What Would Anxiety Look like in the Classroom?

The following articles deals with the signs of anxiety in the classroom as derived from several sources.

"Specialists have described common patterns of anxiety. When anxiety causes distress or interference that is much greater than anxiety experienced by other children of the same age, it may be called an anxiety disorder. In this case, the term "disorder" simply indicates that the anxiety problem is significant enough and has lasted long enough (usually at least a number of weeks or months) to be considered a problem that warrants intervention. Commonly, children and teens experience anxiety problems that are characteristic of more than one anxiety disorder."

As quoted from here

According to this website The signs of anxiety in children are:

• Excessive worry
• Being self-critical
• Irritability
• Trouble sleeping
• Depression
• Intense desire for approval
• Inability to explain why they are worrying
• Difficulty with transitions, such as from school to home
• Not wanting to go to school
• Difficulty concentrating
  

Based on this information we feel teachers may also find that students suffering from anxiety disorder may not always be disruptive.

This video also touches on what anxiety looks like in the classroom:


Here's another video with examples of what people/children with anxiety will say


Based on the above information it's fair to assume teachers may observe and hear:

• A resistance to do certain activities in class
• in some cases lack of social groups and friends
• inability to speak to the group or teacher
• selective mutisim
• physical signs of anxiety :i.e. loss of breath, red face, shaking
• crying without apparent warning i.e. child is anxious about the task and cries without explaining they are anxious
• inability to finish work because of an anxious need to have it perfect
• fear of judgment
• hyper sensitivity both physically, emotionally, and socially