Working Clock for Decreased Student Anxiety

One of my favorite chunks of learning that has supported students tremendously is the use of various executive functioning supports.  I have been quite lucky to have access to infinitech training sessions over the years.  One presenter that I found very beneficial for understanding executive functioning supports is Sarah Ward (click here to access a video of her explaining how to build supports into your child's life).

There are many tools that can be easily utilized in the classroom.  One of the easiest is to use what is called a Working Clock.  This is where you create a visual signal to help the student understand when they are expected to be done, an idea of how long they are working and a reminder that it takes a couple of minutes to get ready for focus on a task.  

I like to simply write on the clock with dry erase markers for whole class activities.  You can also have individual clocks for students.  The key is to show how much time there is to work on an activity with the color green and to mark the ending time with the color red. You can also color in a couple minutes yellow for the 'getting ready' allotted time. Just seeing a visual that there is indeed a 'stop' to the work can make a world of difference.  I also prefer this over time timers because it goes with a real clock an not just counting down time.  There is also a google extension that can give you the opportunity to put a small thinking timer like this overlaid on your computer.  Click here to access.  

I encourage you to try it out.  Even if you are addressing adults this can give reassurance that there is a stopping point as well as help build an ability stay focused and pace yourself.