COURSE TITLE:
STRESS REDUCTION IN STAFF & STUDENTS
NO. OF CREDITS:
5 QUARTER CREDITS
[semester equivalent = 3.33 credits]
WA CLOCK HRS:
OREGON PDUs:
INSTRUCTOR:
MICHAEL SEDLER, D. MIN., M.S.W.
mike@communicationplus.net
509/443-1605
50
50
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This class will address the important topic of childhood and adult stress. The impact of stress on any
given child is significant and creates a tremendous strain on their academic learning. Though "stress" is
often viewed as a negative impact on a life, this course will help each person to see the positive aspects
of stress and anxiety. Recognizing that educators are in an excellent position to teach and impact each
child, this class will give specific ideas to minimize the negative influence of stress/anxiety in the
classroom. Specific strategies to help children to direct their stress into a positive arena and to learn
critical coping skills will be taught. Peer relations, chaotic family structures, generalized feelings of
anxiety, failure and negative thought processes, as well as many other topics will be addressed. Each
person will have an opportunity to examine their professional sphere of influence, their personal sphere of
influence and their collegial sphere of influence. The goal of this course will be to help each person find a
better balance in their own personal and professional lives as well as to be able to effectively teach the
skills to help children find that balance. It will be geared to a broad audience, encompassing K-12
students.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this course, participants will have:
1. Learned how to implement stress management theory into their personal/professional lives.
2. Gained an understanding of the relationship between achievement, stressors, and balance of life as
it relates to the educational process.
3. Developed an effective teaching plan for students and adults that shares intervention
approaches.
4. Evaluated classroom stress, indicators and ways to evaluate external demands.
5. Examined principles of time management as they pertain to our personal and professional lives.
6. Effectively transfer programs and interventions across domains (school, home, community).
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Completion of all specified assignments is required for issuance of hours or credit. The Heritage Institute
does not award partial credit.
HOURS EARNED:
Completing the basic assignments (Section A. Information Acquisition) for this course automatically earns
participantʼs their choice of 50 Washington State Clock Hours or 50 Oregon PDUs. The Heritage Institute
is an approved provider of Washington State Clock Hours and Oregon PDUs.
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UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT INFORMATION
REQUIREMENTS FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
Continuing Education Quarter credits are awarded by Antioch University Seattle (AUS). AUS requires
75% or better for credit at the 400 level (Upper Division) and 85% or better to issue credit at the 500 level
(Post-Baccalaureate). These criteria refer both to the amount and quality of work submitted.
1. Completion of Information Acquisition assignments
30%
2. Completion of Learning Application assignments
40%
3. Completion of Integration Paper assignment
30%
CREDIT/NO CREDIT (No Letter Grades or Numeric Equivalents on Transcripts)
Antioch University Seattle (AUS) Continuing Education (CE) Quarter credit is offered on a Credit/No
Credit basis; neither letter grades nor numeric equivalents are on a transcript. 400 level credit is equal to
a “C” or better, 500 level credit is equal to a “B” or better. This information is on the back of the transcript.
AUS CE quarter credits may not be accepted into degree programs. Prior to registering determine with
your district, department head or state education office the acceptability of these credits for your purpose.
ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION
NOTES:
• You may work collaboratively with other teachers and submit joint assignments on all but the final
Integration Paper, which must be individually authored and submitted.
• Alternatives to written assignments (video or audio tape, photo collage, a collection of products,
letters to editor, brochure and Web pages) may be submitted as substitute assignments with the
instructorʼs prior approval.
• To maintain privacy, please do not refer to students in your papers by their actual names, but
rather use an alias or designation such as “Student A.”
REQUIRED TEXT:
• Selected text from bibliography
• All handout materials, case study, and samples.
Obtain your text directly from libraries, the publisher, a local bookstore or an online booksellers.
A list of publishers and their phone numbers are located in the back of the Course
MATERIALS FEE:
• Once you register, log onto the instructorʼs website at www.michaelsedler.com. Click on Classes,
then scroll down and click on Stress Reduction in Staff & Students manual. The manual will
download as a PDF file to your computer.
HEADING REQUIRED FOR ALL ASSIGNMENTS
A heading is required; please use the following format.
Your Name:
Course Number:
Date:
Assignment #:
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Instructor Name:
Course Name:
Level: Clock/ PDU/ Credit (400 or 500)
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ASSIGNMENTS FOR HOURS OR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
The Workbook has an Assignment Checklist to be carefully followed.
A.
INFORMATION ACQUISITION
Assignment #1:
Read all materials in the manual.
Assignment #2:
Read a book from the bibliography or one of participantʼs choice (instructor approved).
Two suggested books are:
Freeing Your Child From Anxiety by Tamar Chansky (Broadway Books, 2004)
Childhood Stress in Contemporary Society by James Humphrey (Haworth Press, 2004)
Assignment #3:
Read enclosed case study in manual, answer questions at end. Send to instructor:
mike@communicationplus.net. Subject to read: ʻStress #3ʼ.
Assignment #4:
Read all materials in the manual sent by instructor and complete all required pages and
worksheets within the manual. Send to instructor: mike@communicationplus.net. Subject to read:
ʻStress #4ʼ.
Assignment #5:
Keep a written journal for 2 weeks (minimum of 3 entries per week). During this time, write out any areas
that create anxiety or stress for you. Develop at least one coping strategy for each area of stress.
Copy and Send to instructor: mike@communicationplus.net. Subject to read: ʻStress #5ʼ.
Assignment #6:
Select one area of your personal or professional life to address in the area of anxiety and stress.
Using the “Stress Reduction” worksheet, organize a plan for success. Write 2 page paper.
