When children are struggling with emotional or behavioral problems, it's often in the classroom that they show up most starkly. Difficulty following directions, focusing on schoolwork, transitioning from one activity to the other, tolerating frustration, getting along with other kids — these can all be signs that kids are overwhelmed by emotions they're having trouble managing.
This week on childmind.org we round up resources about how mental health disorders affect children in the classroom, including anxiety, ADHD and OCD. Understanding what's bothering kids isn't easy, but it is the crucial first step to helping them handle those strong emotions, meet expectations for behavior, and concentrate on learning.