There is conflicting research on if students who are gifted experience more anxiety than other student populations. Either way, we know that many students face anxiety and stress in their day to day lives and supporting students through these feelings is crucial for their well-being and academic success!

Here are a couple of strategies you can try:

Create a supportive environment: Foster a learning atmosphere that values effort, growth, and resilience over perfection. Encourage students to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from them. Provide opportunities for open discussions about stress and anxiety, allowing students to share their experiences and support one another.

Journaling: Encourage students to keep a journal where they can express their thoughts, feelings, and concerns. Writing can be a therapeutic outlet for managing stress and anxiety. If your student has a hard time deciding what to write, you can provide prompts or reflection questions to guide their journaling process. Not a big writer? Try a doodle journal! 

Physical activity: Incorporate physical activity breaks into your daily routine. Engaging in exercise or movement can help release tension and boost mood. Consider activities like stretching, yoga, or short movement breaks to energize and refocus students.

Time management skills: Teach students effective time management strategies to help them prioritize tasks, set realistic goals, and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Skills like creating to-do lists, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and using a planner or digital calendar can be helpful in reducing anxiety and stress.

This article from Hoagie’s Gifted offers even more great advice on supporting your students who are gifted through anxiety and stress!