Read the Q & A below to find out more about Cook’s plan to initiate new workshops to deal with the rise in anxiety due to the pandemic:
Q: Tell us about your time at Frenship.
A: I’ve been in education since 2014, when I graduated from Texas Tech. I started off as a middle school math teacher, but even since before I got into education, I know the counseling route is the one I wanted to take. After my first year of teaching, I went back to school to get my Master’s in Counseling and decided to drop down to elementary so I could get some experience on both levels and work with some people on different levels. I taught fourth grade math and science for three years, and then in 2018 I came to Heritage.
Q: With the shutdown last year, how did students react when coming back to a “normal” school year?
A: This year has been so much different than anything we have ever seen. I expected a big spike in anxiety in our kiddos, just with them being isolated for five to six months. We knew there would be a lot of social anxiety, and some health anxiety, if their parents are worried about the virus, the kids would be too. Then you add in the transition from packet learning during the shutdown, to now some students being face-to-face learners, and some being Virtual Learners, and so there was a huge rise in frustrations and anxiety there.
So, honestly, we have seen the kiddos do their parts so well. They are all wearing their masks and following guidelines very well. I haven’t seen a lot of students get too off track with the health side of things.
Q: What are some things you are planning to do to tackle the social and education anxiety spike?
A: Amy Smallwood and I have been working to put together an Anxiety Workshop for January. It is going to be at least three sessions, and I am currently working with teachers to find out which students need it most. It will be mostly small groups, 10 to 15 students at a time, in all grade levels.
The first one will just identify what anxiety is. We will talk about how you can recognize that in yourself. Then the next two sessions will be about how to cope with it. They will focus on mindfulness, journaling, grounding, and teach them how to do those things. We will teach them what is appropriate to do at school, what is appropriate to do at home, so we don’t disturb class time.
Q: Will there be any workshops for teachers or parents?
A: I have had a few teachers ask me if this is for adults as well, and if we see a great need for it, we will try to get something put together for teachers, too.
My hope is that, if students react well to it, and teachers see growth from it, that this will be something that we offer each year at the beginning of the year.
Q: What do you hope students will take away from these workshops?
A: The biggest thing that I want them to understand is that they are okay. We are going to get through this together, and that every single person in this building is there for them. These coping strategies are for them to do when they are alone, and when they are frustrated, but that we are there for them as well.
I think our society as a whole has gotten away from learning how to deal with things, but we want to give them those tools to deal with those things. We want them to understand that there are anxieties in this world that are very normal, and they will go through things, and when you become an adult, you will have to retrain your mind and body on how to deal with those things.
I want them to know that we are here to guide them on how to deal with those things now, and I hope that the training we provide them will help them for the rest of their lives.