Send to instructor: mike@communicationplus.net. Subject to read: ʻStress #6ʼ.
Assignment #7:
Observe another educatorʼs classroom noting signs of stress/anxiety as well as support/encouragement
among the students. Create a table to record your observations. Share your findings with the educator.
Send to instructor: mike@communicationplus.net. Subject to read: ʻStress #7ʼ.
Assignment #8:
Mentor 1 other teacher in the methods and information from this class. Write the results in a 2-3 page
paper. Send to instructor: mike@communicationplus.net. Subject to read: ʻStress #8ʼ.
This completes the assignments required for Hours.
Continue to the next section for additional assignments required for University Quarter Credit
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ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
B.
LEARNING APPLICATION
In this section you will apply your learning to your professional situation. This course assumes that most
participants are classroom teachers who have access to students. If you are not teaching in a classroom,
please contact the instructor for course modifications. If you are a classroom teacher and start or need to
complete this course during the summer, please try to apply your ideas when possible with youth from
your neighborhood, at a local public library or parks department facility, (they will often be glad to sponsor
community-based learning), or with students in another teacherʼs summer classroom in session.
Assignment #9: (Required for 400 and 500 Level)
Choose one student (or class) to develop a strategy for stress reduction. Discuss with the student a
particular area of focus.
Assignment #10: (Required for 400 and 500 Level)
Develop the plan including several strategies discussed in the manual. After implementation of the
plan, evaluate the effectiveness of it. Write a 2 page summary. Send to instructor:
mike@communicationplus.net. Subject to read: ʻStress #10ʼ.
500 LEVEL ASSIGNMENT
Assignment #11: (500 Level only)
In addition to the 400 level assignments, complete one (1) of the following assignment options.
Option A) Conduct additional reading and/or literature research and combine information from this to
develop an in-service or training program for your school, district or another personal setting. Focus on
decreasing anxiety and stress within the school or classroom. Write the results in 2-3 page paper. Send
to instructor: mike@communicationplus.net. Subject to read: ʻStress #11ʼ.
OR
Option B) Another assignment of your own design with the instructorʼs prior approval.
C.
INTEGRATION PAPER
(Required for 400 and 500 Level)
Assignment #12:
Write a 2-3 page Integration Paper answering these questions:
1. What did you learn vs. what you expected to learn from this course?
2. What aspects of the course were most helpful and why?
3. What further knowledge and skills in this general area do you feel you need?
4. How, when and where will you use what you have learned?
5. How and with what other school or community members might you share what you
learned?
Send to instructor: mike@communicationplus.net. Subject to read: ʻStress #12ʼ.
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INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS ON YOUR WORK:
Please indicate by email to the instructor if you would like to receive comments on your assignments.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHING THIS COURSE:
Michael Sedler, D.Min., M.S.W., brings over 25 years of educational experience as an administrator,
social worker, behavior specialist and teacher to each of his classes. He provides consultation and
seminars throughout the United States and Canada for schools, agencies and businesses. He has a
graduate degree in Social Work, a Doctor degree in Ministry as well as his teaching certification. All of
Mikeʼs classes are practical and “field tested” in schools and classrooms. Educators have found success
in implementing Mikeʼs clear and concise approaches.
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STRESS REDUCTION IN STAFF & STUDENTS
BILIOGRAPHY
You may pick a book not from the list, with the instructorʼs approval.
To order a book, contact the publisher or purchase through a bookstore, on-line, or other retail outlets.
Childhood Stress In Contemporary Society. James Humphrey. Haworth Press. 2004. Excellent book
outlining causes and interventions for stress. (grades K – 12). www.haworthpress.com 800-429-6784.
Freeing Your Child From Anxiety. Tamar Chansky. Broadway Books, 2004. Practical explanation and
understanding of anxiety disorder (grades K – 12). http://www.randomhouse.com/category/ 800-7829000.
Helping Your Anxious Child. Ron Rapee and Sue Spence. New Harbinger Publications, 2000.
Strategies for parents and teachers in reducing anxiety in children (grades K -12).
www.newharbinger.com 800-748-6273.
Overcoming Anxiety For Dummies. Laura Smith. For Dummies, 2002. Basic ideas for working with
anxiety and avoiding problems (grades K -12). www.dummies.com 1-877-762-2974.
Overcoming Stress For Dummies. Allen Elkin. For Dummies, 2002. Basic ideas for working with
stress (grades K – 12). www.dummies.com 877-762-2974.
Raising Stable Kids In An Unstable World. David Marks. Health Communications Inc, 2002. Investigates
the reasons for anxiety and stress and ideas to effectively reduce problems (grades K -12). www.hcionline.com 800-441-5569.
The Anxiety Cure For Kids. Elizabeth Dupont-Spencer.
Somerset, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, 2003.
th
Interventions to help children with anxiety. K-12 grade www.wiley.com . 800-225-5945.
The First Days of School. Harry K Wong and Rosemary T. Wong. Harry Wong Publishers. 2004. Book
to help teachers set a successful tone for the year (grades K – 12). www.harrywong.com 650-965-7896.
The Handbook For Helping Kids With Anxiety And Stress.. Tip Frank and Kim Frank. Youth Light Inc,
2003. Dealing with sleeping in the dark, fear of being alone, and other childhood fears (grade K – 4).
www.youthlight.com 800-209-9774.
What To Do When You Are Scared And Worried. James Crist. Free Spirit Publishing., 2004. Coping
skills for generalized anxiety (grades 5 – 8). www.freespirit.com 800-724-6527.
What To Do When You Worry Too Much. Dawn Huebner. Magination Press, 2005. Strategies to reduce
stress and anxiety in children (grades K – 6). www.maginationpress.com 800-374-2721.
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