Future of Education 2019, Florence Italy

A Children’s Book and a Simple App: Stress Relief for Teachers & Students

Deb L. Marciano, Ph.D. Valdosta State University United States of America

Abstract

Teaching is one of the most stressful professions. This is not a phenomenon unique to one country or grade level, as demonstrated by recent research specific to teacher stress and its impact on students conducted in public universities and/or with teachers in Pakistan, Greece, Canada, Romania, Italy, and the United States. Stress, unfortunately, comes from a myriad of sources; preparation, quality of student work, meetings and additional responsibilities outside of the classroom, tenure/promotion, colleagues, and so on. Since the future of education is in our hands, we have a moral obligation to be excellent teachers. That also means protecting ourselves and our students from the harmful effects of excessive and continuous stress. Studies present suggestions to increase mindfulness and stress reduction techniques. This presentation shared an American children’s picture book, “Quiet”, to entice readers into a peaceful awareness. After the read aloud, participants were guided through a hands-on creation of a simple animation, using the app, ChatterPix. This technologyis a tool that can be customized for teachers and students at any age level on any device.

Keywords: Children’s Literature, Technology, Effective Teaching, Stress, Coping Strategies