- Establish simple daily rituals.
- End the day with “rose and thorn” check-ins or “one good thing.”
- Use your planning time wisely.
- Set boundaries around emails and grading.
- Embed two-minute movement or breathing breaks between lessons.
- Form peer support “buddy groups” that meet for troubleshooting and encouragement.
- Celebrate small victories with surprise snacks or handwritten thank-you notes. Showing gratitude can reduce stress and boost your own morale.
Students benefit from explicit instruction in managing tension.
- Teach quick self-regulation techniques like guided visualizations before tests.
- Use emotion charts so students can name and track their feelings.
- Offer project choices—posters, presentations, or skits—to honor different strengths.
- Set up a “Calm Corner” with coloring sheets, stress balls, or mindful cards.
- Reinforce effort over perfection by spotlighting growth mindset stories.
Stress is part of modern life and the school system, but it doesn’t have to define our days. By acknowledging our challenges and weaving in simple practices, we cultivate an environment where everyone—from the office to the classroom to the lunchroom—can breathe a little easier.
As Grover said in the Sesame Street movie Follow that Bird, “Don’t forget to breathe! In… and Out.”
The views and opinions expressed on Teacher Talk are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of South Dakota.
