A Graceful Close

The end of the semester is a stressful time for students and teachers. People are fatigued from the semester, many different assignments are due, sleep and meals are getting skipped, and everyone is worried about how he or she will be evaluated. All this adds up to an unhealthy way to reach peak performance. While the end-of-semester crunch seems an inevitable part of college life, there are some ways teachers can help students deal with these stresses.

Provide Direction

One source of stress is becoming overwhelmed by the many various and competing demands. Help students by giving suggestions for organizing themselves.

Checklist. Give students a handout that details all remaining assignments and summarizes important information (due dates, evaluation criteria, recommendations).

Study. Give students advice on how to study. Explain strategies for organizing information and preparing for the final. Offer study guides.

Review. Offer review sessions that allow students to see what the expectations for the final test, paper, or project. Don't just cover content. Review strategies for dealing with the final. Explain what is over-preparation (and what is under). Discuss criteria. Review sooner rather than later.

Be Productive

The way students use time can help them be more productive. Here are some suggestions you might pass on to students.

Start Right. Do the most challenging or most dreaded jobs first.

Work Short. It is more productive to put short bursts of energy on different tasks then to grind away slowly on one task. When student get tired, they should switch to another type of work. Read, then write, then review notes, for example.

Breaks. Schedule in short breaks. After working for an hour spend ten minutes walking or napping. The time after the break will be more productive.

Teamwork. Suggest students use teamwork when they study.

Prioritize

Showing students how to set priorities will help them sort through the conflicting demands.

To Do Lists. Have students make a daily to-do list for the next 2 weeks.
Just Say No. Get students to practice their response to distractions and interruptions. It will be easier when they have to. Discuss ways to say "Sorry, but ..."

Don't Do It. Have students identify some chores that they can afford to not do for a day or a week when their To Do list is especially heavy. Can they skip meetings, delay shopping, let the grass grow a bit longer? By all means, students should be encouraged to not take on any additional jobs to help friends or family members during this time.

Stress Management

Stress can be moderated by understanding how we perceive the situation we are in. Help students reflect on how they can deal with those perceptions that are causing undue stress.

Don't Worry. Have students write down their worries on index cards. Small groups can read several cards (not their own) and develop a suggestion for each (or at least rephrase them in a positive way).

Acknowledge. Anxieties are handled more easily when acknowledged. Discuss with students the pressures they feel and the anxieties they have. Help them recognize the causes and begin to think about ways to address their feelings.

Positive Thinking. Help students identify negative messages they send themselves. Develop some positive coping statements that they might use to replace negative self-talk.

Relax. Suggest to students that they develop a relaxation technique. Closing your eyes for a minute and focusing on slow breathing (no internal vocalization) can relax you instantly. Another relaxing technique is to imagine your favorite spot and spend a few seconds resting there. This is an effective strategy in those moments before starting on a anxiety-inducing test.

Journals. For some students, keeping a journal of their concerns allows them to reflect on possible responses. Writing may help gain perspective.

Final Comments

You probably have a few of your own techniques for dealing with stress. Help your students perform their best by sharing your ideas with them. Create opportunities inside and outside the classroom (study groups can be a great support) for students to learn how to deal with the mental, emotional, and physical stresses at the end of the semester. Many of the tips summarized here are explained in more detail in Duffy and Jones, Teaching within the Rhythms of the Semester. Contact the CIRT for a copy of their chapter about the final weeks.

This Teaching Tip was first published by Indiana State University’s, Center for Teaching and Learning on April 28, 1997