Below is an image from a Time Magazine article on the “Anatomy of Anxiety” from a few years ago. While the article is a bit dated, the relevance remains, especially for educators.
Students need to feel relaxed, safe, and welcome in order to learn effectively. If we focus only on content and raise the stakes of assessments, we increase some students’ anxiety and make it more difficult for them to learn. A reminder that our job in working with students begins, and is sustained, through relationship building and trust.
Image: Joel Ertola via Time
All Kinds of Minds 
This is very timely. New York state like many others are cramming to try to meet all the requirements coming our way. This impacts our staff as well as the students. Thanks for sharing!
Good point, Debra. The anxiety felt by faculty influences their ability to learn as well. Trickle down stress.
As a former classroom teacher and Schools Attuned facilitator, wanted to support this email. Every teacher should be schooled in community building methods to employ in the first month of school that will build a supportive, trusting classroom environment. Sadly, for some of our students now, the classroom might be the only place they feel safe, loved, and appreciated. A wise head mistress once reminded me: “Remember that you are not teaching curriculum, you are teaching children.”
Pat Nesbitt
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:18:01 +0000 To: pnesbitt50@hotmail.com