Martin Seligman, in graduate school, worked with dogs who surprised researchers and prompted the term “learned helplessness”.  These dogs, upon receiving shocks, simply stopped attempting to get away from the shocks. What stood out to Seligman, however, (as an optimistic guy!) were the dogs who did not follow suit, but instead discovered ways to eliminate the shock from their surroundings.

In hearing this story, I think of anxiety as a condition that prevents us from not only feeling safe in a learning environment but also paralyzes us from possibilities. It impedes the important trait-resilience and can also impede learning. As we work to improve ourselves and encourage our students, I pose the question; How can we better equip ourselves for such conditions in ourselves and in our learners?